Prospective Cadets
Earn your college degree and so much more
Are you eager to pursue your college degree while being commissioned through an ROTC program? If so, you should join the Department of Military Science at St. Mary’s University. We welcome Cadets at all stages of life, from prospective high school students and current college students to members of the National Guard or Reserve Component and Active-Duty Soldiers. Eligibility criteria may vary based on your classification.
How To Join ROTC
Select your current status to learn more about the process of joining ROTC.
Is the army for you?
Any student can try Army ROTC for up to 2 years with no obligation while they work towards their degree at St. Mary’s University, University of the Incarnate Word, Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Phillips College or Trinity University. Just sign up for MS 100 in the fall!
Eligibility Criteria
There are two classifications of ROTC Cadets: Enrolled and Contracted.
Enrolled
An enrolled Cadet is anyone who has designated that they want to go further in the program by being enrolled into the national database that tracks every ROTC Cadet in the country.
Enrolled Cadet Requirements
Basic requirements to become an enrolled cadet:
- Be a full-time student at St. Mary’s or program-included universities (University of the Incarnate Word, Our lady of the Lake University, St. Phillips College and Trinity University).
- Be a U.S. Citizen or pursuing naturalization
- Turn in all the necessary documents and complete the enrollment packet with our enrollment officer
- Be of good moral character (satisfactorily explain any record of arrest and/or civil conviction)
- Freshman and sophomores are not required to be enrolled in CCIMS but if you are not then it will exclude you from doing certain training, like going to FTX’s.
View Requirements
Contracted
Contracted Cadets are students who have entered in to a contractual agreement with the Army that they will complete the ROTC program and commission as Second Lieutenants upon graduation.
Scholarship students must meet all of the requirements for contracted cadets. Every junior must contract once they reach MS 300 level.
Contracted Cadet Requirements
Requirements of contracted cadets:
- Be a full-time student at St. Mary’s or program-included universities.
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Have at least a 2.5 GPA at the time of contracting
- Be medically qualified by the Department of Defense Medical Evaluation Review Board (DoDMERB)
- Must be able to meet height/weight requirements and be able to pass an Army Physical Fitness Test every semester
View Requirements
High School Students
If you want help paying for a college education while receiving some of the best leadership training in the country, consider joining St. Mary’s Army ROTC program. Click on the information below to learn more.
Information for High School Students
Start thinking about your future today
If you’re still in high school and are planning on attending a four-year college and are interested in receiving a tuition scholarship along with some of the best leadership training available, Saint Mary’s University Army ROTC may be right for you.
The application is done on a national level. You can receive a full 4-year scholarship or a 3-year Advanced Designee scholarship, which means that your scholarship money wouldn’t kick in until your sophomore year.
Army ROTC scholarships cover full tuition and fees or room/board. Saint Mary’s University will cover full room/board costs for National Scholarship Recipients and Contracted Cadets.
How to Join
We highly encourage you to apply for the four-year national ROTC scholarship to get started. If you missed the deadline or do not wish to apply for the national scholarship, all you have to do to start the program is sign up for MS 100 your first fall semester of college. You can compete for campus-based scholarships once you’re already in the program.
Scholarships
We recommend you apply for:
- Four-Year National ROTC Scholarship
- This scholarship is for current high school juniors/seniors planning on attending a four-year university.
Learn More
College Students
Are you already in college but are interested in joining Army ROTC because of the multiple benefits available to you? If so, learn more about our program for current college students.
Information for Current College Students
Earn a college degree and so much more
Army ROTC Benefits
Through classes and field training, Army ROTC provides you with the tools to become an Army Officer without interfering with your other classes. ROTC also provides you with discipline and money for tuition while enhancing your college experience.
Joining ROTC
If you’re already a student at St. Mary’s you can start the program by taking the Army ROTC basic Military Science course, basic 100- or 200-level courses. You must have at least two or more years remaining toward your undergraduate degree.
If you have at least two or more years remaining toward your undergraduate degree but not enough time to complete the basic courses, you can enter the Army ROTC advanced course (MS 301) by completing the Basic Camp Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, during the summer before your junior year, which will enable you to advance to the 300 and 400-level MIS courses.
Basic Camp (Ft. Knox, KY)
This course is for those college students who come to us late and want to complete Army ROTC training in two years. To qualify, you must complete a 32-day training program at Fort Knox, Kentucky, over the summer before your junior year. Ask our Recruiting Operations Officer for more information.
Scholarships
We recommend you apply for:
- Campus-Based Scholarship
- We currently award 3-year Advanced Designee, 3-year, 2.5-year, 2-year (basic camp graduate if required), 2-year Advanced Designee, 2-year, or 2-year graduate degree scholarships for master’s students.
Learn More
National Guard/Reserve
We offer a Simultaneous Membership Program to current members of the Reserve Component who wish to receive financial assistance. Learn more about the benefits available to you.
The SMP option is available to current members of the Reserve Component (Army Reserve or National Guard) or non-scholarship ROTC Basic Course cadets, MSIs and MSIIs, who wish to receive financial assistance.
National Guard/Reserve Information
How to join ROTC
Simultaneous Membership Program
The Simultaneous Membership Program allows you to attend Army ROTC and serve in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard at the same time. It gives you an opportunity for additional training and experience. Cadets serve as Officer trainees in the Reserve or National Guard while completing college. You can earn Reserve/Guard pay and benefits in addition to your Army ROTC allowances. Tuition Assistance or the Montgomery GI Bill can be applied toward your undergraduate degree (if not a scholarship recipient).
To learn more information about the Simultaneous Membership Program and its benefits, click on the button below.
Minuteman Scholarship
If you are interested in receiving an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship and commissioning into the Army Reserve, the Minuteman Scholarship provides you an excellent opportunity. All qualified applicants for ROTC scholarships may apply for consideration for the 4-year Minuteman Scholarship.
To learn more about the Minuteman Scholarship, click the button below.
Learn More
Active-Duty Students
If you’re an active-duty enlisted soldier who wants to pursue a college degree while commissioned through ROTC, our green-to-gold program is designed for you. Read more about our Green-to-Gold Program designed for Active Duty enlisted soldiers.
Active-Duty Student Information
The Green to Gold Active-Duty Option Program is a two-year program which provides eligible, Active Duty enlisted Soldiers an opportunity to complete a baccalaureate degree or a 2-Year graduate degree and be commissioned as an Army Officer upon receiving the appropriate degree.
Learn More
Fund Your Education Through the Army ROTC Program
We have a variety of scholarships available to help fund your education while you’re enrolled in the Army ROTC program. Learn about our various funding opportunities available to our cadets by clicking on the link below.
Contact Us
Visit our recruitment office located in Treadaway Hall to find out all the different ways to join Army ROTC, as well as scholarships that are available to you. We have designated scholarships for those studying critical languages, nursing and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).
ROTC Office
Treadaway Hallrotc@stmarytx.edu
210-436-3415Augustine “Chez” Varela
Recruiting Operations Officercvarela@stmarytx.edu
210-436-3011 Ext 1517Socials