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Fighting Irish Battalion · Fighting Irish
Fighting Irish is the Army ROTC battalion at University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
About this program
The Fightin' Irish Battalion is the University of Notre Dame's Army ROTC program, headquartered in the Pasquerilla Center on campus. Its mission is to recruit, educate, develop, and inspire senior ROTC cadets into commissioned officers of character for the Total Army, and cadets can expect demanding, challenging training as they grow into future Army leaders.
The program consistently ranks among the very best in the country. It was recognized as the #1 Army ROTC program in the nation for the 2024-2025 academic year and has won the 7th Brigade General MacArthur Award for top program in 2023, 2024, and 2025, out of 38 brigade universities. Cadets carry a strong academic record, with a 3.6 average cumulative GPA, seven Distinguished Military Graduates (top 20% nationally) named for 2025-2026, and a 100% military-school graduation rate.
Students do not have to attend Notre Dame to join: cross-town agreements allow cadets enrolled at Saint Mary's College, Holy Cross College, Bethel University, and Indiana University South Bend to contract through the battalion. Prospective cadets are encouraged to reach out to current cadets to learn firsthand what cadet life is really like.
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 Fighting Irish Battalion by commuting to University of Notre Dame.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Notre Dame.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Notre Dame.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Notre Dame.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at University of Notre Dame.
Contact & location
Email: army@nd.edu
Phone: 574-631-6987
Site: https://armyrotc.nd.edu
Located at: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Fighting Irish Battalion located?
Fighting Irish Battalion is hosted at University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the University of Notre Dame campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Fighting Irish Battalion?
In addition to University of Notre Dame, students enrolled at Saint Mary's College, Holy Cross College, Indiana University South Bend, and Bethel University can contract through Fighting Irish 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 Fighting Irish 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 Fighting Irish 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.
What makes the Fightin' Irish Battalion stand out?
It was ranked the #1 Army ROTC program in the country for the 2024-2025 academic year and won the 7th Brigade General MacArthur Award for top program in 2023, 2024, and 2025, competing against 38 brigade universities.
How do cadets perform academically at Notre Dame Army ROTC?
Cadets maintain a 3.6 average cumulative GPA, and the battalion produced seven Distinguished Military Graduates (top 20% nationally) for 2025-2026 along with a 100% military-school graduation rate.
Can students at other schools join Fighting Irish Battalion?
Yes — Fighting Irish Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Holy Cross College, Saint Mary's College, Indiana University South Bend, Bethel University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Fighting Irish Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at University of Notre Dame. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
Interested in Fighting Irish Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military.