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Department of Military Science

Tuition Waivers

How to Apply

THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS NOW CLOSED!

The application process for any tuition waiver is CLOSED. No applications will be accepted until the dates have changed below. This was for the information about the process Spring 2024.

The submission deadline for the application was 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, 18, January 2024. This Deadline had passed, and the application process is closed at this time.

Submissions after 11:59 PM on Thursday, 18 January 2024 will not be considered.

The Essay and The Cadet Command Fitness Assessment (which is held at Horton Fieldhouse) are required for the Fall & Spring Tuition Waivers.

For assistance with the Tuition Waiver Essay, please see the ROTC Tuition Waiver Essay Requirements at the bottom of this page. 

About the Illinois State Scholarship (tuition waiver)

ISU Army ROTC receives 40 Illinois State Scholarships each year. the Illinois State Scholarship will be referred to as the Illinois State Tuition Waiver (ILSTW) from this point forward to avoid any confusion with our federal scholarships. The Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) mandates that these are to be awarded a minimum of 10 per Military Science class if available. If awarded, 100% tuition and the general activity fee will be waived for the semester the tuition waiver has been awarded for. Registration for the Military Science class and a commitment to the ISU Army ROTC Redbird Battalion is required for the semester the tuition waiver was awarded for, with the exception of the summer waiver due to no Military Science classes being offered. The Military Science class must have been taken during the spring semester in order to be considered for the summer waiver.

Applications for the upcoming semester's tuition waiver will be available at a minimum one month prior to the start of the semester it is to be awarded.

Any unused tuition waivers from the first board will be available to compete for during a second tuition waiver board.

Tuition waiver applicants are assessed on a points system based off of scholar/athlete/leader criteria. All applicants are paper boarded. An Order of Merit List will be created and each applicant will be rank ordered by their total number of points. A minimum number of points must be met in order to be considered for the tuition waiver. On a case by case basis, applicants not meeting the minimum point requirement may still be considered for the waiver. In-coming freshmen will use all four years of school data for their scholar/athlete/leader criteria. The minimum points required are found in our standard operating procedures. The standard operating procedures along with the point sheets are listed below.

Eligibility Requirements

All students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree who meet the eligibility requirements are welcome to apply for the tuition waiver each semester they are in Army ROTC. The waiver will not be awarded to students who do not meet the eligibility requirements.

The Illinois State University Army ROTC Redbird Battalion Standard Operating Procedure is in accordance with the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS). Please see the following Standard Operating Procedure and point sheets along with the Illinois Code for more information.

  1. Be a resident of the State of Illinois.
  2. Be a full-time student at Illinois State University (minimum 12 hours for undergrad and 9 hours for graduate work).
  3. Be enrolled in a Military Science Class.
  4. Male applicants must be registered for Selective Service.
  5. Cadets, students who have signed an Army ROTC Contract, must be in compliance with the Army height/weight/body fat standards per Army Regulation 600-9 to be considered for the waiver. Students must either be in compliance or show progress towards attaining the standards. Adequate progress will be determined by the Professor of Military Science.
  6. Complete the Department of Defense Medical Evaluation Review Board (DoDMERB) Exams prior to applying for a third tuition waiver.
  7. Complete the Basic Enrollment documents.
  8. Complete the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). Cadets must pass the ACFT on their first attempt with a minimum of 60 point in each event according to their Age and Gender to be considered for the waiver. For first semester Freshmen or Transfer Students, one must achieve 50 points in each event according to their Age and Gender to be considered for the waiver. Scoring standards are listed below. Additional scoring scales can be viewed at https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/.rv7/acft/ACFT scoring_scales_220323.pdf.  All below will be for the group of 17-21 years of age.
    • Max Deadlift (MDL)(Three Repetitions) - Minimum Weight: Males: 130 pounds / Females: 110 pounds
    • Standing Power Throw (SPT) - Minimum Distance: Males: 5.8 meters / Females: 3.8 meters
    • Hand-Release Push-Up (HRP) - Minimum Repetitions: Males & Females: 9 repetitions
    • Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) - Maximum Time: Males: 2:38 minutes / Females: 3:25 minutes
    • Plank (PLK) - Minimum Time: Males/Females: 1:25 minutes
    • Two-Mile Run (2MR) - Maximum Time: Males 22:19 minutes / Females 23:14 minutes

  9. Have both a minimum 2.0 or greater semester and cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.
  10. Have a minimum 3.0 or greater ROTC GPA (if applicable) on a 4.0 scale. The ROTC GPA is the GPA of the Military Science classes.
  11. Submit the assigned essay and adhere to the specific criteria along with the application. The essay topic and criteria can be found below on this page.
  12. Complete the Contracting Documents if applying for a third tuition waiver.
  13. If you are eligible for the Illinois Army National Guard Grant, you are NOT eligible to apply for the Illinois Tuition Waiver.

Tuition Waiver Essay Requirements

All applications for Fall and Spring Tuition Waivers are to be accompanied by an essay. (Except For Summer Tuition Waivers, The Essay is not required.)

The Topic for the required essay is found in the application.    Only essays written about the valid topic will be accepted.  No exceptions.

The criteria for the essay are as follows:

  • Should Be A 400-600 Word Narrative
  • Name In The Top Right Corner
  • One (1) Inch Margins On All Sides
  • Page Numbers In Bottom Center
  • Word Count In The Bottom Left Corner Of The Last Page
  • Each Paragraph Must Be Indented One (1) Tab
  • Font Is To Be 12-Point Times New Roman
  • Double-Spaced
  • Five (5) Paragraph Format 
  • Should be only about the topic found in the applicaton for the Tuition Waiver.