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Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) · Cardinal
Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) draws cadets from University of Louisville and surrounding Kentucky campuses.
About this program
For cadets at University of Louisville, the path to a commission runs through Cardinal Battalion (Louisville). The unit goes by the Cardinal. The battalion reports up through U.S. Army Cadet Command, and graduates pin on as second lieutenants.
Beyond University of Louisville, the unit serves cadets from Bellarmine University, Spalding University, Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Indiana University Southeast 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 Louisville 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 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 Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) by commuting to University of Louisville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Louisville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Louisville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Louisville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Louisville.
Contact & location
Located at: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40223-1520
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) located?
Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) is hosted at University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the University of Louisville campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
In addition to University of Louisville, students enrolled at Bellarmine University, Spalding University, Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Indiana University Southeast can contract through Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) 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 Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
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 Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
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 Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
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 Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
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 Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
Yes — Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Bellarmine University, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Spalding University, Indiana University Southeast. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Cardinal Battalion (Louisville) as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at University of Louisville. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
Interested in Cardinal Battalion (Louisville)?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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