Prospective Students

If you are interested in pursuing an NROTC Scholarship or the NROTC College Program, please visit the official Navy ROTC website, which has a checklist of everything required to apply. During the application process, you will need to participate in an officer interview. This interview can occur at the NROTC unit closest to you. To schedule an interview at the Penn unit fill out the application.

No, you do not have to have a scholarship when you enter the program. About 50 percent of our freshmen come in each year without a national scholarship – these students are referred to as “College Programmers.” The unit staff will work with you to help apply for a national three-year scholarship and other scholarships that the Navy offers for students who want to commission after college. If you want to join the unit but do not have a scholarship, please contact the freshmen advisor at contact.penn.nrotc@gmail.com.

Contact our recruiting officer, LT Miller, at contact.penn.nrotc@gmail.com. He will provide you with all of the required documentation that must be completed.

Applications for the fall of 2024 are on a rolling basis. The window may close as soon as early August, depending on the number of applicants. You are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible to maximize the probability of attending New Student Indoctrination in the summer of 2024.

Yes, we will be having an in-person orientation for the fall 2024 semester. If you are an incoming Freshman with questions about what to expect from your fall semester please contact  LT Miller at contact.penn.nrotc@gmail.com.

As a Midshipman in the University of Pennsylvania NROTC program, you will have the opportunity to pursue a top-tier education while working toward a commission in the United States Navy or Marine Corps. The NROTC program is styled to complement a normal college lifestyle. Midshipmen excel academically and are encouraged to participate in varsity sports, student government, fraternities and sororities, and other extracurricular activities.

Yes, we would love to have you come and check out the program. Prospective students who are visiting campus are encouraged to visit our temporary home at the Franklin Annex Building or shadow a current Midshipman. Opportunities include participating in PT or leadership lab, meeting with the freshmen advisor, and following a current Midshipmen around to all of their classes.

No. Your ROTC scholarship will give you a living stipend but will not pay for your room and board. However, some universities subsidize your on-campus living expenses:

University of Pennsylvania

Room and Board charges are not subsidized by the University of Pennsylvania.

Drexel University

100 percent of Housing charges and 25 percent of Board charges are covered by the University for NROTC Midshipmen under scholarship. You are still required to pay the housing deposit at the beginning of your freshman year. It will be returned to you, as any deposit would, assuming you do not cause damage or otherwise violate Drexel’s housing agreement. It is possible that your housing deposit will be waived in subsequent years as long as you register in the designated window. 

Orientation is almost a month before classes start at Drexel University. If you are not from the surrounding area of Drexel University and there is an issue with you traveling to Philadelphia for orientation and then going home and returning to Philadelphia for the start of school, please inform LT Miller at contact.penn.nrotc@gmail.com.

Temple University

New NROTC Scholarship Midshipmen automatically receive $1250 per semester to go toward their Room and Board charges for their first fall semester. If they remain academically eligible with a 3.0 GPA, they will continue to receive $1250 per semester for Room and Board.

Are you a parent and want to know more? Awesome! We are very happy that you are supporting your child in their wish to join the United States Navy or Marine Corps. Here is the parents’ brief from last year’s orientation: 

UPenn students are eligible to participate in the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFROTC) through a cross-enrollment agreement with St Joseph University. All military science courses are held on St. Joseph’s campus. The AFROTC program enables a UPenn student to earn a commission in the Air Force while concurrently satisfying requirements for his or her baccalaureate degree at Penn. Scholarship and non-scholarship programs are available. Visit the Air Force ROTC Det 750 website to learn more.

If you have questions, please make sure you have filled out the interest form at the top of the page. If you have any other questions or are not a prospective student, please feel free to contact our public affairs officer, LT Miller, at contact.penn.nrotc@gmail.com.