A University of Arizona program pays 100% of tuition and fees, adds a monthly stipend and lines up a civilian job with the Department of Defense after graduation. A reader tipped us to it, saying it deserves more attention than it gets.

The program is the Defense Civilian Training Corps, or DCTC. The Department of Defense, called the DoD for short, sponsors it. It trains students for civilian careers, not military service. Selected students are called DCTC Scholars.

Only four universities in the country offer it: the University of Arizona, Purdue University, Virginia Tech and North Carolina A&T. The U of A is the only school in Arizona where a student can join. That makes it worth knowing about for San Tan Valley families with a student headed toward college, or one already in Tucson. Any University of Arizona student who meets the requirements can apply. Where they grew up does not matter.

What Students Get

The scholarship covers 100% of academic tuition, plus fees, and pays a monthly stipend for the length of the award. The program office that runs the application portal lists the stipend at $1,000 a month.

Scholars also get a summer internship with the Department of Defense, mentoring and leadership training while they are in school. The program gives students guidance on security clearances, the background checks the government requires before someone can work with protected information. After graduation, scholars get early job placement in DoD labs and other defense organizations.

The scholarship comes with a commitment. Scholars take on a two-year service obligation, which means they agree to work for the Department of Defense as civilians for two years after they graduate.

Who Qualifies

The program takes students entering their junior year, or seniors starting an accelerated master's program. Applicants need a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, proof of U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and keep a DoD security clearance.

The program is not just for engineers. It looks for students in acquisition, finance, digital technologies, critical technologies, science and engineering. It also welcomes students in business, supply chain management, contracting and pre-law.

How to Apply

Applications go through the program's online portal at dctcscholarapp.acqirc.org. Students submit a transcript, a resume and a short statement of interest, along with answers to three short questions and a plan of study.

The program's page does not list dates for the next application cycle. Families can confirm current dates with the program's campus contact, Professor Larry Head, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (520) 621-2264.

Full program details are at deanofstudents.arizona.edu/defense-civilian-training-corps-program. The application portal is at dctcscholarapp.acqirc.org.