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Highlander Battalion · Highlander
The Highlander Battalion commissions U.S. Army officers at University of California, Riverside.
About this program
Headquartered on the University of California, Riverside campus in Riverside, Highlander Battalion is the local accession point into the U.S. Army.
Sister-school participation is a real piece of this battalion. Cadets from California State University, San Bernardino, California Baptist University, University of Redlands, and California Polytechnic State University, Pomona contract through Highlander Battalion and travel to University of California, Riverside for the military-side requirements while keeping their core degree at the partner.
On the scholarship side: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard) are all live channels at Highlander Battalion. Academically, University of California, Riverside is well-regarded for international affairs and language study — a track that pairs well with ROTC's emphasis on technical and leadership majors.
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 Highlander Battalion by commuting to University of California, Riverside.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Riverside.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Riverside.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Riverside.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Riverside.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of California, Riverside.
Contact & location
Located at: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Highlander Battalion located?
Highlander Battalion is hosted at University of California, Riverside in Riverside, California. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the University of California, Riverside campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Highlander Battalion?
In addition to University of California, Riverside, students enrolled at California State University, San Bernardino, California Baptist University, University of Redlands, California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, and La Sierra University can contract through Highlander 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 Highlander 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 Highlander 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 Highlander 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.
Can students at other schools join Highlander Battalion?
Yes — Highlander Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 5 other institutions, including California Baptist University, La Sierra University, University of Redlands, California State University, San Bernardino. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Highlander Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at University of California, Riverside. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
How do I contact Highlander Battalion?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Highlander Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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