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?

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 Force or US Space Force officer, such as our academic AES class. 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 (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 will sign an allocation contract with the US Air Force or US Space Force and then be under a service obligation. For Air Force ROTC scholarship students, you are obligated once you have activated the scholarship and entered your sophomore year.

7. Is the four-year program more advantageous for students?

- 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.