R 261700Z NOV 25
MARADMIN 573/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC DC I WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/ACADEMIC YEAR 2026-27 FULL-TIME STUDY FOR ENLISTED MARINES
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE 
AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS//
POC 1/M. M. PRINCE/MSGT/OCCUPATIONAL FIELD SPECIALIST/IID DC I/
703-614-2082/MARVIN.M.PRINCE.MIL@USMC.MIL//
POC 2/T. M. WILSON/MAJ/SENIOR SERVICE ADVISOR/NIU/
301-243-2170/THOMAS.M.WILSON@NIU.NIU.ODNI.GOV// 
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose. This message solicits applications for
the enlisted National Intelligence University (NIU) full-time
programs for Academic Year (AY) 2026. All nomination packages are
due to DC I no later than 9 January 2026. Paragraph 8 details the
procedures for submission.
2. Background. The purpose of the Marine Corps enlisted NIU program
is to broaden the education and experience of enlisted Marines who
demonstrate potential for future leadership positions in their
respective occupational fields. AY 2026-27 will convene on or
about 15 July 2026.
3. Execution. The following programs are available to qualified
02XX/0321/17XX/26XX/68XX enlisted Marines: 
3.a. Undergraduate program: A Bachelor of Science in Intelligence
(BSI) degree. The BSI is a one-year degree completion program. 
3.b. Full-time graduate programs: A Master of Science of Strategic
Intelligence (MSSI) degree or a Master of Science and technology
Intelligence (MSTI) degree. The MSSI and MSTI programs consist of
40 weeks of graduate coursework. Applicants admitted into these
programs will remain at NIU to complete an intelligence related
thesis during the summer term and will detach on or about
10 August 2027 after graduation.
4. Marines must meet the following USMC prerequisites to qualify
for an NIU program:
4.a. Applicants must be a 02XX/0321/17XX/26XX/68XX Corporal through
Gunnery Sergeant. 
4.b. Applicants may not have less than four years of service or more
than 18 years of service as of 1 July 2026. 
4.c. Applicants must have at least two years on station by
1 July 2026 for CONUS Commands. Applicants on a three-year
accompanied OCONUS tour must be within 60 days of RTD upon the class
convening date, on or about 10 August 2026.
4.d. Applicants must have completed CMC-directed PME by the class
convening date on or about 10 August 2026.
4.e. Applicants must meet USMC height/weight and military
appearance standards.
4.f. Applicants must possess a Top-Secret clearance and be eligible
for access to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information
(TS/SCI). Application for this program is not sufficient
justification to request initial processing of a TS/SCI clearance.
5. In addition to meeting USMC prerequisites, a Marine must also
meet the following NIU academic prerequisites:
5.a. Undergraduate program:
5.a.1. Possess a high school diploma or GED.
5.a.2. This program requires applicants to have a minimum of
80 undergraduate semester hours completed prior to graduation;
however, priority consideration will be given to eligible applicants
who meet the 80-hour requirement at the time of application
submission. If an applicant requires an academic plan to meet the
application requirements, contact the NIU admissions office to
review transcripts prior to application submission. NIU will accept
a maximum of 50 semester hours for coursework completed by an
examination (e.g. the college level examination program) or
professional/military training approved by the American Council
of Education (ACE). The remaining 30+ hours must have been earned at
a regionally accredited institution. NIU does not accept transfer
credit for any required course in the BSI curriculum. Applicants
must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
The semester hours must include:
5.a.2.a. 20 upper division (300-400) level hours.
5.a.2.b. Nine hours in communication skills, six of which must be
earned in English composition courses.
5.a.2.c. 12 hours in mathematics and science, three of which must be
earned in mathematics.
5.a.2.d. 15 hours in humanities, social science, or fine arts.
5.b. Graduate programs: 
5.b.1. Possess a baccalaureate degree from a regionally
accredited institution.
5.b.2. Competitive applicants have a cumulative undergraduate GPA
of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
6. All applicants must notify their respective enlisted assignments
monitor and occupational field specialist prior to submitting their
nomination package to this headquarters.
7. Marines selected for a program will incur a three-year service
obligation requirement upon graduation. Service obligation will be
served in a work role of the Marines' occupational field that
provides a return on investment to the service. Marines applying
from PMOS 0211 will serve in a follow-on assignment at MEF level or
higher, based on the needs of the Marine Corps. Nominees will be
required to provide a page 11 entry to the selection panel stating
acknowledgement of the obligated service requirement. 
8. Submission requirements:
8.a. General:
8.a.1. Application packages will be submitted under the cover of an
Administrative Action (AA) form with an endorsement from the
Commanding Officer at the Battalion or Squadron level.
The AA form will contain enclosures to document all prerequisites.
8.a.2. The Commanding Officer endorsement must certify the
eligibility of the applicant for reenlistment in accordance with
MCO P1040.31J, and that the applicant is within USMC height/weight
and military appearance standards.
8.a.3. Applicants must apply for admission at the NIU website
http://ni-u.edu. 
8.b. Application package must include: 
8.b.1. A copy of the page 11 entry for the obligated service
requirement along with a counseling statement from the
commanding officer.
8.b.2. NIU application for admission form found at the NIU websites
http://ni-u.edu/wp/ or intelligence division website at
http://www.intelligence.marines.mil/occ-field-foreign-language/
educational-programs/.
8.b.3 Letters of Recommendation. You must provide two letters of
recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic
achievement and professional potential. If applicants have been out
of school for several years and are unable to contact former
professors, you may submit non-academic
references (e.g., employers).
8.c. BSI applicants will also include the following:
8.c.1. Official college transcripts forwarded by the issuing
institution directly to the addresses in paragraphs 9 and 10 for
all undergraduate degree transcripts.
8.c.2. Official copies of standardized tests such as CLEP, DSST,
DLPT, excelsior college exams, etc., forwarded by the issuing
institution directly to the addresses in paragraphs 9 and 10. 
8.c.3. Joint Service Transcript (JST).  JSTs can be requested from
the JST website: https://jst.doded.mil/smart/signin.do.
8.c.4. A statement of purpose (500-word unclassified essay, typed
and double-spaced) explaining: your motivation for pursuing
undergraduate study in intelligence; your professional goals and
objectives, and career or educational achievements that will help
you successfully complete a BSI degree. 
8.d. MSSI/MSTI applicants will also include the following:
8.d.1. Official transcripts forwarded by the issuing institution
directly to the addresses listed in paragraphs 9 and 10 for all
undergraduate degree transcripts and graduate transcripts
(degree or partial).
8.d.2. A nomination letter from your agency training office or
branch of service detailer/branch manager/function manager.
8.d.3. Resume or curriculum vitae.
8.d.4. GRE scores are optional. You may submit official GRE scores,
sent directly from the educational testing service to NIU
admissions, if you would like them to be considered as part of your
total package.  
8.d.5. An unclassified statement of purpose and preliminary research
prospectus, typed, double spaced, 12pt font is required.
The statement of purpose should be no longer than eight pages,
explaining why you want to attend NIU. Briefly describing your
qualifications, academic experience, future career plans, and other
aspects of your background and interests that may aid the admissions
committee in evaluating aptitude and motivation for pursuing
a degree. The preliminary research prospectus should illustrate an
area of research interest that you wish to pursue at NIU. Marines
will coordinate area of research interest with the occupational
field manager via their respective occupational field specialist.
A good preliminary research prospectus requires the author to be
precise, informative, succinct, and compelling. Elements include:
a preliminary problem statement that identifies a proposed topic and
its importance to the intelligence or national security community.
Gaps or opportunities that exist in the current literature on this
topic, which should include references/authoritative citations of
research or scholarly work. References and citations should be
included but do not need be in full bibliography format. 
9. Application package, as endorsed by the battalion or squadron
level commanding officer, may be submitted electronically by the
unit as a portable document format (.pdf) file to the DC I POC:
marvin.m.prince.mil@USMC.mil and thomas.m.wilson@NIU.odni.gov.  
10. NIU points of contact and university information can be found at
the NIU websites http://ni-u.edu/contact/.
11. Upon receipt of a nomination package, DC I will contact the
applicant to acknowledge receipt of the nomination, and forward
nomination to NIU admissions NIU_admissions@NIU.odni.gov for
academic approval.
12. DC I will convene a selection panel to review applications and
confirm academic approval with NIU. Program selectees will be
notified by MARADMIN. 
13. Selectees will receive orders to intelligence community
campus-Bethesda (MCC: J90), Bethesda, MD. Selectees will coordinate
with HQMC SSO to receive IC badges for use while attending the
university.
14. Direct all questions to MARADMIN POCs. 
15. Release authorized by Lieutenant General M. G. Carterr,
Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.//