Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)

About the Program

The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, established at Drexel in 1918, is an integral part of the University. Army ROTC courses are open to all students, and enrollment alone does not carry a military obligation. Students selected for the advanced course (normally pre-junior, junior, and senior years) will complete their academic and military studies concurrently, and upon graduation will be commissioned as lieutenants in the United States Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Participation in the advanced course may qualify participants to receive financial aid through a series of scholarships and co-operative education programs.

The purpose of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Drexel University is to provide this nation with leaders of character for our Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard. ROTC training is also intended to foster ideals of patriotism; promote an understanding of the role of the citizen-soldier; stimulate interest in a military career; and develop character, self-discipline, and leadership ability. Army ROTC is a college elective, and enrollment does not require military service.

Students can apply for on-campus 4-year, 3-year and 2-year scholarships at Drexel. All Army ROTC scholarships at Drexel cover full tuition and fees. Additionally, Army ROTC scholarship winners also receive free room (in dorm of choice on campus) and a 25% discount on Drexel’s meal plan. These additional incentives are given by the university and total in excess of $7,500 annually. For example, a 3-year Army ROTC scholarship at Drexel, including these incentives plus a monthly stipend and a quarterly textbook stipend is worth over $135,000 over 4-years. In order to be offered a scholarship, students must meet certain physical fitness and academic requirements.

The Military Science program is divided into the basic course and the advanced course. The basic course normally coincides with the student’s first two years of college. The purpose of the basic course is threefold: to give the student sufficient information to decide whether to continue in the advanced course, to develop certain military skills, and to allow the instructors an opportunity to evaluate the student’s potential to become an officer. In total, the basic course consists of four or five Military Science courses and weekly attendance at Leadership Laboratories each term the cadet is in school. Except for scholarship Cadets, no military obligation is incurred by students participating in these courses. Basic course credit may be granted to students who successfully complete a five-week Cadet Initial Entry Training course at Fort Knox, Kentucky, between the sophomore and junior years. Prior Service Solders who have completed Basic Training also receive credit for the basic course. The advanced course, taken during a student's junior and senior years, is designed to prepare students for commissioned service. The first year of instruction (first two years for co-op students) is directed toward preparing students for the Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The final year of instruction is devoted to prepare students to be commissioned officers.

To be admitted to the advanced course, a student must have credit for the two-year basic course, volunteer, be selected by the professor of military science, and successfully complete the required screening and physical tests.

Enlisted Army Reservists and National Guardsmen may apply for the Simultaneous Membership Program, which permits them to serve as officer trainees with their units and receive commissions upon completion of the ROTC advanced course.

Airborne training, Air Assault training, Mountain Warfare training, Northern Warfare training, and Cadet Troop Leadership Training with a Regular Army unit are also available to select interested Cadets.

Twice per school year, Cadets are required to participate in a leadership development exercise. These exercises are usually two to three days in duration and are conducted at Fort Dix, New Jersey, or other military instillations. The field training exercises give students a chance to practice skills learned in the classroom and Leadership Laboratories. Contracted students are also required to attend the Advanced Camp over the summer between their Junior and Senior years. The Department of Military Science will work with the co-op coordinators to allow co-op Cadets to attend this training

Uniforms worn during Leadership Laboratory periods and leadership development exercises are issued free of charge to all students enrolled in ROTC. Students are responsible for maintaining the uniforms and returning them upon commissioning or leaving the program.

Students who satisfactorily complete ROTC course requirements are commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Army, Army Reserve, or National Guard. Drexel graduates who receive their commission through ROTC may apply for a commission in any branch of the Army for which they are qualified.

Additional Information

Further information on the scholarships and Army ROTC is available from the Drexel University ROTC Battalion at 267-359-6300.

Scholarship Requirements

Primary References: 

Army Regulation 145-1 - Senior Reserve Officer's Training Corps Program:  Organization, Administration and Training

United States Army Cadet Command (USACC) Regulation 145-1 - Army ROTC Incentives Policy

USACC Pamphlet 145-1 - Army ROTC Incentives Procedures

USACC Pamphlet 145-4 - Enrollment, Retention and Disenrollment Criteria, Policy and Procedures

USACC Circular 37-1 - Financial management for USACC

General Scholarship Benefit Package:

  • Up to full tuition and mandatory fees
  • Room and Board*
    • up to $10,000.00 annually
      • $5,000.00 (1st Semester) & $5,000.00 (2nd Semester)
      • $3,333.00 (1st & 2nd Quarter) & $3,334.00 (3rd Quarter)
  • Book Allowance of $1,200.00 annually
  • Approved summer tuition (up to 12 credit hours) and mandatory fees. NO ROOM & BOARD IS AUTHORIZED FOR SUMMER TERMS**
  • Summer book allowance of $400.00***
  • Scholarship benefits begin with the expected start term and end with the expected end term
  • Stipend

*Scholarship Cadet will either select the scholarship to pay for tuition and fees or room & board; Scholarships will ONLY pay one or the other as part of your scholarship benefits

**Summer terms are not normally part of the academic school year and therefore require Cadet Command approval to authorize Summer Term benefits. 

***Summer book allowance is contingent upon Summer Term benefit approval

  • Summer courses are a mandatory part of your academic alignment
  • Those courses must not be offered during the normal academic school year
  • Cadet must take summer courses based on co-op schedule if mandatory for their program of study and not offered at any other time during the academic year.  

*Co-op terms are not authorized scholarship benefits

Scholarship Eligibility, USACC Regulation 145-1:

  • Citizenship:
    • Scholarship applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals prior to contracting as a scholarship Cadet. This is a statutory requirement; no waivers or exceptions are authorized. "U.S. Nationals" are persons born in American Samoa and Swains Island
    • Students who hold dual citizenship must be advised that when requested, they will be required to provide a statement to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) investigator, or adjudicative authority, expressing their willingness to renounce dual citizenship. Failure to do so may result in denial of a security clearance, which is a prerequisite for commissioning, and will result in disenrollment.
  • Age:
    • Scholarship applicants must be at least 17 years of age within the first semester/quarter in which scholarship benefits are to begin. Students CANNOT contract until they have reached their 17th birthday.
    • Scholarship applicants must be under 31 years in the calendar year in which they are to be commissioned. This age limit is determined by law; therefore, it is non-waiverable. Example: a Mission Set 21 (MS21) applicant turns 31 years old in November 2021, he/she would be ineligible for a scholarship as the applicant must be under 31 during the calendar year he/she will be commissioning.
  • Academic status:
    • Scholarship applicants must be a high school graduate or possess the equivalent certificate before September first of the year of award.
  • Grade point Average (GPA):
    • High school unweighted GPA is used for four-year applicants. All others use the college GPA. The required high school unweighted Cumulative GPA (CGPA) for all high school applicants is 2.5. 
    • The required CGPA and current GPA for scholarship consideration are 2.5 for students who have already established a college GPA from at least one full term of college.
    • A minimum 2.5 academic current and CGPA are required for the scholarship at the time of application. The applicant must also maintain the required current and CGPA before contracting.
    • Waivers will be considered for insufficient GPAs. Waivers must be substantiated with other academic achievements.
    • Brigade Commanders (2nd Brigade is our program's higher headquarters) have the approval authority of on-campus GPA waivers down to 2.0.
    • Any waivers requested for below 2.0 GPA for on-campus applicants must go to Cadet Command For Approval. Cadet Command is the waiver approval authority for insufficient GPAs for Green to Gold and National High School Scholarship Programs applicants.
    • ROTC GPA is used for enrolled Cadets only. A minimum ROTC GPA of 3.0 is required for scholarship consideration. This is an eligibility requirement.
  • Medical Qualification:
    • Scholarship applicants must successfully pass a medical examination reviewed by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB) or be granted a medical waiver by Headquarters Cadet Command (HQCC). Procedures are outlined in Appendix A, reference R (located on the DODMERB document site - https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil/default.asp).
  • Weight/Body Fat Standards:
    • Applicants with any prior service, active or reserve, must pass the height, weight and body fat percentage standards in accordance with (IAW) AR 600-9.
    • Applicants with no prior service must pass height, weight and body fat percentage standards IAW 600-9.
    • All applicants acknowledge, upon contracting, that they will be required to meet the screening weight or body fat percentage required by the Army Weight Control Program each year.
  • Physical Aptitude, Assessment of the physical conditioning for scholarship applicants will be accomplished in the following manner:
    • The ROTC Physical Fitness Assessment (RPFA) may be used for high school applicants. Cadet Command Incentives division will coordinate with the applicant's high school to have the RFPA conducted. 
    • ALL scholarship applicants must successfully complete the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) at the 60/60/60 scoring level prior to contracting. Failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of scholarship.
    • Freshman must successfully complete the APFT at the 60/60/60 standard prior to December first of their Freshman year or their scholarship will be withdrawn.
    • All other scholarship applicants must complete the PFT at the 60/60/60 standard prior to contracting.
    • For scholarships beginning in the Spring, the applicants must successfully complete the APFT at the 60/60/60 standard during all subsequent APFTs.
  • Character:
    • Scholarship applicants must not have moral obligations or personal convictions that will prevent them from:
      • Supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
      • Conscientiously bearing arms.
    • Scholarship applicants must satisfactorily explain any record of civil conviction.
  • Academic Discipline:
    • Scholarship applicants must agree to enroll in one of the approved baccalaureate degree producing programs listed in USACC pamphlet 145-1. Emphasis within the scholarship process will be placed on technical disciplines; i.e., engineering, physical science, and nursing.
    • All scholarship students must be enrolled in military science courses to be entitled to payment for that term. All scholarship students must be enrolled and remain enrolled full-time in order to receive scholarship benefits with the exception of their final term as an MSIV. Cadet Academically and militarily aligned to complete degree requirements and commission may be paid scholarship benefits for the last term in less than full-time status.
  • Students Ineligible to Compete for a Scholarship:
    • Students who fall under one of the following categories are ineligible to compete for or receive benefits from an Army ROTC scholarship:
      • ROTC Disenrollment - Previous 2 and 3-year contracted scholarship winners who have been disenrolled after entering MSL II are ineligible to compete for another scholarship until they enter the advanced course and are eligible for a 2-year scholarship.
      • Non-citizens - If citizenship will not be obtained prior to the fall enrollment. U.S. Nationals are considered citizens of the U.S. for purposes of the Army ROTC.
      • Civil Conviction - A student who has an adverse juvenile adjudication or who has been arrested, indicted and convicted by a civil court or military law for other than minor traffic violations (for which forfeiture of $250.00 or higher was imposed), unless waiver is granted. The applicant must submit a request for waiver of convictions at the time of scholarship application and award of a scholarship will remain conditional until any required waiver is approved.
      • Medically Disqualified - A Student with a known disqualifying medical condition/defect, unless proper authority has approved a medical waiver.
      • Discharged from the Armed Forces: A student who has been discharged from any branch of the Armed Forces with non-Waiverable disqualifying reenlistment code or with one of the following types of discharges:
        • Dishonorable
        • Bad Conduct
        • Undesirable
        • Discharge under other than honorable conditions
      • Pregnant Students - Pregnant students are eligible to compete for scholarships, however, they are ineligible to enroll in ROTC if pregnant. Students must be medically qualified at the time of contracting. Pregnancy is a temporary medical disqualification. All applicants must meet dependency requirements (AR 145-1, Chapter 3) before contracting. Cadets who become pregnant after contracting will not be involuntarily disenrolled solely because of pregnancy.
      • Active Federal Service (AFS) -  Students who will have 10 years or more of AFS at the time of commissioning must request a waiver.
      • Former Cadets -  Students who have already completed undergraduate degree requirements under the Army ROTC program are ineligible. NOTE: This only applies to students who receive their undergraduate degree at the expense of the Army ROTC. If the student earned an undergraduate degree by other means, the student is eligible to apply for a 2-year scholarship.
      • Domestic Violence -  Students convicted of domestic violence are ineligible.
      • Students participating in the SMP, except as Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) scholarship recipients.
      • Students at community colleges, except those approved in the Formal Linkage Program which only allows 2and 3-year scholarships
      • Students with only one year remaining to obtain their baccalaureate degree are ineligible.
  • Financial Policy:
    • Scholarship recipients are required to make a choice each term of whether their benefits will cover tuition and allowable fees (full) or a flat rate of $10K for room and board. Cadets that select the room and board option are required to be counseled on their selection.
    • Payment of Fall term: If Fall term ends prior to December 15, and the Cadet contracts between end of Fall term and December 15, the Cadet is entitled to Fall benefits.
    • Fees: Three Rules generally apply for payment of Fees:
      • If the fee applies to all students, all the time, every year, it is payable. Mandatory educational fees are those fees charged to all students attending the school.
      • If the fee is connected to a specific course that is required for degree completion in the Cadet's major or the fee is required for attendance at that college/university, it is payable. The class must be specifically required for degree completion and is not a free elective.
      • Any fee listed as an optional fee in the school catalog is capped at $100.00 per course. Any amount that exceeds that cap is the responsibility of the Cadet. Optional means that the cadet need not incur the fee for degree completion.
      • Health Fees will be paid if all students are required to purchase the school's health insurance. Payment of health fees not required to be purchased by the school will be paid up to a $1000.00 cap where health insurance is not mandatory. Students may opt whether to purchase the school or an independent policy.
      • Scholarship funds will not be used to pay identifiable fees that directly result in the purchase of laptop computers, cellular phones, personal digital assistants or other automated equipment. However, if tuition includes purchase of automated equipment which cannot be identified as a separate fee, then scholarship funds may be used to pay for the automated equipment as an integrated portion of the tuition. 
      • Room and Board - Cadets may choose for the scholarship benefits to be applied toward their room and board costs. This election is made each term. A flat rate of $10,000 annually is paid for room and board costs. The amounts are paid directly to the cadet - $5,000 per semester or $3,333 per quarter term.
        • If scholarship money is used towards Room and Board, State (if applicable for ARNG) Tuition Assistance (TA) may be available to use in conjunction with scholarship money to pay for tuition.
        • FTA may not be used in conjunction with an ROTC scholarship.
      • Book Stipend - A "flat rate" fee will be paid for books, supplies and equipment as published annually by Headquarters, United States Army Cadet Command. This is in addition to the tuition and fees or room & board option.
      • Subsistence Allowance - All contracted cadets are authorized a stipend.
        • The subsistence allowance will begin on the date that the cadet enters the first term of college work under the scholarship contract or on the date the Cadet meets all requirements for and is contracted as a scholarship cadet, whichever is later.
        • The stipend will continue until the cadet has met all requirements for commissioning or has been disenrolled, except as what is provided by regulation, directive or law.
        • Military Science level (MS) I or II Cadets receive stipend for no more than 10 months of the academic year or the actual duration of the academic year, whichever is shorter.
        • MS III - IV Cadets receive stipend allowance for no more than 20 months uninterrupted except while attending Cadet Summer Training (CST) during the junior and senior years.
        • MS V Cadets receive up to 10 months stipend, which continues uninterrupted after completion of the MS IV year.
        • Advanced course ROTC Cadets (to include MS V) and basic course scholarship Cadets MUST be enrolled in ROTC to receive any scholarship benefits or stipend.
      • Non-Reimbursable Items - The following are non-reimbursable under the scholarship contract:
        • Any educational expenses incurred prior to the beginning of the scholarship.
        • Remedial courses taken either for background enrichment or to make up deficiency.
        • Courses not required for the degree, unless charges for such courses can be absorbed within the normal basic tuition charges during the academic year and will not extend graduation date.
        • Course required because of changes in academic majors when such courses cannot be completed within the number of academic terms covered by the scholarship.
        • Courses taken at a school other than that at which the Cadet is enrolled for ROTC training, except in the case of a Cadet selected for scholarship that is enrolled at a Partner School. 
        • Summer sessions, except as authorized.
        • Unauthorized travel.
        • Penalties or fines for late registration, when the fault of the cadet.
        • Charges for makeup examinations, violations of school rules, and the like.
        • Personal fees, such as laundry, clothes, or grooming.
        • Permits of fees associated with vehicle operation.
  • Military Service Obligation:
    • All scholarship winners who contract will be required to sign a contract which obligates them to serve in the military for a period of 8 years.
      • If selected for active duty, the lieutenant will serve a minimum of 4 years followed by service in the Army National Guard (ARNG), United States Army Reserve (USAR) or the Idividual Ready Reserve (IRR).
      • If selected for reserve duty, the lieutenant will serve eight years in the selected reserve, i.e., an ARNG unit or a USAR Troop Program Unit.

Program Requirements

Military History
HIST 230United States Military History I (before 1900)4.0
or HIST 231 US Military History II (since 1900)
MLSC 399American Military History3.0
Military Science Courses
MLSC 101Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 102Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 103Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 110Leadership and Personal Developmnt1.0
MLSC 120Foundations in Leadership1.0
MLSC 130Continuing Studies: Foundations in Leadership1.0
MLSC 201Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 202Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 203Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 210Innovative Tactical Leadership2.0
MLSC 220Leadership in Changing Environments2.0
MLSC 230Adaptive Team Leadership2.0
MLSC 301Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 302Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 303Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 310Leadership in Contact2.0
MLSC 320Complex Team Leadership Issues2.0
MLSC 330Military Leadership Co-op Preparation2.0
MLSC 401Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 402Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 403Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 410Developing Adaptive Leaders2.0
MLSC 420Leadership in Contemporary Environments2.0
MLSC 430Advanced Leadership in Contemporary Environments2.0
Total Credits28.0

Plan of Study (4 year)

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 1010.0MLSC 1020.0MLSC 1030.0VACATION
MLSC 1101.0MLSC 1201.0MLSC 1301.0 
 1 1 1 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 2010.0MLSC 2020.0MLSC 2030.0VACATION
MLSC 2102.0MLSC 2202.0MLSC 2302.0 
 2 2 2 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 3010.0MLSC 3020.0MLSC 3030.0Advanced Camp Attendance
MLSC 3102.0MLSC 3202.0MLSC 3302.0 
 2 2 2 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
MLSC 4010.0MLSC 4020.0MLSC 4030.0 
MLSC 4102.0MLSC 4202.0MLSC 4302.0 
 2 2 2 
Total Credits 21
Military History Requirement
To meet commissioning requirements, students must take each of the following military history courses:
HIST 231US Military History II (since 1900)4.0
HIST 230United States Military History I (before 1900)4.0

Plan of Study (4 year, 1 co-op) 

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 1010.0MLSC 1020.0MLSC 1030.0VACATION
MLSC 1101.0MLSC 1201.0MLSC 1301.0 
 1 1 1 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 2010.0MLSC 2020.0MLSC 3010.0SUMMER VACATION
MLSC 2102.0MLSC 2202.0MLSC 3102.0 
MLSC 2302.0   
 4 2 2 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 3020.0MLSC 3030.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE (SHORT)*
MLSC 3202.0MLSC 3302.0 ADVANCED CAMP ATTENDANCE
 2 2 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
MLSC 4010.0MLSC 4020.0MLSC 4030.0 
MLSC 4102.0MLSC 4202.0MLSC 4302.0 
 2 2 2 
Total Credits 21
*

SHORT COOP DUE TO ADVANCED CAMP ATTENDANCE

Military History Requirement
To meet commissioning requirements, students must take each of the following military history courses:
HIST 230United States Military History I (before 1900)4.0
HIST 231US Military History II (since 1900)4.0

Plan of Study (5 year)

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 1010.0MLSC 1020.0MLSC 1030.0VACATION
MLSC 1101.0MLSC 1201.0MLSC 1301.0 
 1 1 1 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 2010.0MLSC 2020.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
MLSC 2102.0MLSC 2202.0  
 2 2 0 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 2030.0MLSC 3010.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
MLSC 2302.0MLSC 3102.0  
 2 2 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MLSC 3020.0MLSC 3030.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE (SHORT)*
MLSC 3202.0MLSC 3302.0 ADVANCED CAMP ATTENDANCE
 2 2 0 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
MLSC 4010.0MLSC 4020.0MLSC 4030.0 
MLSC 4102.0MLSC 4202.0MLSC 4302.0 
 2 2 2 
Total Credits 21
*

SHORT COOP DUE TO ADVANCED CAMP ATTENDANCE

Military History Requirement
To meet commissioning requirements, students must take each of the following military history courses:
HIST 230United States Military History I (before 1900)4.0
HIST 231US Military History II (since 1900)4.0

Minor in Military Science

Military History
HIST 230United States Military History I (before 1900)4.0
or HIST 231 US Military History II (since 1900)
MLSC 399American Military History3.0
Military Science Courses
MLSC 101Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 102Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 103Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 110Leadership and Personal Developmnt1.0
MLSC 120Foundations in Leadership1.0
MLSC 130Continuing Studies: Foundations in Leadership1.0
MLSC 201Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 202Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 203Basic Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 210Innovative Tactical Leadership2.0
MLSC 220Leadership in Changing Environments2.0
MLSC 230Adaptive Team Leadership2.0
MLSC 301Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 302Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 303Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 310Leadership in Contact2.0
MLSC 320Complex Team Leadership Issues2.0
MLSC 330Military Leadership Co-op Preparation2.0
MLSC 401Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 402Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 403Leadership Lab/Practicum0.0
MLSC 410Developing Adaptive Leaders2.0
MLSC 420Leadership in Contemporary Environments2.0
MLSC 430Advanced Leadership in Contemporary Environments2.0
Total Credits28.0
  • Schedule of Classes
  • All Course Descriptions
  • Co-op
  • Academic Advising
  • Admissions
  • Tuition & Fees
LEARN MORE