Navy

NROTC member standing in front of the Bizzell in their unifrom.

Naval ROTC

Overview

The purpose of the NROTC Program is to educate and train qualified young men and women for service as commissioned officers in the Marine Corps and in the Navy as Unrestricted Line (URL) Officers. As a significant source of Navy and Marine Corps Officers, the NROTC Scholarship Program plays an important role in preparing mature young men and women for leadership and management positions in an increasingly technical Navy and Marine Corps.

There are many paths to become a member of The University of Oklahoma NROTC Battalion. While the majority of our students are scholarship Midshipmen, we also have Enlisted Sailors and Marines enrolled in Enlisted Commissioning Programs. Additionally, many of our students are Non-Scholarship Midshipmen, also known as College Program Midshipmen. With the exception of minor uniform differences it is next to impossible to tell Midshipmen apart from one another as they all participate in the same activities - regardless of status. These College Program Midshipmen will compete for scholarships during their time in the program.

Students selected to participate in The University of Oklahoma’s NROTC Program make their own arrangements for college enrollment and room and board. They take the normal course load required by the college or university for degree completion, as well as courses required for participation in NROTC. Additionally, all Midshipmen are required to follow specific academic guidelines.

Students have many career options to choose from prior to commissioning into the Navy or the Marine Corps. Visit the CAREERS tab to explore!

Apply Today!

The 4-Year National Scholarship Online Application Submission is open for the Fall 2025 school year. Applications close on January 31^st, 2025.

Apply for the 4-year NROTC Scholarship!

OU NROTC is accepting applications for the NROTC Preparatory Program (NPP) Scholarships for the Fall 2025 school year. Deadline for applications is March 3^rd, 2025.

OU NROTC is accepting applications for the College Program (non-scholarship) and Non-affiliated Scholarships. Deadline for applications is May 31^st, 2025.

For more information about each program including eligibility, application documents, and instructions, visit our SCHOLARSHIPS & PROGRAMS tab.

Note: All NROTC Scholarship and College Program students are eligible for IN-STATE tuition.

For any application questions, please contact us at navalrotc@ou.edu

Want to Schedule a Tour?

Schedule a visit! Tours are available every Monday and Friday at 1:00pm. Here, you will have the opportunity to speak directly with an active duty NROTC staff member and get a personal look into our storied program and facilities.

Naval ROTC students running in the OU stadium.

COMMANDING OFFICER'S LETTER

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Oklahoma. OU NROTC graduates possess a sound professional background, are motivated toward careers in the naval service, and have demonstrated the leadership necessary to lead Sailors and Marines. If you are ready for a university education with the additional challenge of leadership and service in the United States Navy or Marine Corps, you’ve come to the right place.

NROTC at the University of Oklahoma develops students mentally, morally and physically while inspiring them with the highest ideals of duty and loyalty. Drawing on Navy and Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment, our program prepares young men and women for graduation from the University and for a commission as an officer in the Navy or Marine Corps.

The University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, Oklahoma. As a member of the SEC athletic conference, life at the University is certain to stimulate the spirit as well as the mind. Furthermore, our NROTC Midshipmen complete an exciting training program each summer in locations all over the world. This training is just a part of the regimen to prepare our students for leadership in the Fleet.

OU NROTC offers opportunities for students to earn a commission in a variety of ways; NROTC scholarships, College Program (non-scholarship), and enlisted commissioning programs. To learn more about NROTC scholarship application requirements, please visit the Official NROTC Website.

Selected applicants for the NROTC Scholarship Program are awarded scholarships through a highly competitive national selection process. Scholarship selectees receive full tuition, books, educational fees at the University of Oklahoma, and a monthly subsistence allowance. The scholarship application process is roughly the same as that for admission to the University; starting in the junior year of high school is a great way to stay ahead of deadlines!

If you do not receive a National Scholarship you can still join our program as a College Program student. As a College Program student, you will participate in all activities during the academic year while competing for a 3-year scholarship, 2-year scholarship, or designation as an Advanced Standing College Program student, all of which lead to potential commissioning in to the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps. Furthermore, all active College Program students are eligible for in-state tuition rates at OU.

To learn more about Naval ROTC at the University of Oklahoma contact us at navalrotc@ou.edu. We’re happy to answer your questions and we look forward to meeting you.

Boomer Sooner!

CAPT Paul Young

Military Links

WHY OU NAVAL ROTC?

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a Naval or Marine Corps Officer through the NROTC program at The University of Oklahoma, then this website will help answer some of your questions and guide you through the process. There are many requirements for pursuing a commission into the Naval service via The University of Oklahoma NROTC. Browse sequentially through each link in this section to gain a better understanding of how to become a part of our program.

If you have come this far, then you are probably considering becoming a Midshipman, which is an outstanding decision. There are many Universities that offer NROTC programs, so the question you may have is: Why should I choose The University of Oklahoma’s NROTC program? Well, there are many reasons why:

Atmosphere

The University of Oklahoma is a major university set within the town of Norman and is only a half-an-hour drive from Oklahoma City, a major metropolitan area. Students have the ability to earn their degree in a small town with the option to engage in big-city life at their leisure. OU has very successful athletic programs; in fact, you could say that winning is the hallmark of our athletic teams. Currently, the Oklahoma Sooners sports teams have won 37 National Championships in both men’s and women’s sports. Our football team is perhaps the most visible athletic program on campus with the Sooners perpetually finishing high in the rankings and winning more games than any other school over the last decade. As a member of our Battalion you will have the opportunity to attend every home game as an usher in the student section. There are very few students who can boast the fact that they attended every home football game during their four years on campus. The Naval ROTC Unit is located in the historic Armory, which dates back to 1918. Enrolled Midshipmen have access to comprehensive facilities that support moral, mental, and physical development. Armory facilities include two well-equipped gyms, a student Wardroom lounge and study area, a networked computer lab, office space and locker rooms for the Midshipman staff, dedicated spaces for Marine Option students, and a museum. The Armory has classrooms and other quiet study areas, and the building is centrally located on campus in-between dorms and many classrooms so that a car is not required for transport. Also, OU is located close to a large military base (Tinker Air Force Base), which includes an operational Navy Squadron.

Camaraderie

Being a member of OU NROTC is a similar comaraderie experience to that of a fraternity or sorority but without the fuss of joining one. Each freshmen class takes part in New Student Orientation (NSO) week. During NSO week, incoming freshmen are given a brief first-hand look into military life. New Midshipmen are tried and tested during this week and as such develop a strong bond with their fellow classmates. Once NSO week has concluded, our remaining battalion members arrive for the fall semester and are introduced to their new shipmates. Throughout the school year you will participate in multiple activities, bonding further with your fellow Battalion members. You will quickly learn the art of time management, garnering tips and knowledge from your peers and our staff. The trials and tribulations of Midshipman life create a bond between students that is unlike any you will experience while in college, creating friendships that last well beyond graduation.

Leadership Development

You are a potential future leader of enlisted Sailors and Marines. Throughout our history we have developed a structured leadership training regimen that will ensure that you graduate with the tools necessary to effectively Sailors and Marines in the Fleet. We believe that you must learn to follow before you can learn to lead. As such, everyone spends their first year as a squad member, learning how to interact within the Battalion. As you progress through the academic ranks you are given additional responsibilities. Due to the leadership structure of our Battalion, everyone will have held a major leadership role by the time they graduate and commission into the Naval Officer Corps.

Mentorship

With the engagement with active duty staff at OU NROTC, Midshipmen are afforded one-on-one advising sessions unmatched by any other department within the university. While every student is assigned a university appointed academics advisor, they usually share that advisor with more than 100 other students and have to schedule appointments in advance. As a member of the NROTC Battalion you are assigned an active duty commissioned Naval Officer whose mission is to mold aspiring Naval Officers. The relatively small size of our unit enables our staff to personally help midshipmen in every way possible, from offering academic advice and tutoring, to assistance in solving everyday problems. Our unit staff provides a wealth of knowledge and mentorship unparalleled to anything you would receive as a non-NROTC student at OU. Their experience will aid you in your development as a future Naval Officer.

Tutoring

The Navy and Marine Corps is adamant that all students are successful, academically, within the Unit. With that in mind, OU NROTC hires Calculus and Physics tutors every semester, ensuring that our students have additional assistance in passing these scholarship-required courses. The University of Oklahoma also provides numerous additional free tutoring resources within the university and our NROTC Advisors are in constant contact with their fellow instructors with knowledge of additional tutoring support.

Extra-Curricular Activities

The University of Oklahoma NROTC unit is unique in that the Battalion is extremely active throughout the school year. While not every event we participate in is mandatory, their attendance is highly encouraged, which allows students to be as active as they want. Our attendance policy also affords our students the opportunity to join various clubs within and outside of the Unit. Throughout the school year we attend various events to include: NROTC Drill meet at The University of Colorado, Navy and a Marine Corps Dining-Out, Midshipmen Dining-In, NJROTC Drill Meets, and Marine Field Training Exercise (FTX). We offer all of the Navy/Marine Corps NROTC-oriented teams to include: Color Guard, Close Order Drill Team, and Endurance Team (E-Team). Practically every student will decide to join one of these teams at some point during their tenure at OU. Additionally at OU NROTC, we conduct the annual run of the OU-TX Red River Rivalry game day football from Norman to Dallas, culminating at the steps of the Cotton Bowl. During this annual event, we meet up with UT NROTC for a friendly flag football game and our Battallion CO delivers the game ball to the officals during pre-game activities.

As you can see, there are many things that make The University of Oklahoma NROTC unit an ideal place to earn your Bachelor’s degree and Commission into the Naval Officers Corps. If you have any questions or would like visit please contact us to schedule an appointment to tour our facilities.

UNIT HISTORY

The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program was established by Act of Congress on March 4, 1925. To that time virtually all Navy Officers were commissioned through the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. On May 14, 1940 Dr. William B. Bizzell, president of the University, informed the Navy Department in Washington, D.C. that the State Board of Regents had approved the application for an NROTC Unit at the University of Oklahoma and on June 13, 1940, word was received from the Navy Department that OU had been selected as the site for a new NROTC Unit.

In 1940 when the NROTC Unit was formed at OU there were only 9 other NROTC units active in the nation. On June 22, 1940 Commander J. C. Van de Carr, U.S. Navy (Retired) – a mathematics professor at the University – was recalled to active duty and reported to Dr. Bizzell to form the new NROTC Unit. During registration for classes in September 238 candidates were reviewed for the program. From these initial applicants, 128 passed the physical exam and 105 were ultimately enrolled.

Although Captain Robert S. Haggart, U.S. Navy was assigned as the first Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science and Tactics of the Unit, he was soon transferred and CDR J. C. Van de Carr once again stepped forward and was named his successor.

World War II greatly increased the Navy’s requirement for officers which even the growing NROTC program could not meet. While not formally associated with the NROTC Unit, a wartime program called V-12 was created at OU in an attempt to meet the demand for officers. By the end of the war there were over four hundred V-12 students on campus. When the V-12 initiative ended on June 30, 1946 about half of these students transferred into the NROTC program.

In August 1946, President Truman authorized the peacetime continuation of NROTC by signing Public Law 729. The program was designed to commission regular officers and supplement the number of officers produced at the Naval Academy. This new law also established the option for participants to receive regular commissions in the Marine Corps and eventually resulted in one Marine officer being assigned to each NROTC Unit as a full time instructor. NROTC Units are typically commanded by a Navy Captain or a Marine Corps Colonel, who is assisted by a small staff of instructors and administrative personnel.

Since its inception, the NROTC program has thrived. The University of Oklahoma is among an elite group of universities, colleges, and academies nationwide that continue to host NROTC Units and provide commissioned officers to both the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Historical photo of the NROTC in black and white.

Privacy Policy

This is a World Wide Web site for official information about the NROTC Unit at the University of Oklahoma. It is provided as a public service by the NROTC Unit at The University of Oklahoma. The purpose is to provide information and news about the NROTC Unit and Battalion to the general public. All information on this site is public domain and may be distributed or copied unless otherwise specified. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested.

Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this Web site are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act.

Except for authorized law enforcement investigation and to maintain required correspondence files, no other attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits. Raw data logs are used to simply determine how many users are accessing the site, which pages are the most popular, and, from time to time, from which top level domain users are coming. This data is scheduled for regular destruction in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration guidelines.

We will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit our site unless you choose to provide such information to us. If you choose to send email to the site webmaster or submit an online feedback form, any contact information that you provide will be solely used to respond to your request and not stored.

A Word of Thanks

On behalf of the entire staff at the Naval ROTC, we would like to thank the Jim and Miriam Mulva Foundation for their generous donation of nearly $10 million to the University of Oklahoma ROTC programs-- opening the opportunity for scholarships to all ROTC students!