How do tuition payments work with my AROTC scholarship?

[Paschaltherascal]

From all that I've heard, I don't receive any funds from the army until after my first semester of school? How does this work with a four-year AROTC scholarship? Does the Army back pay that first semester? Will my parents have to cover the first semester out of pocket (at least initially before reimbursement)?

 

[Jcleppe]

From all that I've heard, I don't receive any funds from the army until after my first semester of school? How does this work with a four-year AROTC scholarship? Does the Army back pay that first semester? Will my parents have to cover the first semester out of pocket (at least initially before reimbursement)?

If you have a AROTC 4 year scholarship you will arrive at your Battalion/School, you will take the APFT and complete your paperwork including a 104R form. Once all your paperwork is completed and you have passed your APFT and providing you have been qualified through Dodmerb, you will sign your contract. Once you have signed your contract ROTC will process you for your tuition payment, your battalion will go over any process involved. It can take up to 45 days or longer for the payment to be made to the school. ROTC usually will let the school know that payment will be coming but you should also talk to the school's accounting office as well to let then know you have the scholarship and they are paying the tuition at some point. Your tuition should be paid during the semester, make sure you follow up with the battalion to make sure the payment is being made. Your parents should not have to make any payments to the school during this time.

A good idea is to talk with you new Battalion and see what paperwork they can send you over the summer that you can fill out before school starts so you can get a jump on things. try and get a copy of the 104R form so you can start talking with your advisor to get as much completed before school starts. The faster you get the paperwork completed the sooner you will be contracted and start getting your stipend and the tuition payments started as well as your book money paid to you.

Be proactive with your battalion on all matters regarding paperwork and getting contracted.

 

[AJC]

Depends on the school.
Some schools are more used to waiting for the money than others.
My son's tuition routinely does not get credited until the last days of each semester, even though the CPR (cadet pay request) is done at the start of each semester.
The school, an SMC, knows this and does not apply monthly late fees normally associated with outstanding balances.