Naval Service Commissioning Programs

Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps

The Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NROTC) program is designed to train and educate highly qualified students for commissioning and active service as unrestricted line officers in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. To be eligible for an NROTC Scholarship the student must meet the following requirements:

Be a U.S. citizen
Be at least 17, but less than 27 years of age at graduation
Be physically qualified and pass a PFA (BCA and PRT with Good Low Overall)
Possess satisfactory records of academic ability and moral integrity
Demonstrate those characteristics desired of a Naval Officer
Pass a DoDMERB Medical evaluation
Complete New Student Indoctrination in Great Lakes, IL prior to reporting to MMA
Have no moral reservation or personal convictions that prevents the bearing of arms

Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Scholarship Benefits:

All tuition (in or out-of-state) and all allowable fees paid
$750 book allowance ($375 per semester while on Scholarship)
Monthly subsistence allowance during the school year, (Freshman: $250; Sophomore: $300; Junior: $350; Senior: $400).
MMA Room and Board Waiver (waiver applied after all financial aid has been assessed)
Issued U.S. Navy Uniforms. Commutation in Lieu of Uniforms for Regimental Students (Navy, over 4 years, will reimburse students for the cost of Regimental uniforms)
Fifth year extended entitlements for authorized majors.
Post graduation commissioned into the Navy or Marine Corps.
- Minimum service requirements are based on warfare community
  - MSE 5 extends 5-year obligation to 6.5 years.
  - Surface Warfare 5-years
  - Submarine Warfare 5-years
  - Aviation Warfare 7–8-years post winging

Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Scholarship Options

Navy Option National 4-year Scholarship Program
1. High school students may apply for the NROTC National Scholarship Program anytime between the spring semester of their junior year and the fall semester of their senior year. Because the total number of scholarships given varies each academic year, early application is strongly recommended for this highly competitive program.
2. 7 Naval Science classes, Engineering Fundamentals, and Leadership Laboratory. Other courses as required by the Regulations for Officer Development (ROD)
3. https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Prospective-Midshipmen/Scholarship-and-Non-Scholarship-Options/Four-Year-National-Scholarship/
4. Summer Training included (all summer trainings are paid, and travel coordinated by the Unit):
  1. New Student Indoctrination (NSI. Required. Normally summer before Freshmen Year and cannot be waived.)
  2. Career Orientation and Training for Midshipmen (CORTRAMID. After Freshmen Year. Can be waived)
  3. Second Class Cruise. (Summer cruises aboard a surface ship or submarine. After Sophomore Year. Can be waived)
  4. First Class Cruise (Midshipmen are assigned to Commands in the warfare community they are seeking to commission into. Foreign Navy Exchange (FOREX) is also an option. After Junior Year. Cannot be waived.)
5. Midshipmen must maintain 12 credit hours per semester excluding Naval Science courses. Normal student load is a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester. Below that requires a waiver from the Professor of Naval Science.
6. Required Naval Science Courses 8 total courses plus a lab. Will confer a Minor in Naval Science. Total Cr. 24:
  1. NV100 Naval Leadership Lab (each semester in the program Cr. 0)
  2. NV101 Introduction to Naval Science (Fall Freshman Year Cr. 3)
  3. EG101 Fundamentals of Engineering Ops (Freshman or Sophomore Cr. 3)
  4. NV202 Sea Power and Maritime Affairs (Spring Freshman Year Cr. 3)
  5. NV401 Leadership and Management (Fall Sophomore Year Cr. 3)
  6. NV301 Navigation (NS271 or NS272 counts, Spring Soph Year Cr. 3)
  7. NV211 Naval Ship Systems II Weapons (Spring Junior Year Cr. 3)
  8. NV302 Naval Operations and Seamanship (Fall Senior Year Cr. 3)
  9. NV402 Leadership and Ethics (Spring of Senior Year, Capstone Cr 3)
7. Required courses required to be in good standing as a scholarship student:
  1. MS150 and MS160 Calculus I and II (Complete by end of Sophomore Year. AP credit allowed but a Cr 6 of upper-level math is required.)
  2. PS162 and PS261 Physics I and II (Complete by end of Junior Year. Cr. 6)
  3. HC111, HC232, and/or ET452 (Require Cr. 6 of English. Other courses can be reviewed)
  4. Physical Science requirement met with PS162 and PS261.
  5. NV202, HY260, or HY270 (NV202 is already required and meets requirements at MMA. Cr 3)
  6. HC220, HC230, GE200, GE 210, HC331 (Cr 3 required in World Culture and Regional Studies)
Marine Corps Option
1. Mirrors above Navy Option
2. 6 Naval Science classes and Leadership Laboratory
3. Physical Fitness Test (PFT) 200 to activate. Build to 235. 265 required for Officer Candidate School (OCS).
4. Summer Training included (all summer trainings are paid and travel coordinated by the Unit):
  1. New Student Indoctrination (NSI. Required. Normally summer before Freshmen Year and cannot be waived.)
  2. Career Orientation and Training for Midshipmen (CORTRAMID. After Freshmen Year. Can be waived)
  3. Fleet Marine Forces or Mountain Warfare Training (FMF. After Sophomore Year. Can be waived)
  4. OCS (After Junior Year. Cannot be waived.)
5. Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant with a 4-year service obligation
6. Required Naval Science Courses: (Same as Navy but no Navigation and no Naval Ships Systems required. Confers a Minor in Naval Science)
  1. NV310 The Evolution of Warfare (Spring of Junior Year. Cr. 3)
  2. NV411 Fundamentals of Maneuver Warfare (Fall of Senior Year. Cr. 3)
College Program 3 or 2-year Sideload Scholarship
1. The NROTC College Program is for students who have not received an NROTC national scholarship. College Program students receive uniforms and Naval Science textbooks at no cost but receive no other financial benefits. College Program students attend classes and participate in all NROTC activities just like their scholarship student peers, strengthening competitiveness to be awarded scholarship. Acceptance into the College Program is handled by each individual unit. College Program students compete for a Sideload Scholarship and are given more weight than non-affiliated applicants.
2. 7 Naval Science classes, Engineering Fundamentals, and Leadership Laboratory
3. Quota based on openings in the year group
4. Summer Training included (all summer trainings are paid, and travel coordinated by the Unit):
  1. Same as the Navy Option above, but possibly off set a year due to when scholarship was awarded. NSI and First Class Cruise are only mandatory summer trainings.
5. https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Prospective-Midshipmen/Scholarship-and-Non-Scholarship-Options/Two-and-Three-Year-National-Scholarship/
Non-affiliated Sideload Scholarship
1. Current Freshmen or Sophomore students can apply for a 3- or 2-year sideload without being part of the unit and having a propensity to serve.
2. Quota based on openings in the year group. College Programmers will be vetted first.
On-The-Spot Sideload Nomination (OTSSN)
1. Freshmen can be nominated for a 3.5-year NROTC scholarship. Sophomores can be nominated for 3- or 2.5-year NROTC scholarships.
2. Quota based on openings in the year group. The timeline for OTSSN is between 1 August to 31 March, but quota control can delay early nominations.
3. Be a student at Maine Maritime Academy
4. Summer Training included (all summer trainings are paid, and travel coordinated by the Unit):
  1. Same as the Navy Option above, but possibly off set a year due to when scholarship was awarded. NSI and First Class Cruise are only mandatory summer trainings.
5. Completed at least one semester at Maine Maritime Academy
6. GPA:
  1. MSE 4 or 5 (tier 1) minimum 2.9
  2. All tier 2 majors minimum 3.1
  3. IBL (tier 3) minimum 3.4
7. Calculus and Physics. Complete one semester or be on track to complete with nothing lower than a B-
8. Pass a PRT with Good Low
9. To activate scholarship student must pass DoDMERB medical evaluation
10. Sideload scholarships controlled by the NROTC Unit and can
Advanced Standing
1. College Program students can also be selected for commissioning via Advanced Standing. For those who do not receive a side-load scholarship, Advanced Standing allows them to complete the four-year program and commission into the Navy or Marine Corps.
2. Midshipmen with an Advanced Standing contract receive a subsistence allowance of $350 per month in their junior year, increasing to $400 in their senior year. All uniforms and NROTC course materials are still provided at no cost.
3. There is no requirement to take Calculus or Calculus based Physics. Still need to complete 7 Naval Science classes.
4. Summer Training included (all summer trainings are paid, and travel coordinated by the Unit):
  1. Same as the Navy Option above, but possibly off set a year due to when scholarship was awarded. NSI and First Class Cruise are only mandatory summer trainings
5. Shorter minimum service obligation.

For more information about the NROTC National Scholarship or College Programs, contact your local Navy Recruiting Office. Further information on NROTC programs and application forms can also be obtained at https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/ or by calling 1-800-NAV-ROTC.

For information about the NROTC Program at Maine Maritime Academy, contact Human Resources Assistant, NROTC Unit, Maine Maritime Academy, P.O. Box 137, Castine,

ME 04421-0137, (207) 326-2465, or email mmanrotc@mma.edu. Also, visit the MMA NROTC home page at http://mainemaritime.edu/nrotc.

Dropping on request (DOR) or disenrollment may incur recoupment of any payments made to MMA from the Navy on behalf of the individual and will be billed directly to the individual.

NROTC Preparatory Program (NPP)

The NROTC Preparatory Program at Maine Maritime Academy is designed to provide interested high school students who show great potential via grades, character and extra-curricular activities but might lack standardized test scores or advanced high school courses, the educational foundation for success in Maine Maritime Academy’s STEM majors, the NROTC program and the United States Navy. Candidates must meet eligibility requirements; a complete list of requirements can be found at https://mainemaritime.edu/nrotc/nrotc-preparatory-program/

Students enrolled in the NPP program will be referred to as Midshipman Fifth Class (MIDN 5C). 5C’s are entitled to Room (standard double or triple occupancy room) and Board waivers, tuition and fee waivers, a book stipend, academic/study-skills mentoring and education counseling provided by MMA for both Fall and Spring semesters of the 5C year. Military uniform, physical fitness training, program advising and mentoring is provided by the NROTC unit.

Enrolled 5C NPP students must maintain a GPA of 2.8 or higher. Should 5C’s not meet academic, disciplinary, or physical standards MMA may withhold NPP entitlements for a given semester. If a 5C is disenrolled from MMA for any reason the 5C will automatically be disenrolled from the NROTC unit. It is important to both MMA and NROTC that students in the NPP program are successful so additional accommodation may be provided. Upon successful completion of the NPP year, 5C’s that meet program requirements will be awarded a 4-year National Scholarship to attend Maine Maritime Academy. This scholarship is non-transferable, and the student commits to graduating from Maine Maritime Academy. Preparatory year academics will be hand chosen by the Registrar and Professor of Naval Science to ensure future success. This year is fully funded by MMA and MMA reserves the right to recoup all cost to the school during the prep year.

Strategic Sealift Midshipman Program

The Strategic Sealift Midshipman Program (SSMP), formerly the Merchant Marine Reserve (MMR), is an excellent way to assist you in meeting the financial obligations of your college education. The SSMP is designed to train and educate highly qualified students for commissioning and reserve duty service as officers in the U.S. Navy Reserve (USNR).

To be eligible for this program, a student must:

Be a U.S. citizen
Be at least 17 but less than 25 years of age (upon enrollment at MMA)
Be physically qualified
Have a satisfactory record of academic ability and moral integrity
Demonstrate those characteristics desired of a Naval Officer
Have no moral reservation or personal conviction that prevents the bearing of arms
Be enrolled in a Bachelor of Science Degree Program leading to a U.S. Coast Guard Unlimited License:

Marine Engineering Operations
Marine Engineering Technology
Marine Systems Engineering – License Track
Marine Transportation Operations

Students who meet the qualifications above may apply for Midshipman status in the SSMP and apply to participate in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Student Incentive Payment (SIP) Program. If selected, students are eligible to receive up to $32,000 during their time at school. The SIP Program requires students to obtain a Coast Guard Unlimited License and to apply for, and accept if offered, a Reserve officer commission in the U.S. Navy Reserves. A student who receives SIP incurs an obligation to serve as an employee in the maritime or maritime-related industry, and in times of national emergency, to serve as a Naval Officer aboard a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel.

The program requirements are as follows:

Prior to arriving at MMA, apply for the SIP Program and Midshipman status in the U.S. Navy Reserve
Complete a physical examination to verify eligibility (at Department of Defense expense)
Students must agree in writing to apply for, and accept if offered, a United States Navy Reserve commission
The application process takes up to two months and must be complete prior to the end of the first semester in order to be eligible for SIP during the Freshman year
Continuation in the program is based on continued eligibility (i.e. Minimum GPA 2.5 with satisfactory participation in SSMP program)

Required Courses

NV101 Introduction to Naval Science (Freshman Year)
NV222 Strategic Sealift Officer Course (Sophomore or Junior Year)
NV 402 Leadership and Ethics (Senior Year)
NV100 Naval Science Lab (Each semester in the program)

Minimum Obligation After Graduation
1. Complete a minimum of two weeks of active duty each year for a total of six years, in a merchant marine related billet, with pay and travel/food reimbursement
2. At least 150 days of sailing employment using one’s U.S. Coast Guard License every calendar year for three years and maintain Coast Guard license for three additional years (First 6 of 8 year obligation)
3. Remain in the Inactive Reserve (with no other obligations) for an additional two years (Last 2 of 8 year obligation)

For information about the SSMP, USNR, and SIP Programs at Maine Maritime Academy, contact Commanding Officer, NROTC Unit, Maine Maritime Academy, (207) 326-2352, email mmanrotc@mma.edu.

Maine Maritime Academy

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