Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I join Air Force ROTC, does that mean I'm joining the military?

No. If you got a 4-year scholarship from high school, then the first year of college is paid for and you can quit at the end of your freshman year with no obligation. If you got a 3-year scholarship from high school or college then you are not committed to the Air Force until you accept your scholarship (usually in the fall of your sophomore year). If you didn't get any scholarship, then you are not committed to joining the Air Force until you start your junior year of college.

With Air Force ROTC, we provide you with lots of opportunities to see what the Air Force is about before signing up. And while you're waiting, you are getting college out of the way and having a lot of fun.

2. Do I have to join Air Force ROTC as a freshman?

No. Any student (graduate or undergraduate) with more than two years remaining should be eligible for our program. So, if you're a second-semester freshman, a sophomore, or have at least two years remaining in your graduate studies, you can join. We also have a new one-year ROTC program for students pursuing a technical major with only a year left in undergraduate or graduate degrees.

 3. Can I attend Air Force ROTC without a scholarship?

Yes, you can. Many of our students do not start with a scholarship, but earn one eventually. Still, at any given time, about 80% of our students receive financial assistance.

4. Is preference shown toward scholarship cadets?

Definitely not! The fact that a cadet may have an Air Force ROTC scholarship has no bearing on an Air Force career. Nor does it make any difference while in the Air Force ROTC program.

5. Are there any restrictions as to what students select as their academic major?

None at all. In fact, we encourage you to take a curriculum you are interested in and in which you have the capability to do well. Our main academic concern is that you maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) above 2.0 and attain your degree in the time period planned. The GPA requirements are different if you are applying for a scholarship and once you are on scholarship.

6. If I take Air Force ROTC classes, am I committed to military or government service once I join?

There is no service commitment for students who take our classes with no intention of becoming an Air Force officer. For these types of students, it's only another class. If you are interested in becoming an officer, there is NO service commitment during the first two years of the Air Force ROTC program (the General Military Course) unless you have an Air Force ROTC scholarship. If you decide to stay and join the POC (the last two years of the program), you'll sign an allocation contract with the Air Force and are then under a service obligation. For Air Force ROTC scholarship students, you're obligated once you've activated the scholarship and have entered your sophomore year.

7. Is the Four-Year Program more advantageous for students?

Yes, for the following reasons:

It gives you more time to participate in Air Force ROTC without obligation, to gain experience and to decide whether you want to apply for the advanced program, the POC.

You will have the opportunity to apply for scholarships if eligible.

You can retake the Air Force Officer Qualification (AFOQT) test to improve your scores.