Note: Project GO is advised for non-Flagship ROTC students (contracted or non-contracted) at any university in the United States. It is not advised for Flagship students who are contracted in ROTC, as they receive full funding to attend Flagship-approved overseas programs.

We strongly encourage any ROTC student at Ole Miss or elsewhere to

a) Begin studying Chinese, Arabic, or Russian on campus beginning in Fall of freshman year if possible.

b) Talk to your ROTC leadership in fall about applying to Project GO and any potential considerations that might be made to plan any summer training around Project GO dates.

c) Apply to multiple Project GO programs.

d) Attend Project GO multiple times during your undergraduate career, if possible, to maximize your language gains and cultural competence and to raise the chances of obtaining a major or minor in the language.

e) Even if you are unable to begin one of these critical languages during your current year, still look for beginner level Project GO programs that can jumpstart your language learning.

f) MAKE SURE YOU SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH FRIENDS IN ROTC AT OLE MISS OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

• Eligibility to participate in any Project GO summer program, offered by any program in the country.
  • FRESHMAN ROTC students who are unable to begin Chinese during their first year at Ole Miss may consider taking year 1 of Chinese in the summer after freshman year by applying for and attending a Beginner I GO program, advertised on the national Project GO website: rotcprojectgo.org. This will allow them to get on track for the major or minor by completing the 200 level as sophomores. Older students may do so as well, but we strongly encourage students to start the language as early as possible and to attend Project GO as early as their first summer. All summers may pose obstacles to study abroad, and most ROTC-related summer training conflicts can be worked around with careful planning and commander support, but the earlier you begin, the more likely you are to be able to attend Project GO for 2 or even 3 summers. This vastly increases your chances of reaching a high proficiency level and obtaining enough credits to complete the major or minor. It also cuts down on the academic strain you might face during the academic year.
  • Any Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior in ROTC who wishes to START or CONTINUE Mandarin coursework can apply and attend Project GO. Students in National Guard are limited to domestic programs, which can be found on the national website. All others are encouraged to consider overseas ROTC Project GO Summer programs.

ROTC PROJECT GO

National Website: rotcprojectgo.org

Purpose: Programming and funding for ROTC students to complete intensive language study for academic credit during the summer

Cost: Nothing. Project GO programs provide FULL SCHOLARSHIPS for all participants, including tuition, airfare, visa fees, and even a meal stipend.

Languages Offered:

• Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Swahili
• Hindi, Japanese, Persian (Dari, Farsi, or Tajik), Portuguese

Program Length: Two months (8-9 weeks). Exact dates vary.  Some programs may be willing to work with students who have a slight overlap in summer training dates.

Locations:

• Each language offered in different cities & countries by different Project GO programs.
• A student can experience different cultural environments by Start early and attending Project GO more than once.

Credits Earned:

• Project GO programs are provided by American universities and typically grant 8 to 12 university language credits,
• Credits transfer to the student’s home institution.
• The specifics are be posted on each program’s listing on the national website.

Eligibility:

• ROTC students in good standing who have the intention and ability to commission.
• They do NOT need to be contracted.
• They do NOT need to be a language major.
• Students remain eligible until they have graduated or commissioned.
• See the FAQ section of the national Project GO website for further details on eligibility.

Eligibility Time Frame:

• Students can attend a GO program any and all summers that they are in good standing and not yet commissioned.
• Depending on their commissioning date, some students may remain eligible for the summer after senior year, which can help tremendously in some cases for students to complete a language major or minor.

Other Benefits:

• ROTC programs often grant scholarships or pay for each language course or credit.  The amount varies by ROTC branch and language taken.
• Military personnel who reach the necessary proficiency level in a language can receive supplements to their regular pay checks simply for possessing language skills.

Potential Summer Conflicts:

• Many students are able to complete required ROTC training and a Project GO program in the same summer.
• Commanders are key in ensuring that good student develop 4-year plans that maximize their Project GO opportunities and increase their ability to complete majors or minors and reach high proficiency levels and cultural knowledge that will be useful in their careers.
• Once accepted to the GO Program(s), the commander can help ensure that students get any ROTC training slots needed to prevent scheduling conflicts. This is usually successful, since Project GO is an academic program of high value to the military.

Note: Students are encouraged to go abroad with Project GO as early as summer after freshman year. Many students have returned up to 3 times.