Apply for an Army ROTC Scholarship Here

If you have any questions about the Early Commissioning Program scholarship application, or to get more information about ECP, please contact the VFMC Army ROTC Department at (610) 989-1445, or via email to Mrs. Karen Fluck, kfluck@vfmac.edu, Recruiting Operations Officer. Army ROTC ECP Scholarships are awarded based on a student’s merit and grades, rather than financial need.

The Scholarship includes:

• Two years full tuition
• Stipend of $420/month, freshman year
• Stipend of $420/month, sophomore year
• $1,200/yearbook allowance

In addition, Valley Forge Military College will provide a grant to cover Room & Board while attending VFMC.

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for the program, prospective cadets must:

• Have a cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale,
• Pass a Department of Defense medical exam,
• Be at least 17 years of age
• Complete specific military training prior to entering the ECP at Valley Forge. (Most cadets attend the four-week Basic Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky during the summer before they arrive at Valley Forge.) Soldiers who have completed Basic Combat Training are pre-qualified and may not need to attend Basic Camp.
• Be a U.S. citizen of good moral character.

ECP cadets undergo a rigorous course of instruction during their two years at Valley Forge. In addition to their regular academic course schedule, cadets take a Military Science and Leadership (MSL) course each semester. The MSL curriculum consists of classroom instruction, a weekly leadership lab, physical training, and weekend training conducted one to two times per semester. Weekend training is focused on developing critical thinking adaptive leaders through situational experiences grounded in Army doctrine.

During the summer between their freshman and sophomore years at Valley Forge, cadets attend the five-week Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, KY. In addition, cadets may compete for and attend the Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Air Assault Course at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, may spend several weeks with an active duty Army unit in the Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) program. Following summer training, cadets return to Valley Forge where they prepare for leadership experiences as a platoon leader.

In addition to required training, cadets may participate in optional training. The Ranger Challenge team competes annually – and very successfully — against Military Junior and Senior Colleges and universities in the 1st Brigade. Last year our team placed first among Military Junior Colleges.

In order to be eligible for commissioning, cadets must maintain a 2.0 term and cumulative GPA and graduate with an associate’s degree, must pass all MSL courses with a term and cumulative MSL GPA of 2.0, must complete Advanced Camp, must pass the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT)/height and weight, and the Combat Water Survival Test (CWST), and must pass an American military history course.

Financially, VFMC is a great choice because the school grants a room and board scholarship to all students that contract with an Ike Skelton scholarship. That means that you will be able to pocket most, if not all, of your $420 per month stipend, $1200 per year book allowance and approximately $300 per month drill pay as a college student.

VFMC is also located in one of the premier locations in the country to go to school with at least 13 colleges and universities also located in the surrounding area in a suburban region just 15 miles west of Philadelphia.

Our cadets have a record of excellence at VFMC. This year five of our MS IV cadets received the coveted RECONDO badge at Advanced camp while at Fort Knox summer training. This summer, we also had five cadets complete Air Assault School and five completed CTLT at Army posts around the world. Upon graduation, many of our cadets go on to complete their Bachelor’s degree at top tier universities to include: Cornell, Columbia, William and Mary, University of Virginia, Baylor, Syracuse, Villanova, Penn State, Norwich, Ohio State, Pitt, and many others.

If you would like more information, contact the Senior ROTC Recruiting Operations Officer at: kfluck@vfmac.edu or 610-989-1445.

Congratulations on receiving a National Board ECP scholarship offer!

What does the scholarship pay for?

The Army covers a cadet’s full tuition while the school, Valley Forge Military College, grants an additional scholarship covering room and board to our ECP scholarship cadets.

How much is the stipend for an ECP cadet?

Cadets receive a stipend of $420/month freshman year and $420/month sophomore year. They also receive a book allowance of $600 each semester.

What is the service obligation after commissioning?

Cadets graduate from VFMC with an associate’s degree and simultaneously commission as a 2LT into the U.S. Army. They will have a service obligation of either 8 years in the Reserves or National Guard, or 4 years of active duty. The service obligation begins at graduation from VFMC, so the 2LT will begin serving those years in a non-deployable status in the Reserves or National Guard while they attend their 4 year university.

Does the scholarship cover any of the costs of the follow on 4 year university?

Yes. Second Lieutenants that graduate from an ECP have the option to use Army funds (called EAP) to pay full tuition for their follow on school for up to two years. EAP will pay either full tuition (no cap) or room and board (capped at $12,000). *There is an additional service obligation of one year Reserves or National Guard for each year that a Lieutenant uses EAP. (There is no additional service obligation if the officer goes active duty).

What follow on school may I attend?

Any of the 1000+ Army ROTC affiliated schools. You can attend any school that is affiliated with Army ROTC to include the Ivy Schools, private institutions or state schools.

Am I able to commission into the active duty?

Yes. All ECP cadets commission into the Reserve component after completing their associate’s degree at VFMC and serve in the Reserves or National Guard while they complete their bachelor’s degree at a follow on four year school. If an ECP cadet wishes to compete for active duty, they must request to revoke their reserve status during their sophomore year at VFMC. If that gets approved, they will then compete for active duty during their senior year along with all the other ROTC cadets for that year’s cohort.

How is it possible to commission in two years?

Incoming freshman to VFMC attend a four day mini-camp at VFMC and then go to Basic Camp held at Ft. Knox (approximately 30 days) the summer before beginning ECP. This training counts as credit for Military Science 100 and 200 level classes, which they would otherwise be taking during their freshman and sophomore years at a traditional four year program. That training enables them to be Military Science 300 level as freshman. We call them MS III’s. They will attend Advanced Camp after freshman year at Ft. Knox and return as MS IV’s while they are sophomores. After graduating from VFMC with an associate’s degree, they commission as officers and start serving in the reserves. They must complete their bachelor’s degree as part of their contract within 36 months.

If I am an enlisted member of the Reserves or National Guard, can I do ECP?

Yes. Your status will change from enlisted to cadet.

Can I attend Army schools (Airborne, Air Assault, etc.) while in the ECP?

Yes. Cadets have the opportunity to attend additional training after attending the required ROTC Advanced Camp the summer after their freshman year. Every summer we have cadets attend Airborne and Air Assault schools, as well as Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) shadowing a 2nd Lieutenant Platoon Leader or a Drill Sergeant during their daily duties and training. Cadets also can apply to the Cultural Understanding Language Program (CULP) where they travel with a team of Cadets to a foreign country and partner with local universities or militaries to conduct language and other training and service projects. We have several cadets accepted to participate in CULP every year.