Army ROTCRanger ChallengeDrill TeamColor GuardArmy ROTC at Northwestern University
Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) · Wildcat
Army ROTC at Northwestern University commissions officers alongside University of Chicago cross-town students.
About this program
Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) is Northwestern University's officer-accessions program for the U.S. Army.
Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) runs as a consortium for cadets from University of Chicago, DePaul University, Lake Forest College, and Eastern Illinois University as well as Northwestern University. Cross-town students typically retain their primary residency and academics at the home campus and route only military-side coursework through the host.
Cadets compete for the AROTC 4-Year National Scholarship as high-school seniors and the 3-Year Advanced board on contract. Minuteman seats route Reserve and National Guard contracts, and Green-to-Gold opens the door for prior-enlisted soldiers transitioning to officer. Northwestern University cadets pursue degrees across a wide spectrum, with biology and pre-health programs and business and political science drawing strong cohorts.
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 Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) by commuting to Northwestern University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Northwestern University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Northwestern University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Northwestern University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Northwestern University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Northwestern University.
Contact & location
Located at: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) located?
Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) is hosted at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Northwestern University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern)?
In addition to Northwestern University, students enrolled at University of Chicago, DePaul University, Lake Forest College, Eastern Illinois University, and National Louis University can contract through Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) 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 Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern)?
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 Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern)?
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.
Can students at other schools join Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern)?
Yes — Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) accepts cross-town and partner students from 5 other institutions, including National Louis University, University of Chicago, DePaul University, Lake Forest College. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern) as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Northwestern University. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
How do I contact Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern)?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Wildcat Battalion (Northwestern)?
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.