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Cowboy Battalion · Cowboy
The Cowboy Battalion commissions U.S. Army officers at Oklahoma State University.
About this program
Army ROTC at Oklahoma State University—the Cowboy Battalion—is the university's Department of Military Science and a primary source of commissioned officers for the Active Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. The four-year program is divided into a basic course for freshmen and sophomores, open to any student with no military obligation, and an advanced course for juniors and seniors who meet specific criteria. A notable perk for out-of-state cadets: students who enroll and actively participate in Army ROTC during their freshman or sophomore year can petition for in-state tuition status.
OSU Army ROTC offers several pathways beyond the standard track. High school juniors and seniors can compete for a full four-year or three-year Advanced Designee national scholarship, and students who don't win a national award can enroll their freshman year and compete for a campus-based scholarship. The Simultaneous Membership Program lets cadets serve in the Army Reserve or National Guard while training, earning Guard or Reserve pay and benefits on top of ROTC allowances, and the Green to Gold program helps active-duty enlisted soldiers finish a degree and commission as officers.
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 Cowboy Battalion by commuting to Oklahoma State University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Oklahoma State University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Oklahoma State University.
Contact & location
Located at: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-1015
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Cowboy Battalion located?
Cowboy Battalion is hosted at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Oklahoma State University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Cowboy Battalion?
In addition to Oklahoma State University, students enrolled at Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma Panhandle State University can contract through Cowboy 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.
What scholarships are available through Cowboy 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 Cowboy 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.
Can out-of-state students get in-state tuition through OSU Army ROTC?
Yes—students who enroll and actively participate in Army ROTC during their freshman or sophomore year can petition for in-state tuition status.
What is the Simultaneous Membership Program at OSU?
The SMP lets cadets serve in the Army Reserve or National Guard while completing ROTC, earning Guard or Reserve pay and benefits in addition to their ROTC allowances.
Can students at other schools join Cowboy Battalion?
Yes — Cowboy Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 2 other institutions, including Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma Panhandle State University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Cowboy Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Oklahoma State University. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
Interested in Cowboy Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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