Army ROTCVerifiedRanger ChallengeDrill TeamColor GuardArmy ROTC at University of California, Berkeley
Yes — University of California, Berkeley hosts Army ROTC on campus through Golden Bear Battalion. Students from 4 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Golden Bear Battalion · Golden Bear
Golden Bear Battalion commissions cadets from University of California, Berkeley into the U.S. Army.
About this program
For cadets at University of California, Berkeley, the path to a commission runs through Golden Bear Battalion. The unit goes by the Golden Bear. The battalion reports up through U.S. Army Cadet Command, and graduates pin on as second lieutenants.
Beyond University of California, Berkeley, the unit serves cadets from Saint Mary's College of California, Mills College, California State University East Bay, and Holy Names University under cross-enrollment agreements. Field training, drill, and Military Science classes run at the host; partner-school cadets manage the commute.
Scholarship-wise, expect the full Army ROTC menu: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard), Green-to-Gold (prior-enlisted). Academically, University of California, Berkeley is known for mathematics and applied analytics alongside biology and pre-health programs, which gives cadets a meaningful range of degree paths under the same commissioning umbrella.
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 Golden Bear Battalion. They travel to University of California, Berkeley for training.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Berkeley.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Berkeley.
Contact this unit
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Golden Bear Battalion, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.
We do not have an email address for this unit.
Use the phone number or official site below if we have one. If not, look for the Army ROTC program on the University of California, Berkeley website. If you know the unit's email, tell us and we will add it.
Location: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
Army ROTC FAQ
Does University of California, Berkeley have Army ROTC?
Yes — University of California, Berkeley hosts Army ROTC on campus through Golden Bear Battalion. Students from 4 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Is Golden Bear Battalion a host unit or cross-town?
Golden Bear Battalion is the host unit, based at University of California, Berkeley. Students at 4 partner schools join it cross-town and train at University of California, Berkeley.
Where is Golden Bear Battalion located?
Golden Bear Battalion is hosted at University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the University of California, Berkeley campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Golden Bear Battalion?
In addition to University of California, Berkeley, students enrolled at Saint Mary's College of California, Mills College, California State University East Bay, and Holy Names University can contract through Golden Bear 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 Golden Bear 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 Golden Bear 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 students at other schools join Golden Bear Battalion?
Yes. Golden Bear Battalion takes cross-town and partner students from 4 other schools, including Berkeley City College, Saint Mary's College of California, Diablo Valley College, California State University East Bay. See the cross-town section above for distances and how to enroll.
Can I commission through Golden Bear Battalion as any major?
Army programs take students from most majors at University of California, Berkeley. Some scholarships and commissioning options require a specific major, such as nursing, engineering, or a foreign language. Ask the unit before you declare a major.
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