Class entering college in fall 2027 · Checked
Each service has a final deadline. Air Force & Space Force ROTC: Apply by Dec 11, 2026 · documents and scores by Dec 22. Navy & Marine Corps ROTC: Complete application by midnight, Jan 31, 2027. Army ROTC: Start by Mar 4, 2027 · documents by Mar 8.
Army and Air Force also pick winners at earlier boards, and each board has its own, earlier cutoff. Each clock counts to the next cutoff for that service. The box under the clock shows the final cutoff. How the cutoffs work.
AFROTC High School Scholarship Program (HSSP)
Next cutoff · the final one
Board 2: application cutoff (final)
December 11, 2026
Final cutoff (last board)
42 days
Apply by Dec 11, 2026 · documents and scores by Dec 22
Army ROTC 4-Year National Scholarship
Next board cutoff
Board 2: documents cutoff
January 18, 2027
Final cutoff (last board)
125 days
Start by Mar 4, 2027 · documents by Mar 8
NROTC National Scholarship (Navy, Marine and Nurse options)
Next cutoff · the final one
Final application cutoff
January 31, 2027
Final cutoff (last board)
93 days
Complete application by midnight, Jan 31, 2027
Pre-Med option only: cutoff December 31, 2026
The clocks count to 11:59 p.m. Eastern on each cutoff day (Air Force: 11:59 p.m. Central). Check each date with the official source before you apply.
Each service picks scholarship winners at selection boards. Each board looks only at the files that were complete by its cutoff. This gives 3 kinds of dates:
1. Board cutoff
The last day to get your file in for one board. Some services have more than 1 cutoff for each board, for example the application, then the documents and test scores.
2. Board meets
The board meets 1 to 4 weeks after its cutoff. Results usually come 1 to 2 weeks after the board. If your file misses a cutoff, it waits for the next board.
3. Final cutoff
The cutoff for the last board of the cycle. After this date you cannot apply for a high-school scholarship in this cycle.
| Service | Opens | Final cutoff (last board) | Boards and cutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force & Space Force ROTC | July 1, 2026 | Apply by Dec 11, 2026 · documents and scores by Dec 22 | 2 boards |
| Navy & Marine Corps ROTC | April 1, 2026 | Complete application by midnight, Jan 31, 2027 | 10 boards (unofficial weeks) |
| Army ROTC | June 14, 2026 | Start by Mar 4, 2027 · documents by Mar 8 | 3 boards |
AFROTC High School Scholarship Program (HSSP). Final cutoff: Apply by Dec 11, 2026 · documents and scores by Dec 22.
| Board | Application cutoff | Documents cutoff | Interview cutoff | Board meets | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board 1 (27HS01) | Sep 15, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 26–29, 2026 | about Oct 30, 2026 |
| Board 2 (27HS02), final | Dec 11, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | Mar 5, 2027 | Mar 15–26, 2027 | about Apr 2, 2027 |
All cutoffs are 11:59 p.m. Central. AFROTC gives no extensions. You can schedule the interview only after AFROTC finds your file eligible. If you get an offer on Board 1, you do not go to Board 2. Accept a Board 1 offer by March 1, 2027 and a Board 2 offer by May 31, 2027.
Air Force ROTC deadline countdown and board datesOfficial source: afrotc.comAll Air Force ROTC scholarships
Army ROTC 4-Year National Scholarship. Final cutoff: Start by Mar 4, 2027 · documents by Mar 8.
| Board | Application cutoff | Documents cutoff | Board meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board 1 (Round 01) | — | Oct 12, 2026 | Oct 19–23, 2026 |
| Board 2 (Round 02) | — | Jan 18, 2027 | Jan 25–29, 2027 |
| Board 3 (Round 03), final | Mar 4, 2027 (start) | Mar 8, 2027 | Mar 15–19, 2027 |
Army ROTC gives the date but not the time of day. The clock counts to 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
Army ROTC deadline countdown and board datesOfficial source: goarmy.comAll Army ROTC scholarships
Application windows for each scholarship type. The one that closes next is first. See all ROTC scholarships for eligibility and what each one pays.
Air Force/Space Force ROTC42 days leftJul 1, 2026 – Dec 11, 2026
Service obligation: 4 years
Air Force/Space Force ROTC42 days leftJul 1, 2026 – Dec 11, 2026
Service obligation: 4 years
Air Force/Space Force ROTC42 days leftJul 1, 2026 – Dec 11, 2026
Service obligation: 4 years
Navy/Marine ROTC93 days leftApr 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Service obligation: 5 years
Navy/Marine ROTC93 days leftApr 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Service obligation: 4 years
Navy/Marine ROTC93 days leftApr 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Service obligation: 4 years
Army ROTC125 days leftJun 14, 2026 – Mar 4, 2027
Service obligation: 8 years
Air Force/Space Force ROTCWindow TBA
Service obligation: 4 years
Each service has its own final deadline for students who start college in fall 2027. Air Force & Space Force ROTC: apply by Dec 11, 2026; documents and scores by Dec 22. Navy & Marine Corps ROTC: complete application by midnight, Jan 31, 2027 (Pre-Med option: December 31, 2026). Army ROTC: start by Mar 4, 2027; documents by Mar 8. Army and Air Force also have earlier cutoffs for their earlier boards.
The final cutoff for the Army ROTC 4-Year National Scholarship is March 4, 2027: start by Mar 4, 2027; documents by Mar 8. 3 boards. Each board has a documents cutoff about 1 week before it meets. Your file must be complete by that cutoff to be seen by that board. The final cutoff has 2 parts: start the application by March 4, 2027, then complete the documents by March 8 for the last board.
Board 1 (Round 01): meets Oct 19–23, 2026; documents by Oct 12, 2026. Board 2 (Round 02): meets Jan 25–29, 2027; documents by Jan 18, 2027. Board 3 (Round 03), final: meets Mar 15–19, 2027; application by Mar 4, 2027 (start); documents by Mar 8, 2027.
The final cutoff for the AFROTC High School Scholarship Program (HSSP) is December 11, 2026: apply by Dec 11, 2026; documents and scores by Dec 22. 2 boards. Each board has 3 cutoffs: submit the application, then complete your file (documents and SAT, ACT or CLT scores), then finish the interview. The Board 1 application cutoff (September 15) has passed. New applicants now aim for Board 2, which is also the final cutoff: apply by December 11 and complete the file by December 22.
The final cutoff for the NROTC National Scholarship (Navy, Marine and Nurse options) is January 31, 2027: complete application by midnight, Jan 31, 2027 (Pre-Med option: December 31, 2026). The Navy works differently. It publishes no cutoff for each board. Boards meet about every 2 to 4 weeks from October to April, and a complete file goes to the next board that meets. The only official cutoffs are the final ones: January 31, 2027 for all applicants, and December 31, 2026 for the Pre-Med option.
Aim for the next board cutoff that you can meet with a complete file, not the final deadline. A file that misses a board's cutoff waits for the next board. After the final cutoff, you cannot apply in this cycle.
Not for a high-school scholarship in this cycle: after the final cutoff, you cannot apply. You can still join ROTC in college without a high-school scholarship. Each service also offers scholarships to cadets who are already in college. Contact the ROTC unit at your college for details.
We will email you before each board cutoff, when a board meets, and when results come out.
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We are not an ROTC unit, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military. Check details with the unit before you act on them.