<p>I'm looking to apply to an IR grad program for spring enrollment next year. Given the amount of money it costs, I was wondering if there was any kind of military scholarship offered for graduate students, much like ROTC for undergrad. </p>
<p>I hope someone can clear this up for me because in all the research I've done I haven't found any clear-cut explanations on the internet.</p>
<p>No. Graduate studies are generally about research, and the military hires civilians for those jobs.</p>
<p>Try posting on the service academy forum</p>
<p>You can do ROTC as a grad student through their 2-year program (at least with the Army/Air Force, the Navy might only have a 4-year deal). Check their sites or your local ROTC unit.</p>
<p>Easiest way to find out is to check with an officer recruiter for your service(s) of choice. They will be aware of any such programs, as well as how competitive they are and what the applications procedure is.</p>
<p>the air force offers tuition assistance for up to $250 per credit hour ($750/course) up to the master’s degree level. this may not cover all of the costs but it helps.</p>
<p>I was totally wrong and flyers29 is correct - I should have done my homework! Thought ROTC was only for undergrads, but many programs accept graduate students too.</p>
<p>Wow. Thanks for the quick responses! This was very helpful. I’m calling an officer recruiter tomorrow to get details.</p>
<p>Your best bet might be to join as an officer, then go to school under the GI bill when you’re eligible, use tuition assistance, or get the military to send you to grad school while on active duty.</p>
<p>If you are heavily burdened with loans from your undergraduate years and are willing to serve for three years in the armed forces, the government will pay off a large portion of your college loans for you. Without the undergraduate debt, you will be eligible for larger loans for your graduate study, and you will not have so many years of high repayment bills to face.
From the point of view of footing the bill for graduate studies, the military option sounds too good to be true. Of course there are strings attached. You must serve in the armed forces. You are subject to military rules and military discipline. You may find that a transfer of location totally disrupts your studies if you are trying to attend part-time. And, in case of war or other military emergency, you must serve and quite possibly face physical danger. This is the trade-off.</p>