Army ROTCVerifiedRanger ChallengeDrill TeamColor GuardArmy ROTC at Howard University
Yes — Howard University hosts Army ROTC on campus through Bison Battalion. Students from 2 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Bison Battalion · Bison
Army ROTC at Howard University commissions officers alongside University of the District of Columbia cross-town students.
About this program
Howard University's Bison Battalion offers ROTC pathways to becoming a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Space Force, built on the university's values of “Leadership, Truth & Service.” Cadets take Military Science or Aerospace Studies courses alongside their degree, compete for two-, three-, and four-year scholarships, and can still join fraternities and sororities, play varsity sports, and take part in community service like any other student.
An important note for prospective Army students: Howard's Army ROTC is now run in partnership with Georgetown University, and prospective undergraduate and graduate cadets are directed to enroll through Georgetown's Hoya Battalion. Students with two or more years remaining can also enter the Army ROTC Advanced Course by completing the Leader's Training Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky, over the summer.
As a historically Black university, Howard emphasizes the value of developing leaders within a community of shared experience. The program participates in Project GO, a Department of Defense initiative that funds critical-language study for ROTC cadets, and counts among its graduates a Howard alumna who served as a captain with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
Scholarships at this unit
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 and partner schools
Students at these schools can join Bison Battalion. They travel to Howard University for training.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Howard University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Howard University.
Contact this unit
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Bison Battalion, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.
Unit email
AFROTC@howard.eduThis is the address Bison Battalion publishes. You can email the unit directly. Or use the form below, and we will forward your message to that same address.
Phone: 202-806-6700
Official site: https://rotc.howard.edu
Location: Howard University, Washington, DC 20059
Army ROTC FAQ
Does Howard University have Army ROTC?
Yes — Howard University hosts Army ROTC on campus through Bison Battalion. Students from 2 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Is Bison Battalion a host unit or cross-town?
Bison Battalion is the host unit, based at Howard University. Students at 2 partner schools join it cross-town and train at Howard University.
Where is Bison Battalion located?
Bison Battalion is hosted at Howard University in Washington, District of Columbia. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Howard University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Bison Battalion?
In addition to Howard University, students enrolled at University of the District of Columbia, Catholic University of America, and Trinity Washington University can contract through Bison 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.
Is Howard University an HBCU?
Yes — Howard University is a Historically Black College or University. Bison Battalion commissions officers from a population the services have actively prioritized in their accession-source mix.
What scholarships are available through Bison 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 Bison 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 Bison 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.
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