Welcome Aboard The Jayhawk Battalion
We make warfighters in the U.S. Naval Services. The outcome of successful completion of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corp Program (NROTC) is an active duty commission as a Navy or Marine Corps officer. The NROTC program is a unique blend of the best traditions of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, with both services represented in the unit staff and approach to training. We provide men and women in our program with the confidence and background necessary to lead in America’s Navy and Marine Corps and beyond.
Quick Facts
3.15
Unit Career GPA
100%
Scholarship or Advanced Standing Selection Rate since 2015
100%
Naval Nuclear Program Interview Pass Rate for over 5 years
With roots dating back to 1942, the Jayhawk Battalion has a long and distinguished history at KU. Midshipmen hail our program for allowing them to attend college as traditional students while receiving training vital to their success in the fleet. Better yet, the Jayhawk Battalion has an exemplary record of Midshipmen earning a commission into their warfare areas of choice.
Why NROTC at KU?
- A first-rate flagship university with a diverse array of undergraduate programs.
- A close-knit unit with a highly dedicated cadre of staff and instructors.
- Our Navy instructors maintain a ship simulator, offering state-of-the-art training simulation.
- One of the very few NROTC units with an official Marine Corps obstacle course, located conveniently on campus.
- The Marine program at KU takes pride in maintaining facilities such as endurance and land navigation courses, which have led to a 100% pass rate at Officer Candidates School in the last five years.
- KU’s highly rated engineering and science programs have helped our unit achieve a 100% pass rate during Nuclear Power Accession interviews over the last five years.
- Despite being land-locked, KU’s NROTC has deep roots on campus going back to World War II. The school ranked 5th in the nation in the 2019 Military Times best colleges survey.
- Commission as an active duty ensign following successful completion of program and degree requirements.
- Service assignments as follows: nuclear power (submarine or surface), surface warfare, pilot, flight officer, special warfare (SEAL), or Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Many specialized occupational communities, such as intelligence, communications, and mass communications, are available after an officer’s successful performance in their initially assigned communities.
- Minimum of five-year active duty commitment that begins at graduation and commissioning.
- Commission as an active duty second lieutenant with an aviation or ground contract following successful completion of program and degree requirements.
- An aviation contract leads to a career as a pilot. Aviation contract guarantees are available as early as the second year in the program.
- A ground contract leads to a career in one of more than 20 occupational fields, as varied as infantry, logistics, intelligence, communications, strategic communications, and many more.
- All new second lieutenants attend The Basic School at Quantico, VA, upon graduation and commissioning.
- Minimum of four-year active duty commitment that begins at graduation and commissioning.
- During high school, apply for national scholarship programs via the NROTC website.
- If you are not selected for a national scholarship or if you missed the deadline, apply to the KU NROTC college program via the Recruiting Officer.
- Scholarship recipients and select college program applicants will attend a three-week New Student Indoctrination (NSI) at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL, in the summer before freshman year.
- Throughout your KU NROTC career, you will be required to take Naval Science courses in addition to your degree requirements. A full list of NROTC required courses can be found in the KU Catalog. Many of these courses count as both electives and KU CORE requirements.
- In addition to Naval Science courses, students participate in robust physical training, weekly leadership development, and occasional training evolutions led by the active duty unit staff.
- Each summer scholarship recipients attend summer training opportunities, both in the United States and abroad. These experiences vary from spending time aboard ships and submarines to embedding with Marine Corps and Navy ground and aviation units, to foreign exchange cruises.
- Marine Corps option midshipmen will attend a six-week Officer Candidates School as their summer training program in the summer between junior and senior years.
- Upon degree and program completion, students are commissioned into the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps.
- Newly commissioned officers typically depart to begin initial training in their assigned warfighting communities within weeks of graduation. All Marine Corps Second Lieutenants will receive orders to The Basic School at Quantico, VA.