The Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) is designed to help provide enlisted Marines who have shown previous superior academics the opportunity to become Marine Corps Officers. The program is open and available to all active duty Marines and Marines in the Active Reserve (AR) program but must be able to meet the eligibility requirements. Marines who will have successfully completed the program will receive a Baccalaureate Degree and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Requirements for eligibility and entrance into the MECEP are as followed:
- Status: Personnel of the Regular Marine Corps.
- Grade: Corporal or above.
- Age: At least 20 but less than 26 years old by 1 July of the year applying.
- Education: High school graduates must have ranked in the top 50 percent of their class. Non-high school graduates must have a minimum of 3 years high school and have successfully passed the GED high school level tests with a minimum score of 75 percent in each of the five areas of the GED requirement.
- Classification Testing: Applicants are required to have a minimum Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score of 1000 combined math and verbal score. Minimum verbal score is 400.
- Obligated Service: Applicants must agree to reenlist or extend or a combination thereof as necessary, to have 6 years of obligated service in the Regular Marine Corps upon assignment to college.
- End of Active Service: In order to allow for sufficient time to complete the MECEP Preparatory School prior to attending college, MECEP selectees must have an expiration of active service (EAS) no earlier than 30 September of the year their college program is scheduled to commence.
- Physical: Must meet the physical standards for officer candidates.
- Marital Status: May be either married or single.
- Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States.
- Security Clearance: Must be capable of obtaining a satisfactory national agency check and be eligible to receive a SECRET clearance.
Selection is based on an individual’s previous academic record, as well as potential seen from candidate for commissioned service as demonstrated by previous records.