Scholarships
Whether you’re a high school student or already attending California University of Pennsylvania, Army ROTC has scholarships available. Scholarships are awarded based on a student’s merit and grades, not financial need.
Two-, three-, and four-year scholarships are available based on the time remaining to complete your degree. At California University of Pennsylvania, your Army ROTC scholarship covers the cost of your tuition. In addition, it pays $450 a semester for books. Lastly, contracted Army ROTC Cadets, whether on scholarship or not, receive a monthly stipend. The stipends are as follows:
- 1st year Cadet, $300 per month
- 2nd year Cadet, $350 per month
- 3rd year Cadet, $400 per month
- 4th year Cadet, $500 per month
This allowance is also available to all non-scholarship Cadets enrolled in the Army ROTC Advanced Course (3rd and 4th year).
If you are planning on attending California University of Pennsylvania and are interested in receiving a tuition scholarship along with some of the best leadership training available, Army ROTC may be right for you.
The high school Four-Year Scholarship is for high school students planning on attending a four-year college program. Applicants for Four-Year Scholarships who are not awarded a Four-Year Scholarship, may alternately be awarded a Three-Year Scholarship out of high school instead. This would require enrollment in the Army ROTC program for the freshman year of college, followed by the initiation of scholarship benefits at the beginning of the sophomore year of college. Contact your high school academic advisor or CPT Andrew Kick at (724) 938-1679/1680 for more information. To qualify, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be between the ages of 17 and 26
- Have a high school Cumulative GPA of at least 2.50
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Score minimum of 920 on the SAT or 19 on the ACT
- Meet physical standards
- Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in a Reserve Component (U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard).
- In addition, our applicants must be able to pass the minimum standards on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).
The most competitive candidates for an Army ROTC Four-Year Scholarship will have at least a SAT score of 1100 or an ACT score of 24.
The online application for this scholarship can be found at: http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/high_school_students.jsp
The Three-Year Scholarship is available for students already enrolled California University of Pennsylvania with three academic years remaining. The following requirements pertain:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be between ages 17 and 27
- Have a College GPA of at least 2.5
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent Score minimum 920 on the SAT or 19 on the ACT
- Meet physical standards
- Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in a Reserve Component (U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard)
As noted previously, a high school student may be awarded a Three-Year Scholarship out of high school which would require her to enroll in the Army ROTC program for the freshman year of college, followed by the initiation of scholarship benefits at the beginning of the sophomore year of college. Contact CPT Andrew Kick at (724) 938-1679/1680 for more information.
The Two-Year Scholarship is available for those who have two academic years of college remaining.
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be between ages 17 and 27
- Have a College GPA of at least 2.5
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Meet physical standards
- Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in a Reserve Component (U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard).
The Two-Year Scholarship is awarded a number of ways, but important to note is that the Army ROTC Basic Course requirements must be met before the award is given. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. Cadets may have completed the first four Army ROTC courses. Graduation from Basic Training will qualify the Cadet for entrance into the Army ROTC Advance Course.
In addition, a Cadet who has not met the Basic Course requirements can do so by graduating the Leader Training Course, a 28-day course held at Fort Knox, KY (see Summer and Additional Training Opportunities). Attending cadets compete for available Two-Year Scholarships during this training.
Contact CPT Andrew Kick at (724) 938-1679/1680 for more information.
PA National Guard Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) Scholarship
The Pennsylvania National Guard Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship for Cadets at California University of Pennsylvania. In addition, it awards the Cadet $300 per semester or $600 per academic year for books.
Those interested must meet or must agree to meet the following criteria in order to compete for a GRFD Scholarship:
- The student must be a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard
- Must be enrolled in the Simultaneous Membership Program
- Be contracted in California University of Pennsylvania’s Army ROTC Program as an MS III or MS IV Cadet
- Be a non-scholarship ROTC Cadet
GRFD Scholarship recipients will also receive:
- $450 monthly ROTC stipend (MS III) or
- $500 monthly ROTC stipend (MS IV) and
- Weekend drill pay (MS III Cadets are paid at the E5 pay grade. MS IV Cadets are paid at the E6 pay grade.)
Every Cadet in the Pennsylvania National Guard is eligible to receive Montgomery GI Bill benefits. The following rates apply:
- $297 per month (as a full-time student), Chapter 1606 Selected Reserve – MGIB or;
- $1006 per month (as a full-time student), Chapter 30 Active Duty – MGIB
- $350 per month (as a full-time student), PA National Guard/Army ROTC Kicker Program.
Contact SSG Charles Minor, National Guard Liaison, at (724) 938-1679/1680 for more information.