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Patriot Battalion · Patriot
Patriot Battalion hosts Army ROTC at Boston University and 7 partner schools across Massachusetts.
About this program
Boston University hosts Army ROTC through its Division of Military Education, which oversees all branches of the armed forces on campus — Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force and Space Force. The university frames its ROTC programs as part of a broader commitment to giving future officers high-quality academic preparation alongside their military training.
What sets BU apart financially is its On-Campus Room and Board Grant. Students who earn a full-tuition, four-year federal ROTC scholarship receive a BU grant covering standard room and dining costs — an approximate value of $19,000 per year as of 2024 — renewable for up to eight semesters. Grant recipients are required to live in BU on-campus housing, effectively closing the gap between a tuition scholarship and the full cost of attendance.
Scholarships available here
Scholarship route obligating service in the Army Reserve or National Guard rather than active duty.
Service obligation: 8 years
Active-duty enlisted soldiers transition to officer via ROTC with several scholarship options (2-year, 3-year, 4-year).
Service obligation: 8 years
On-campus scholarship awarded to enrolled cadets at the start of their MS-II year.
Service obligation: 6 years
Covers full tuition and fees OR room and board (your choice), plus a $420/month stipend (10 months/yr) and $1,200/yr book allowance. Merit-based board score with PT assessment and SAT/ACT. Application opened June 14, 2026; final deadline to start an application is March 4, 2027. Three selection boards (Oct, Jan, Mar). 8-year total service obligation; you can exit after freshman year with no obligation.
Service obligation: 8 years
Cross-town & partner schools served
Students at these schools can commission through Patriot Battalion by commuting to Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Boston University.
Contact & location
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Patriot Battalion located?
Patriot Battalion is hosted at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Boston University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Patriot Battalion?
In addition to Boston University, students enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Northeastern University, Tufts University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston College, and Salem State University can contract through Patriot Battalion via cross-town agreements. Cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to the host for ROTC-side coursework.
What scholarships are available through Patriot Battalion?
Army ROTC cadets at this battalion compete for AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard), Green-to-Gold (prior-enlisted). National awards apply out of high school; on-campus side-loads kick in once a cadet is enrolled and contracted.
What's the Army ROTC summer training for cadets at Patriot Battalion?
After the MS-III year, cadets ship to Cadet Summer Training (Advanced Camp) at Fort Knox for the 31-day capstone evaluation that drives branching and order-of-merit standing.
How big is the corps at Patriot Battalion?
Public corps-size figures aren't always published year-to-year; Army ROTC battalions in this size class generally carry between several dozen and a few hundred contracted cadets depending on host enrollment.
What's the commissioning path through Patriot Battalion?
Cadets who complete the four-year Army ROTC curriculum and meet medical, fitness, and academic standards commission as officers in the U.S. Army. The battalion reports through U.S. Army Cadet Command.
Does Boston University add housing or meal support on top of a federal ROTC scholarship?
Yes. BU awards an On-Campus Room and Board Grant to ROTC students who receive a full-tuition four-year federal scholarship. The grant covers standard room and dining costs (about $19,000/year as of 2024) and is renewable for up to eight semesters; recipients must live in BU on-campus housing.
Which ROTC branches are available at Boston University?
Through its Division of Military Education, Boston University hosts all branches: Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), and Air Force (including the Space Force).
Interested in Patriot Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military.