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Bearcat Battalion · Bearcat
Bearcat is the Army ROTC battalion at University of Cincinnati in Ohio.
About this program
Headquartered on the University of Cincinnati campus in Cincinnati, Bearcat Battalion is the local accession point into the U.S. Army.
Sister-school participation is a real piece of this battalion. Cadets from Xavier University, Miami University Hamilton, Northern Kentucky University, and Mount Saint Joseph University contract through Bearcat Battalion and travel to University of Cincinnati 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 Bearcat Battalion. Academically, University of Cincinnati 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 Bearcat Battalion by commuting to University of Cincinnati.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Cincinnati.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Cincinnati.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Cincinnati.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Cincinnati.
Contact & location
Located at: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0063
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Bearcat Battalion located?
Bearcat Battalion is hosted at University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the University of Cincinnati campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Bearcat Battalion?
In addition to University of Cincinnati, students enrolled at Xavier University, Miami University Hamilton, Northern Kentucky University, and Mount Saint Joseph University can contract through Bearcat 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 Bearcat 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 Bearcat 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 Bearcat 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.
What's the commissioning path through Bearcat Battalion?
Cadets who complete the four-year Army ROTC curriculum and meet medical, fitness, and academic standards commission as officers in the U.S. Army. The battalion reports through U.S. Army Cadet Command.
Can students at other schools join Bearcat Battalion?
Yes — Bearcat Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Xavier University, Mount St. Joseph University, Northern Kentucky University, Miami University Hamilton. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Bearcat Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at University of Cincinnati. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
Interested in Bearcat Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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