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ROTC Community

ROTC community within university housing develops camaraderie and assists in the transition to ROTC in the university setting.

Requirements

A full list of details and requirements regarding the commissioning programs offered by the United States Navy and Marine Corps can be found at Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) or Seaman To Admiral-21 (STA-21) program.

Keep in mind, perhaps the most important step to joining the Gamecock Battalion is admission to the University. If admissions assistance is needed, Marine-option midshipmen and MECEP students should contact the AMOI, Officer Candidates should contact the NPO, and Navy-option midshipmen should contact the freshmen advisor. All contact information is available on the Contact page as well as on the Our People page.

Apply for Undergraduate Admission

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions manages online applications to the university and provides the most comprehensive information on the application process. The admissions office also provides the latest information on application deadlines and university scholarships for S.C. residents and nonresidents. So whether you are applying as a freshman, are looking to transfer to South Carolina or are planning to come to Columbia from another USC campus, you can check the requirements based on your current status and apply now.

Scholarship Options

Navy Scholarships: Application begins the summer before your senior year of high school. The four-year scholarship covers tuition and fees, an allowance for books and living, all necessary uniforms, and training opportunities in the summer. Two- and three-year scholarships are also available.

Marine Scholarships: Two-, three-, and four-year scholarships can be awarded, offering financial assistance for tuition, books, and housing, in addition to uniforms. Summer training is limited to a six-week period at Officer Candidate School during the summer after junior year.

NROTC Scholarship Application

College Program

For students who are not on scholarship but want to join, the College Program grants the ability to participate in all unit activities, receive uniforms and books, and have the opportunity to apply for scholarship benefits after their first full semester with the NROTC unit. Students may also be selected for Advanced Standing starting their Junior year, which will provide them with a stipend, a summer of training, and a commission upon graduation.

College Program Application [pdf]

Active Duty Personel

Current enlisted service members of the United States Navy and Marine Corps also have an opportunity to be a part of the Gamecock Battalion. Active Duty personnel will study alongside the civilian students in the unit, attend unit functions, and occasionally hold positions of responsibility, but will still receive active duty pay and benefits. The Seaman to Admiral-21 program and the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program have different entrance requirements, and their participants have slightly different roles within the battalion, so please contact our staff for more information.

MECEP Handbook [pdf]

NROTC Preparatory Programs (NPP)

The NROTC Preparatory Programs (NPP) Office mission is to expand NROTC opportunities to
produce a more capable and representative Naval Officer Corps. NROTC preparatory
scholarship reservations (NPSR) supports that mission by partnering with educational
institutions to enhance underserved or disadvantaged scholarship applicants' moral, mental,
and physical foundations to prepare them for success in the NROTC program.

NPP Information

Why Carolina?

NROTC at the University of South Carolina offers several unique aspects that separate us from other NROTC units across the country, for instance:

Excellent selection rate for candidates pursuing careers as EOD/SEAL officers as well as those pursuing Naval Aviation
An active alumni association, which offers scholarships for select out of state students not on an ROTC scholarship to attend USC at the in-state tuition rate
A unit-sponsored tailgate for all home football games, with food and drinks provided by the unit
A gym maintained by the combined ROTC units at USC, for use only by USC midshipmen and cadets, in addition to the two campus gyms
ROTC community within university housing to help develop camaraderie and assist in the transition to ROTC in the university setting.
Close proximity to military installations:
- Fort Jackson is located in Columbia, and Parris Island is in nearby Beaufort County. Both serve as frequent training locations for various unit events
- Joint Base Charleston is nearby for various needs of midshipmen and Officer Candidates
As a unit with a typical strength of around 100 midshipmen, MECEP students, and Officer Candidates, the unit enjoys certain additional benefits:
- Each major warfare community has a permanent staff billet, which is reserved for larger ROTC units
- Our unit drill team travels annually to New Orleans for the Tulane University Mardi Gras Drill Meet, where they compete with other unit drill teams from across the country

ROTC

ROTC Community