The Minuteman Scholarship Could Get You Full Tuition Through the Army Reserve

If you’re a young Army Reserve candidate and haven’t heard of the Minuteman Scholarship, then you better tune in. By signing on to join the Army Reserves, you have the chance to apply to get your tuition at a higher education institution fully paid for. There are rules and stipulations, however. Check out everything you need to know about the program below. Suggested read: Have a Pulse? The Military Wants YOU!

What Is the Minuteman Scholarship?

The Army Minuteman Scholarship, also known as the Minuteman Campaign, is a scholarship that GRFD (Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty) candidates can apply for in order to earn full tuition and fees or up to $10,000 for room and board each year at a public or private education institution. The scholarship is offered as a way to enhance the total Army force and is a great incentive for young folks who are thinking about joining the military in some capacity.

Army Reserve Minuteman Scholarship Options

The scholarship isn’t a one-and-done type of deal. There are multiple scholarship types offered each year to several different candidates. These scholarship types include the following:

• A 4-year scholarship.
• A 3-year scholarship.
• A 2-year scholarship.

With each of these scholarships, each winner will also receive a monthly payment of $420 (a stipend that can be used for food and other supplies) as well as a book allowance of $1,200 per year.

Scholarship Qualifications

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National.
• Currently in the U.S. Army Reserve or eligible to enlist.
• Are between the ages of 17 and 28 (you cannot turn 31 by the last day of December on the year of commissioning).
• Have a valid Chapter 2 MEPS physical.
• Can pass the Cadet Command Physical Fitness Assessment.
• Have a verified college or university acceptance letter.
• Have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
• Have a minimum SAT score of 850, ACT score of 19, or GT score of 110.
• Participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program.
• Meet AR 600-9 body composition standards.
• Serve your 8-year obligation with an actively drilling unit.

In addition to these general requirements for application, there are specifics on who is eligible to receive each scholarship type.

• For the 4-year scholarship, only incoming freshmen who are attending a participating ROTC program can be awarded.
• For the 3-year scholarship, only incoming college sophomores who pay the last three years of benefits can be awarded.
• For the 2-year scholarship, only incoming juniors or grad students who pay the last two years of benefits can be awarded.

To find out if your ROTC program is participating and if your chosen higher education institution is a Military College, click here for the full list.

Minuteman Scholarship Deadline 2023 and Application Requirements

To be eligible for the Minuteman Scholarship, first and foremost you must obtain and submit a nomination letter. You can get a nomination letter from any of the following sources:

• Army Reserve Ambassador.
• USAR Major Subordinate Command Commander; request point of contact from local Army recruiter or ROTC program.
• Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army.

To get more help with this, you can reach out to your Army recruiter. The nominator must include verifying qualification information that addresses all of the qualification requirements listed above, in addition to including the nominator’s and your email and phone number plus information regarding your recruiter, if you have one. Once you have a letter of nomination that addresses all of these concerns, you must submit it to your geographical USAR Readiness Division Point of Contact, which can be found by checking the map and contact info below, provided by usar.army.mil. For this year, the Minuteman Scholarship deadline 2023 is August 4. Don’t wait until the last minute to get your letter and application in. Start sourcing the letter now and submit it as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen circumstances that may make you ineligible for the scholarship.

Rewarding You for Your Service

Being a part of the military in any capacity is a rewarding and honorable experience. To those young folks out there looking to join the reserves, we salute you! The Minuteman Scholarship is only the beginning of the amazing benefits that will be afforded to you by military life. Read next: What To Expect After Contacting an Army Recruiting Office