The U.S. Navy provides money for college through the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) Program.  Qualified NROTC students can earn the pay discussed below for 30 months as a full-time student living in the Twin Cities area.  An additional $12,000 signing bonus—$10,000 of which is paid immediately (the balance, following Navy nuclear training)—is available for some students.  You may apply as early as your sophomore year after completing one academic year of calculus and one academic year of calculus-based physics.

You will get a monthly salary of over $2,800 plus medical coverage and Service Group Life Insurance coverage ($250,000) just for going to school.  This includes a base pay of $1,701 per month, a monthly housing allowance of $882 (single) or $1310 (w/dependents) and a monthly food allowance of $262.50  If you are responsible for referring a new accession to the program, you are promoted to E-7, which carries a pay raise of $285.90 per month and a housing allowance raise to $987 (single) or $1381 (w/dependents).  Pay and allowance rates are as of fall 2002, subject to periodic raises.  Additionally, the housing portion of your pay is non-taxable. 

Following graduation from the U of M, you will be commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy and serve as a Naval Reactors Engineer in Washington, D.C.; as a Nuclear Power Instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Charleston, South Carolina; or as a Nuclear-Trained Naval Officer for surface ships or submarines throughout the world.

For more information on this great way to pay for your college expenses and accelerate your career after college as an officer in the U.S. Navy, the nuclear industry’s premier employer, contact your local Navy recruiter, Senior Chief Huether EMCS at the Minnesota Recruiting District at 1-800-344-4312 x247. More information on the Navy's Nuclear Propulsion Program can be found at here.

Additional specific information about the three options available to you in the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program is provided in the table below.

Criteria	Submarine/Aircraft Carrier	Instructor	Naval Reactors Engineer
Age at time of commissioning	Between 19 and 21 years. Waivers up to 31 on a case by case basis	Between 19 and 21 years. Waivers up to 35 on a case by case basis	Between 19 and 21 years. Waivers up to 35 on a case by case basis
Calculus and Physics	One Year of Calculus and Physics with a grade of C or better. Waivers approved on a case by case basis.	One Year of Calculus and Physics with a grade of B or better. Waivers approved on a case by case basis.	One Year of Calculus and Physics with a grade of B or better. Waivers approved on a case by case basis.
Earliest entry for undergraduates	Within 2 and a half years of graduation.	Within 2 and a half years of graduation.	Within 1 year of graduation.
Grades to be maintained after acceptance	Grade of C or better in all technical courses.  Waivers approved on a case by case basis.	Grade of B or better in all technical courses.  Waivers approved on a case by case basis.	Grade of B or better in all technical courses.  Waivers approved on a case by case basis.
Obligation	5 years Active duty, 3 years Reserve.	4 years Active duty, 4 years Reserve.	5 years Active duty, 3 years Reserve.
Paygrade	E-6 (over $2800/mo) Promoted to E-7 if a new accession is referred (over $3100/mo)	E-6 (over $2800/mo) Promoted to E-7 if a new accession is referred (over $3100/mo)	E-6 (over $2800/mo) Promoted to E-7 if a new accession is referred (over $3100/mo)
Accession Bonus	$10,000 upon signing, $2,000 upon completion of nuclear training	None.	None.
Commissioning Source	OCS in Pensacola FL, 13 weeks, commissioned upon completion.	OIS in Newport, RI, 6 weeks, commissioned upon reporting to OIS.	OIS in Newport, RI, 6 weeks, commissioned upon reporting to OIS.