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Cougar Battalion (CofC) · Cougar
Cougar is the Army ROTC battalion at College of Charleston in South Carolina.
About this program
Run by cadre at College of Charleston, Cougar Battalion (CofC) is the Army ROTC battalion for South Carolina and surrounding South Carolina. Cadets and alumni use the unit's nickname, the Cougar, on guidons and class shirts.
Cross-town agreements bring The Citadel, Charleston Southern University, and Medical University of South Carolina into the battalion's footprint. Most cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to College of Charleston for ROTC class and lab.
The battalion runs all standard Army ROTC scholarship channels: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard). Major-wise, cadets here cluster around engineering and physical sciences and biology and pre-health programs, with cadre encouraging technical degrees where the cadet's career interests fit.
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 Cougar Battalion (CofC) by commuting to College of Charleston.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at College of Charleston.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at College of Charleston.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at College of Charleston.
Contact & location
Located at: College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424-0001
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Cougar Battalion (CofC) located?
Cougar Battalion (CofC) is hosted at College of Charleston in South Carolina. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the College of Charleston campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
In addition to College of Charleston, students enrolled at The Citadel, Charleston Southern University, and Medical University of South Carolina can contract through Cougar Battalion (CofC) 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 Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
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 Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
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 Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
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.
Can students at other schools join Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
Yes — Cougar Battalion (CofC) accepts cross-town and partner students from 3 other institutions, including Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston Southern University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Cougar Battalion (CofC) as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at College of Charleston. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
How do I contact Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Cougar Battalion (CofC)?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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