There are three programs available to qualified Virginia Military Institute cadets.

National ROTC Scholarship Program: 

Selected applicants for the Navy ROTC Scholarship Program are awarded scholarships through a highly competitive national selection process, and receive full tuition, books stipend, educational fees and other financial benefits at many of the country's leading colleges and universities. Upon graduation, Midshipmen are commissioned as officers in the unrestricted line Naval Reserve or Marine Corps Reserve.

NROTC Scholarship Information and Application

• US Navy (USN): Offers a 4-year and 3-year Scholarship (Can apply as a HS Junior, HS Senior, or 1^st Semester College Freshman)
  • Schedule an Officer Interview  (Navy applicants only) 
• US Marine Corps (USMC): Offers a 4-year Scholarship (Can only apply as a HS Junior or HS Senior)

NROTC Sideload Scholarship: 

This program offers the same benefits as the National Scholarship, and is offered directly from the NROTC at VMI. Candidates must attain a 2.5 CUM GPA and a “good low” (USN) or 235 (USMC) fitness test score in order to be eligible.

• USN/USMC: Offers a 3-Year and 2-Year Scholarship

College Program (Advanced Standing), USN/USMC: 

This program has the same application process as the NROTC Sideload Scholarship. Students are eligible to graduate and commission in the USN or USMC with the following stipulations:

1. The student will receive a monthly stipend ($150/$250/$350/$450)
2. The student DOES NOT receive tuition and books
3. The student is guaranteed to commission alongside their Scholarship peers

Academic Program

The NROTC academic program consists of three parts. Both Scholarship and College Program Midshipmen are required to complete the entire program as a prerequisite for commissioning.

1. VMI academic fields of study:

Midshipmen in the Navy Scholarship program are strongly encouraged to pursue majors in engineering and hard science curricula in order to meet the technical demands of today's Navy. The process of selecting potential Navy scholarship winners is oriented towards the selection of cadets pursuing technical degrees.

There is no requirement that Marine Option Midshipmen either on scholarship or seeking a scholarship pursue a technical major.

2. Required Courses:

All NROTC Midshipmen must take the courses listed in the VMI Academic Catalog according to their option. These courses all fall under the Department of Naval Science. Courses include topics such as navigation, amphibious warfare, naval weapons systems, and USMC small unite leadership, weapons, and tactics.

3. Other courses taught by VMI professors:

The Navy specifies the following courses, taught by VMI faculty, as a part of the Naval Science academic curriculum:

SCN:  Navy Scholarship; CPN:  Navy College Program SCM:  Marine Scholarship; CPM:  Marine College Program

Summer Cruise

Scholarship program midshipmen are trained for approximately four to six weeks during each summer between academic years. During the first summer, midshipmen are briefly exposed to the varying career options in Naval Aviation, Surface, Subsurface, and the Marine Corps at various bases in the United States.

The second summer's training is a cruise aboard an operational ship in the fleet, located anywhere in the world.

During the third summer, candidates for Navy commissions cruise aboard fleet operational ships, at home and abroad, serving in the capacity of junior officers. Marine Corps candidates are evaluated and screened for commissioning at Quantico, Virginia.

Summer training is a critical facet of the four year NROTC curriculum, continuing at sea the lessons introduced in the classroom. This opportunity to participate in current operations around the world is unparalleled. Few midshipmen return from cruise without having had several eye-opening experiences.