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Big Red Battalion (Cornell) · Big Red
Army ROTC at Cornell University trains cadets for the U.S. Army in New York.
About this program
The Big Red Battalion carries forward a military tradition at Cornell University that reaches back to the school's 1865 founding, when Cornell was among the nation's leading institutions with a military focus. Cadre point to a legacy — associated with the historic Excelsior Battalion — of Cornell graduates who went on to become distinguished Army officers.
The program's mission is to educate, train, and develop leaders of character and commission them as Army second lieutenants, blending a full Cornell degree with military leadership instruction. The battalion emphasizes that Army ROTC scholarships can substantially offset the cost of a Cornell education, with many scholarship recipients graduating debt-free.
Cornell also keeps the front door open to curious students: the introductory Military Science courses (MS 1101 and 1102) are available to any student for elective credit, and the program offers a free physical education class that counts toward Cornell's PE requirement — low-commitment ways to sample ROTC before contracting.
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 Big Red Battalion (Cornell) by commuting to Cornell University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Cornell University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Cornell University.
Contact & location
Email: drf89@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-255-4006
Site: https://armyrotc.cornell.edu
Located at: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Big Red Battalion (Cornell) located?
Big Red Battalion (Cornell) is hosted at Cornell University in New York. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Cornell University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
In addition to Cornell University, students enrolled at Ithaca College, Wells College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Cornell Tech can contract through Big Red Battalion (Cornell) 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 Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
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 Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
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 Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
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 Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
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.
Can I try Army ROTC at Cornell without committing?
Yes. The introductory Military Science courses (MS 1101 and 1102) are open to all Cornell students for elective credit, and the program offers a free physical education class that counts toward Cornell's PE requirement — ways to experience ROTC before making any commitment.
What is Cornell's military history?
Cornell's military tradition dates to its 1865 founding, when it was among the country's leading institutions with a military focus, and it has produced many distinguished Army officers. The program connects to the historic Excelsior Battalion legacy.
Interested in Big Red Battalion (Cornell)?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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