Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC)
For current undergraduate students, especially seeking those pursuing preferred majors such as mathematics, engineering, physics or chemistry , you have the chance to get paid and a guaranteed Navy commissioning program while finishing school through the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program.
Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear)
If accepted into the NUPOC program as an aspiring Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear), you can:
- Receive a salary in excess of $4,000 per month for up to 30 months prior to your college graduation
- Receive an immediate one-time sign-on bonus of $15,000 plus an additional $2,000 bonus upon completion of nuclear propulsion training
- Enjoy military health-care benefits while you are a student in the program
Nuclear Submarine Officer
If accepted into the NUPOC program as an aspiring Submarine Officer, you can:
- Receive a salary in excess of $4,000 per month for up to 30 months prior to your college graduation
- Receive an immediate one-time sign-on bonus of $15,000 plus an additional $2,000 bonus upon completion of nuclear propulsion training
- Enjoy military health-care benefits while you are a student in the program
Interested candidates should contact the local Navy Officer Programs Recruiter to discuss the opportunity to participate in a fleet visit to see if this career is right for you. The fleet visit is an all-expenses paid 3-day trip to San Diego, CA, to visit an active submarine and meet with currently serving Submarine Officers. These trips are conducted every month and there is no obligation to join the program in order to attend.
Naval Reactor Engineer
If accepted into the NUPOC program as an aspiring Naval Reactors Engineer, you can:
- Receive a salary in excess of $4,000 per month for up to 18 months prior to your college graduation
- Receive an immediate one-time sign-on bonus of $15,000
- Enjoy military health-care benefits while you are a student in the program
Interested candidates should contact the local Navy Officer Programs Recruiter to discuss the opportunity to participate in a Naval Reactors visit to see if this career is right for you. The visit is an all-expenses paid 3-day trip to the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, to visit with currently serving Naval Reactor Engineers. These trips are conducted twice a year and there is no obligation to join the program in order to attend.
To be an eligible candidate, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen (dual citizens must renounce non-US citizenship)
- Be at least 19 years of age and less than 29 years of age at the time of commissioning—waivers up to 35 years of age for select jobs may be available
- Must pass a medical examination
- Must pass background investigation
Education
Candidates must be graduates or students of an accredited college or university in the United States or in a United States territory pursuing a BA, BS or MS (preferably major in mathematics, engineering, physics, chemistry or other technical areas). Those still in school may apply as early as 30 months from completion of an undergraduate degree for Surface Warfare (Nuclear), Submarine, and Instructor positions and as early as 18 months from completion of an undergraduate degree for Naval Reactors Engineers. Applicants may also join the NUPOC program as early as 12 months from completion of a master's degree for all NUPOC positions.
Additional academic requirements include:
- Completed one academic year of calculus
- Completed one academic year of calculus-based physics
- A competitive GPA and a minimum grade of "B" in all technical courses (minimum grade of "C" in all technical courses for Nuclear Submarine Officer and Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer candidates)
General qualifications may vary depending upon whether you intend to serve Active Duty or Reserve Duty and whether you are currently serving, have served before or have never served before.