Military Academies & Enlistment

Military

Steps for Service Academy Application Process All academies EXCEPT the Coast Guard Academy require a nomination from a US Congressperson, Senator, or the Vice President.  Applicants are required to schedule an appointment with the appropriate legislator in the fall.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to schedule this appointment.  All academies require graduates to serve in the armed services for a minimum amount of years.

Senator Chris Murphy

Senator Richard Blumenthal

US Congresswoman Jahana Hayes

Vice President Kamala Harris

ROTC Scholarships and Programs

Army

Air Force

Navy and Marines

Scholarships and other monetary support are available when you join Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), which allow you to focus on your education by relieving some of the financial pressure.  You’re eligible to apply for an ROTC scholarship—which could get you up to 100% tuition coverage—if you’re a high school student enrolling in college, enrolled in college, or an active-duty enlisted Soldier. Get the full college experience, only with less debt, in exchange for a career serving in the military as an Officer after graduation.   ROTC scholarships can cover either tuition and fees, or room and board, and each comes with money for living and books. The scholarships can be applied to any of the more than 1,000 participating schools. Your achievements and grades determine if you’ll be awarded a scholarship, not your financial need.   

Military Colleges and Academies

Senior Military Colleges -Similar to service academies, senior military colleges (SMCs) offer a combination of higher education and military instruction. They are among the most prestigious and famous education institutions in the world, and they offer financial aid packages for eligible students. Every SMC cadet must participate in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program, but only those cadets who receive an ROTC scholarship are required to enter military service following graduation.

Maritime Academies-An additional option for students is a maritime academy. The United States Merchant Marine is the fleet of civilian-owned merchant ships that carry cargo and passengers on behalf of the United States. In times of war, the Merchant Marine is an auxiliary to the Navy and can be called upon to transport service members and supplies for the Military. Maritime academies produce shipboard officers for vessels integral to shipping and transportation needs, but a service commitment is not always required.

Junior Military Academies-A military junior college (MJC) is a military-style junior college in the United States and one of the three major categories of the Army ROTC schools that allows cadets to become commissioned officers in the U.S. Army reserve components in two years, instead of the usual four, through the Early Commissioning Program (ECP). They also offer Service Academy preparatory programs that allow qualified students to earn an appointment to the U.S. Service Academies upon their successful completion of this demanding one-year program at an MJC.  Four institutions are considered military junior colleges:

  • Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, Georgia, includes a liberal arts junior college, a high school, and a middle school.
  • Marion Military Institute, Marion, Alabama, is the state military college of Alabama and nation's oldest military junior college.
  • New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, New Mexico, a four-year high school and a two-year junior college.
  • Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Wayne, Pennsylvania, offers a co-ed two-year junior college program, as well as a military boarding school for young men grades seven through twelve. It is the only private military junior college.