Selection

Selection into the STA-21 Program will occur in the fall of each year. Selectees will be notified several months in advance of the assigned date they will begin the STA-21 Program during the following year. NSTC will determine reporting dates to NSI.

NSI

The Naval Science Institute (NSI) portion of the STA-21 Program is designed to teach each officer candidate the fundamental core concepts of being a Naval officer. This program provides competency in such areas as navigation, engineering, weapons, military history and justice, etc. NSI is located at OTC-N Newport, RI and lasts 8 weeks. NSI is a very specific curriculum that was designed to build upon the naval experience of highly trained enlisted Sailors and help them transition into their future careers as Naval officers. All STA-21 selectees will attend NSI en route to their assigned university.  View NSI Welcome Aboard Package.

College

Upon successful completion of NSI, STA-21 officer candidates will report to an NROTC affiliated college or university for their summer term to pursue their college degree.

Selection and Placement

Each STA-21 applicant selects up to three school choices during the application process, and NSTC conducts actual student placement to the schools after selection into the program. This placement is based on several factors including available NROTC Unit openings, program option*, etc.

Participants in the STA-21 Nurse Option, CEC Option, or Nuclear Option may only attend colleges or universities listed as approved institutions. No waivers of this requirement will be granted.

For a complete list of all NROTC affiliated universities, visit the NETC NROTC Colleges and Universities web page.

Course of Study

While selectees are strongly encouraged to pursue technical degree programs, participants are free to choose their major areas of study. Certain STA-21 program options have specific degree requirements (Nuclear, Nurse, CEC, etc). However, all STA-21 officer candidates (with the exception of Nurse Corps Option) must successfully complete two semesters each of calculus and calculus-based physics prior to graduation, regardless of their major. While attending college, all STA-21 officer candidates are required to participate in all NROTC Unit functions except for summer cruise/activities and completion of the Naval Science course content covered during NSI.

Academic Calendars

Students in the STA-21 Program will attend school full-time year-round. All students are required to complete degree requirements in not more than 36 calendar months. STA-21 officer candidates will not participate in summer cruises or any other summer activities that the NROTC Unit midshipmen must complete. STA-21 members are required to be enrolled in every academic semester, quarter, trimester, or minimester offered by the university. Not all STA-21 students will begin their college education at the same time of year due to planned phasing of the program. Many selectees will begin in the summer and a few (i.e. Nurse) in the fall.

Commissioning

After successfully earning a college degree and graduating from his or her respective university, the officer candidate will be commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy. Following graduation from the university, newly commissioned Ensigns are sent to initial training for their officer community.