ROTC at University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · private nonprofit
Yes — University of Pennsylvania hosts Navy ROTC on campus, and students join Army ROTC at Drexel University and Air Force ROTC at Saint Joseph's University through cross-town agreements.
ROTC programs hosted on campus
University of Pennsylvania hosts 1 ROTC program on its own campus. Open a program to see its full profile, scholarships, and partner schools.
Navy/Marine ROTCHostedVerifiedNROTC University of Pennsylvania hosts NROTC at California University of Pennsylvania and 8 partner schools across Pennsylvania.
Scholarships: NROTC Navy Option 4-Year Scholarship, NROTC Marine Option 4-Year Scholarship
Also serves 2 cross-town schools.
View full NavyCross-town & partner options
University of Pennsylvania students can also join these branches. They travel to the partner school for training.
Air Force/Space Force ROTCCross-town · 3.8 miHost institution.
ROTC outcomes
Students at University of Pennsylvania in ROTC, from any branch and any unit. Averages per academic year, AY2011–AY2021.
- About 6.2 officers commissioned per year, all services
- About 12 students start ROTC here each year
Officers commissioned, by group
- White82%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Students starting ROTC, by group
- Men64%
- White69%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Source: GAO, GAO-23-105857 (campus data, AY2011–AY2021). GAO counted cadets and commissions by the school the student attended. Numbers for recent years can differ.
Admissions
| Admission rate | 5% |
|---|---|
| SAT range (25th–75th) | 1,510–1,570 |
| ACT range (25th–75th) | 34–36 |
| Test policy | Test-optional |
These are the most recent College Scorecard figures. The school decides admission. An ROTC scholarship board judges your academics on its own, in a separate process.
Cost & financial aid (with ROTC)
| In-state tuition | $68,686 |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state tuition | $68,686 |
| Average net price | $18,000 |
| 6-year graduation rate | 97% |
Tuition and net price: College Scorecard. You can usually combine an ROTC scholarship with other aid from University of Pennsylvania. Ask the unit and the financial aid office to confirm how the aid combines.
Academic programs
University of Pennsylvania has 10,650 undergraduates. ROTC cadets can study almost any major. Some scholarships and commissioning options prefer certain fields.
Yellow Ribbon & veteran support
Yellow Ribbon is a GI Bill benefit for veterans and eligible dependents, not an ROTC scholarship. The school pays part of the tuition above the GI Bill cap, and VA matches it.
Yellow Ribbon: University of Pennsylvania takes part. Undergraduate contributions have no dollar cap.
| Level | Program | School pays (per year) |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | School of Arts & Sciences | Unlimited |
| Undergraduate | School of Arts and Sciences | Unlimited |
| Undergraduate | School of Engineering & Applied Sciences | Unlimited |
| Undergraduate | School of Engineering & Applied Sciences | Unlimited |
| Undergraduate | School of Liberal & Professional Studies | Unlimited |
| Undergraduate | School of Liberal & Professional Studies | Unlimited |
And 47 more programs on the VA page.
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool, checked Oct 14, 2026. Confirm amounts with the school's veterans office before you enroll.
ROTC at University of Pennsylvania: FAQ
Does University of Pennsylvania have ROTC?
Yes — University of Pennsylvania hosts Navy ROTC on campus, and students join Army ROTC at Drexel University and Air Force ROTC at Saint Joseph's University through cross-town agreements.
Which ROTC branches can University of Pennsylvania students join?
Army ROTC (cross-town at Drexel University), Navy ROTC (on campus, NROTC University of Pennsylvania) and Air Force ROTC (cross-town at Saint Joseph's University, 4 mi).
Is ROTC at University of Pennsylvania on campus or cross-town?
Navy ROTC is on campus: the unit is based at University of Pennsylvania. Army and Air Force ROTC are cross-town: cadets enroll at University of Pennsylvania and train with the unit at Drexel University and Saint Joseph's University.
Can I use an ROTC scholarship at University of Pennsylvania?
Yes. The on-campus Navy ROTC unit lists 2 scholarship types, including NROTC Navy Option 4-Year Scholarship and NROTC Marine Option 4-Year Scholarship.
School links and location
These links belong to University of Pennsylvania. To ask about an ROTC program, open that program above and use the unit's own contact details. ROTCScholar is not the school and not the unit.
- Official site
upenn.edu
- Admissions
upenn.edu
- Apply
admissions.upenn.edu
- Financial aid
srfs.upenn.edu
- Net price calculator
Estimate your cost before ROTC money is applied
- Veteran & military services
Campus office for GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon, and military students
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303
IPEDS UNITID: 215062
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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.