Frequently Asked Questions

1.  If I join the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), does that mean I'm joining the military?

• No. If you received a four-year scholarship from high school, then the first year of college is paid for and you can opt out at the end of your freshman year with no obligation. If you received a three-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 receive a 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 many opportunities to see what the US Air Force and US Space Force are about before signing up. While you're participating, you are getting closer to graduation and having a lot of fun.

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

• No. Any student with three years remaining should be eligible for our program.

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

• Yes, you can. Many of our students do not start with a scholarship, and depending on US Air Force and US Space Force funds, a small percentage will earn one.

4.  Is preference shown toward scholarship cadets?

• No. The fact that a cadet may have an Air Force ROTC scholarship has no bearing on an US Air Force or US Space 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?

• No. In fact, we encourage you to pursue a curriculum in which you are interested and capable of excelling. Our main academic concern is that you maintain a grade point average (GPA) above 2.00 and complete your degree in the time planned. The GPA requirements are different if you are applying for a scholarship and once you are on a 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 a US Air or Space Force officer, such as our academic AES 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, which is called the General Military Course (GMC), unless you have an Air Force ROTC scholarship (see FAQ #1). If you decide to stay and join the Professional Officer Course (POC) in the last two years of the program, you must compete for an Enrollment Allocation (EA) to then be contracted into the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) while you complete the AFROTC program. You will not have other military obligations during this period, but will simply need to be a full-time student including your ROTC courses (12 credit hours). For Air Force ROTC scholarship students, you are obligated once you have activated the scholarship and entered your sophomore year.

7. Det 025 operates on the ASU academic calendar.

Please refer to the ASU Academic Calendar for expected class dates. Participating students and cadets attending a crosstown university are expected to attend Aerospace Studies (AES), Leadership Laboratory (LLAB), and Physical Training (PT) classes based on their university’s academic schedule.  Objectives from missed classes must be accomplished in order to get credit for those missed days of class.

• Please read the Class Sign-Up Guide to understand what classes are required during each year of the program.

How to join Detachment 025:

• Complete all required steps on the Enrollment and Orientation page and attend New Student Orientation Program (NSOP).
  • New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) is typically held the week prior to the start of the semester in the Social Science building (951 S. Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281). Refer to the Enrollment and Orientation page above for the specific date and time. You must be present in the correct uniform. All new students, including crosstown students, are expected to be here for this event.

• Out-of-state ASU students requiring on-campus housing should reach out to the detachment at [email protected] to get on the early move-in housing list. GCU students choosing to live in on-campus housing should ensure they are on the early housing list with the GCU ROTC coordinator at [email protected].

Am I eligible?:

• All students must be able to complete at least three full-time years of undergraduate schooling beginning from the fall semester of the year they join AFROTC to be eligible for AFROTC cadet status. A cadet may include years in a master’s degree or slow down academic progression (as long as they stay above full-time status) in order to meet the three full-time years of undergraduate schooling requirement. AFROTC courses count towards meeting the full-time student status requirement.  Additionally, specific STEM majors are granted an additional fifth year in their undergraduate degree to meet this requirement as well. Exceptions to the three full-time years of student status requirement are generally limited to prior enlisted service members accepted into a specific Enlisted Commissioning Program or in a law program.

• All students desiring a commission into the Air Force or Space Force must be U.S. citizens. Non-U.S. citizens must provide the original Immigration Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card and be able to become U.S. citizens within 12 months after the student competes and is awarded entry into the last two years of the program.

• Dual citizens who desire to be a cadet must express, in writing, their willingness to renounce their citizenship to another country and relinquish any foreign passports. This requirement does not constitute an official renouncement of citizenship to another country. Refer to the Resources link below for more information.

Scholarships:

• For questions regarding scholarships, please refer to the AFROTC Scholarships page and select what group you are a part of for information regarding scholarship opportunities for high school students, college students, and enlisted airmen. High school students should apply for the High School Scholarship Program as early as possible in the fall semester of their senior year if they meet the High School Scholarship Program Requirements. College students currently enrolled in a full-time schedule are also eligible and should refer to the College Scholarships link, specifically to the General Charles McGee Leadership Award (CMLA). This award applies to all juniors and seniors competitively selected to enter the last two years of the program and subsequently commission as Air Force and Space Force officers.

• Specific college majors are considered Highly Desired or critical majors. Some examples of these are: meteorology, computer science, chemistry, and most engineering disciplines. “While there are no specific academic major requirements, scholarships are merit-based, therefore students pursuing a technical major may receive priority in the selection process.” 

Refer to our Resources page for additional information regarding special circumstances including but not limited to: Enlisted Commissioning Programs, Judge Advocate General/Graduate Law Program, Nursing, Medical, and Dual Citizenship Concerns.

8. 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.
  • Four-Year Program
    The General Military Course (GMC) is the first half of the four-year program and is taken during your freshman and sophomore years. This program allows you to experience Air Force ROTC for up to two years without incurring any obligation unless you are on an Air Force ROTC scholarship. As you attend class, you'll learn more about the Air and Space Force and the historical development of air power.
  • The last two years are called the Professional Officer Course (POC). These junior- and senior-level classes cover leadership skills and national defense policy.
  • Three-Year Program
    While Air Force ROTC is designed to be completed over four school years, it is possible for incoming sophomores to enter the program with the intention of completing it in three.
  • Under this program, a student will take both the freshman and sophomore classes in the first year and then continue with the junior and senior years on the same track as his or her four-year counterparts. Not until the start of the junior year does a student incur an obligation to join the Air or Space Force unless the student accepts an Air Force scholarship sooner.
  • Candidates for the three-year program must be approved in advance by a Cadre/Instructor.