Carefully read through the military boarding schools in Virginia to find out which one is suitable for you. The state of Virginia has the most military academies and we have taken out time to discuss them in this post.
Virginia is a state in the US popular for its beautiful beaches and scenic mountain ranges which attract tourists from all parts of the world. Another thing that attracts people here is its educational institutions as it houses some of the most prestigious universities in the nation including Virginia Tech and Virginia Military Institute.
We won’t be discussing all the higher institutions in Virginia, well unless they are military institutions, as the post would deviate from the subject matter which is on military boarding schools in Virginia. The state of Virginia has the most military schools in the US and all of them have been discussed in this post.
The military schools are comprised of both high school and college-level so that parents can have enough options on which of the military boarding schools in Virginia they will send their child to and also college-level students will have options on which ones to attend. All in all, carefully reading this blog will facilitate your admission into any of the education categories you fall into.
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Admission Requirements Into Military Boarding Schools in Virginia
Applicants who are interested in applying for any of the military academies in Virginia should ensure to meet the following requirements to be considered for admission.
- You must have applied for admission at the school in an academic degree program of your choosing.
- Applicants must have received a letter of admission into the school to be eligible to apply for the ROTC program.
- Applicants must be within the required age range that the military academy or program accepts. The typical age is 17 years old to 24 years old.
- Must be a resident of Virginia and a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident
- Applicant should be free of felony charges and no pending court proceedings
- Physical and mental capability to participate in the program
- Should be free from the use of illegal drugs or other substances
- Complete then submit all supporting documents such as application form, transcripts from other schools attended, recommendation and reference letters, etc. as required by your preferred school.
- Pay the application fee, if required
How Much Does Military School Cost in Virginia?
Typically, public chartered military schools cost zero fees to attend while the private ones can be costly to attend ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 per year. This also applies to the military academies in Virginia.
At the college level, that is when you are in college and enroll in an ROTC program, you can study for free (scholarship) or get reduced tuition. But in this case, you will become enlisted into the military immediately after your graduation.
Must I Become A Soldier If I Attend A Military Boarding School in Virginia?
When you graduate from a military boarding school in Virginia, which is typically high school, you can go on to pursue any career interest you are interested including applying for college. You mustn’t become a soldier because you graduated from a military boarding school.
But at the college level, acceptance into an ROTC program at one of the universities in Virginia makes you obligated to get commissioned in the military service.
What Is The Age Requirement For Military School In Virginia?
The military boarding schools in Virginia accept students from grades K-12 but only students in grades 8 or 9 through 12 – depending on the school – get to be boarders while the others have to be day students.
For the military programs provided in college like the ROTC then the applicant must be at least 17 years old to apply.
Military Boarding Schools in Virginia
Here are the military boarding schools in Virginia which cover both high school and college-level. Details to each of the schools are discussed further below.
- Benedictine College Preparatory
- Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University
- The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
- Fishburne Military School
- Virginia Military Institute
- Massanutten Military Academy (MMA)
- Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA)
- Franklin Military Academy
- Randolph-Macon Academy
- Hargrave Military Academy (HMA)
1. Benedictine College Preparatory
On our first list of military boarding schools in Virginia is the Benedictine College Preparatory. It is a private catholic military high school established in 1911 in Goochland, Virginia. It is a high school that utilizes the military model to educate students to excel in their academics and instill leadership, self-respect, and self-discipline skills in them.
Benedictine is an all-boys military academy accepting students from grades 9 through 12. Since it is a college-preparatory school, students are equipped with all they need to get admitted to colleges or vocation schools. The annual tuition fee is $19,900 but every student is open to scholarships.
2. Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University
Mary Baldwin University is a private university in Staunton, Virginia established in 1842. It was originally founded as a college for women but in 2017 started accepting men and become a co-educational higher institution. However, there are still certain programs that are open only to women such as the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted and the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership.
The Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership is an all-female corps of cadets and the only type in the United States. The program encompasses academics, physical training, and sisterhood to prepare young females for leadership positions whether in the military or as a civilian. Participating in this program develops the leadership style that will help you succeed in any career path you follow.
If you are interested in participating in the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University then you need to apply, that is after being accepted into the university to pursue an academic degree program. There are only 55 cadet positions for the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership program and admission is competitive.
Your academic record, physical fitness, and leadership performance will contribute to your selection into the program. So you might want to ace them.
3. The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is the military division of Virginia Tech established since the school’s founding in 1872 and aims to nurture and develop world-class leaders. The Corps accepts both males and females and uses a military-style education to instill in cadets practical, ethical leadership skills that can be used wherever you find yourself after graduation.
Participating in the program requires you to be committed for four years and go through military training and drills. The program consists of two paths: the Military-Leader Track and the Citizen-Leader Track. The Military-Leader Track is designed to train you to commission as a military officer after graduation and you will be on scholarship for the duration of your studies.
The Citizen-Leader Track has no military obligation but will rather train you for leadership roles that you can apply in other careers. If you are looking for military boarding schools in Virginia at the college level, you may want to add this institution and consider applying.
4. Fishburne Military School
Fishburne Military School is one of the military boarding schools in Virginia. It is also one of the oldest military schools in the nation but the oldest in Virginia. Fishburne is private and accepts only boys from grades 7-12 all of whom must be boarders. At most, only 175 students are accepted for admission annually and class sizes are kept small at a 10:1 student/teacher ratio to foster excellent student-teacher relationships and make resources go round.
Students here are referred to as cadets and they are encouraged to join either the JROTC program or any other extracurricular activity. The school offers college-prep classes for cadets who want to further their studies to a higher institution. International students are accepted and the tuition fee is $34,000 for domestic students and 41,900 for international students.
5. Virginia Military Institute
On our fifth list of military boarding schools in Virginia is the Virginia Military Institute. It is the first state military college in America and is the oldest public senior military college with its founding dating back to 1839. Both boys and girls are accepted at the institute and you must have completed high school or in your final year to apply here and be considered for admission.
Virginia Military Institute offers 14 disciplines in the areas of engineering, sciences, liberal arts, and humanities to cadets which takes 4 years to complete leading to a bachelor’s degree. In addition to completing your program, cadets are obligated to either participate in the Army, Naval, or Air ROTC program which is operated by VMI’s Department of Defense.
Upon graduation, you can either enlist for one of the military services or become a civilian and pursue other interests. Cadets receive scholarships that cover tuition, textbooks, and living costs.
6. Massanutten Military Academy (MMA)
Massanutten Military Academy or MMA is one of the military boarding schools in Virginia. It is a co-educational military academic for students in grades 5 through 12. The academy focuses on academic development, character development, leadership, and service to help students develop to their fullest potential.
MMA houses a comprehensive Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program that high school students of the academy are obligated to join as part of their curriculum. International students are accepted at the school and you can also choose to learn from home if you wish, which makes you an online learning student.
The tuition for 5-day boarding students is $15,000 per year and $17,500 per year for 7-day boarding students. Day and online learning students are charged $10,000 while international students pay $30,000 per year.
7. Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA)
Fork Union Military Academy or FUMA, as it is commonly referred to, is one of the military boarding schools in Virginia. The academy was established in 1898 as a private, all-boys, college-prep, military boarding school all rolled into one and sitting on a 1,000-acre campus. Students from grades 7-12 are accepted and a 1-year post-graduate program is offered.
The structure of the campus at FUMA is military-styled, so as a student here you will be called a cadet, wear uniforms, and respect the chain of command. Cadets’ academic development is the main focus followed by leadership, responsibility, and self-discipline development. International students are also accepted into the academy. The tuition for day, domestic boarding, and international boarding students vary at $19,150, $37,900, and $46,150 respectively.
8. Franklin Military Academy
Franklin Military Academy is one of the military boarding schools in Virginia established in 1980 as the first public military school in the country. The academy offers an alternative to the common high school program allowing all students to experience a regular academic course of study while participating in a Junior Reserve Officer Training Program.
Students are developed academically to prepare them for college and whatever careers they may want to pursue in the future.
9. Randolph-Macon Academy
Established in 1892 as a co-ed, college-prep school in Royal, Virginia, Randolph-Macon Academy is one of the military boarding schools in Virginia. The school isn’t fully boarding but also offers day programs and students in grades 6-12 are accepted.
The academy offers a comprehensive Air Force Junior Reserve Training Corps (AFJROTC) program that is obligatory for high school seniors (grades 9-12) to join. The program focuses on instilling leadership skills and citizenship responsibilities in students. International students are accepted at the academy.
The tuition fee is broken down into various divisions and you can find it here.
10. Hargrave Military Academy (HMA)
On our final list of military boarding schools in Virginia is the Hargrave Military Academy or HMA. It was established in 1909 as a private, all-boys military academy situated in Chatham, Virginia. The academy accepts boys from all parts of the world from grades 7-12 and offers a 1-year post-graduate program to prepare students for college.
HMA’s principle lies in academics, faith, character, and athletics which are combined to groom students and develop them to become who they’ve always wanted to be. The tuition fee for day cadets is $15,924 and $39,437 for boarding cadets while international students pay $49,419 per year. All students can apply for tuition assistance.