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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.
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.
The mission of the high school Junior ROTC program is to build better citizens for America. The mission of the college ROTC program is to produce leaders for the Air Force. If you are interested in starting an Air Force Junior ROTC program at your high school, visit https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Holm-Center/AFJROTC/.
No. In fact, the majority of students enrolled in college ROTC have never been involved in the Junior ROTC program.
No. Any student (graduate or undergraduate) with at least three years remaining should be eligible for our program. So, if you’re a second-semester freshman, a sophomore, or have at least three years remaining in your graduate studies, you can apply to join. Graduate student require a waiver based on Outstanding and Deserving criteria. Contact your local detachment for more information.
Yes. You can enroll in Aerospace Studies 101 and Aerospace Studies 201 (your university may have a different name) and be what we call dual enrolled. You can also elect not to take freshman ROTC, however, you must attend an extended field training unit during the summer of your second year if you take this option.
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.
Yes. Depending on how many years you have left in college, you may qualify for a two- or three-year scholarship. For more details on scholarship opportunities, please visit our Air Force ROTC Scholarships section.
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.
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 2.5 and attain your degree in the time period planned. The GPA and major requirements are different if you are applying for a scholarship and once you are on scholarship. Check our Scholarships section for those specific requirements.
The Air Force is education-oriented and financially supports graduate studies. You can apply for the Air Force Institute of Technology to earn an advanced degree on full scholarship. Additionally, most bases have graduate college programs, and you may apply for the tuition assistance program that pays 100 percent of the tuition cost.
The test is given several times during the fall and spring and can be taken a maximum of two times with at least 6 months between tests. Click here for more information! (Requires a TAMU account)
Maybe. The Professor of Aerospace Studies may waive some or all of the GMC if you are prior enlisted. This is determined by the amount and kind of experience you had when you departed prior service. You may want to attend the sophomore Air Force ROTC classes and/or the preparation sessions for Field Training with the sophomores to see what Field Training with Air Force ROTC is all about. Prior service cadets normally attend the 4-week camp.
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 Professional Officer Course (POC; the last two years of the program), you’ll sign an allocation contract with the Air Force and then incur a service obligation. For Air Force ROTC scholarship students, you’re obligated once you’ve activated the scholarship and have entered your sophomore year.
Other commissioning opportunities exist through the United States Air Force Academy. Click here for the Air Force Academy’s site.
Commissioning opportunities for college graduates also exist through Officer Training School, an intense 8.5-week program at Maxwell Air Force Base.
Commissioned Officer Training is a 5-week program designed for professionals who have received a direct commissioned appointment as a lawyer, chaplain or into a corps of the medical service. Reserve Commissioned Officer Training is a 13-day intensive program designed for hard-to-recruit Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard medical service officers.
Commissioning opportunities for college graduates also exist through Officer Training School, an intense 8.5-week program at Maxwell Air Force Base.
Commissioned Officer Training is a 5-week program designed for professionals who have received a direct commissioned appointment as a lawyer, chaplain or into a corps of the medical service. Reserve Commissioned Officer Training is a 13-day intensive program designed for hard-to-recruit Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard medical service officers.
Yes. There are several programs available. Some involve scholarship opportunities, while others are at your own expense. Remember, the first step in any Airman-to-officer program is a stop at your base Education Office. Each of these programs has deadlines and age limitations, so check early. For more program details, please visit our Air Force ROTC Scholarships section.
Yes you do. Three years of Junior ROTC (JROTC) are considered equal to three semesters of the General Military Course (GMC), and two years are equal to one year of the GMC. No credit is given for less than two years of JROTC training.
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.
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.
The unit commander can give credit for part of the GMC to cadets who receive the Spaatz, Earhart, and Mitchell Awards during any academic term of the GMC.
Most officers have a four-year commitment. For pilots, it’s ten years after pilot training, and six years for navigators after training. Air Battle Managers have a six-year commitment. See the Service Commitment section.
You will compete in a selection process much like the one of an enrollment allocation as an officer candidate. The factors to be used will include your Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) scores, your camp performance rating, your Grade Point Average (GPA), your academic major, your Physical Fitness Test (PFT) score, and the Detachment Commander’s rating. You will know your specific Air Force job category approximately six months before you’re commissioned.
No. The vast majority of Air Force jobs do not involve flying at all. In the civilian world there are thousands of jobs and careers – doctors, lawyers, law enforcement, engineers, financial careers, food-service management – the list is endless. For almost every civilian out in the work force, there is an Air Force officer counterpart performing a similar job. For more information about the many careers available, check out our Careers section.
Cadets normally get commissioned in a special ceremony the same day they graduate. You can expect to enter active duty about 30-180 days after graduation.
Not necessarily. You may request an educational delay if you desire to attend graduate school at your own expense before going on active duty. If approved, the Air Force will postpone your active-duty tour. Delays are routinely provided if you select to attend dental or medical school. Scholarships also exist for students accepted to medical school.
Yes. The Air Force offers several opportunities to do so. In many cases you can request an educational delay. This delay between the time of commissioning and reporting for active duty will be of sufficient length to allow you to fulfill the requirements for a professional or master’s degree. You will assume all financial obligations. There are also Air Force Institute of Technology programs where the Air Force pays for your graduate school education. These programs are explained in detail in Air Force ROTC.
It depends. Check out the Flying Requirements for more information.
No. Your academic major plays a minor role in pilot and navigator selection. You can major in any degree program and compete to receive a pilot or navigator slot in Air Force ROTC. You can even be on an Air Force ROTC scholarship in an engineering or science major and compete on an equal basis for a flying position.
To compete for the pilot or navigator categories, you must be able to complete your bachelor’s degree and be commissioned through Air Force ROTC before you are 29 years old.
No. In fact, many companies prefer to hire former officers over new college graduates (even those with master’s degrees). Your Air Force experience, the management skills you’ve gained on active duty and your active-duty educational benefits can give you the competitive edge you need.
The Academy, ROTC and Officer Training School all produce qualified Air Force officers. The Air Force achieves better diversity and talent by getting officers from more than one commissioning source. Once on active duty, the most important factor in promotion is job performance.
Hair must be kept in accordance with Air Force and Corps of Cadets guidelines when in uniform.
In the Corps of Cadets, cadets wear their uniforms to class everyday. Juniors and seniors are required to wear their Air Force ROTC uniform to Leadership Lab. Occasionally, during special events, you may be required to wear your uniform. Otherwise, wear whatever you want.
The only required time is during your Air Force ROTC classes, Leadership Lab, and physical fitness training. (This equates to approximately four hours per week for freshmen and sophomores; six hours per week for juniors and seniors.)
Very well. Many detachments assign cadet “sponsors” to new students. They can help students find classes, get textbooks, learn to wear the uniform correctly, meet other cadets and learn basic customs and courtesies. It is also the responsibility of the cadet’s flight commander to help new cadets fit into the program. Many detachments also have tutoring programs and other forms of assistance. Hazing is not permitted! You’ll find the cadet staff and detachment staff are concerned about your well-being and progress.
For Air Force ROTC, Marching/drill is sometimes practiced during your squadron time at Leadership Laboratory. For the Corps of Cadets, outfits will occasionally practice drill during training times. Practices outside of these times are not authorized.
During Freshman Orientation Week (FOW), you will be issued your Corps of Cadets uniform. At the end of your sophomore year, we will issue you a complete uniform and tell you how to arrange for having alterations completed (at no cost to you). However, you are responsible for keeping the uniform clean and presentable.
Your first and foremost concern is attending classes and maintaining good grades. After this, you will certainly want to examine some of the various activities sponsored by Texas A&M University, Air Force ROTC and the Corps of Cadets. There’s something in our program of interest to everyone.
Yes. Generally, extracurricular campus activities and Air Force ROTC are perfectly compatible – as long as you do not overload yourself with extracurricular activities. A serious physical injury while participating in intercollegiate or intramural athletic activities may cause you to be disenrolled from Air Force ROTC because of a change in your physical profile.
Air Force ROTC is offered at over 1000 institutions throughout the continental United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Three basic steps: 1. Acceptance to TAMU, 2. Join Corps of Cadets, 3. Join AFROTC
i) In order to join our AFROTC program you must first be accepted to Texas A&M. Secondly, you will need to join the Corps of Cadets. Once you have joined the Corps they will give you a choice of ROTC program and of course you will want to choose AFROTC. After making the right choice, they will provide you with our informational pamphlets and how-to’s.
ii) You can find the same information under the inbound cadets tab and so much more on our website as well as the Corps’
AFROTC Detachment 805 Website: https://afrotc.tamu.edu/
Corps of Cadets Website: https://corps.tamu.edu/
i) In order to join our AFROTC program you must first be accepted to Texas A&M. Secondly, you will need to join the Corps of Cadets. Once you have joined the Corps they will give you a choice of ROTC program and of course you will want to choose AFROTC. After making the right choice, they will provide you with our informational pamphlets and how-to’s.
ii) You can find the same information under the inbound cadets tab and so much more on our website as well as the Corps’
AFROTC Detachment 805 Website: https://afrotc.tamu.edu/
Corps of Cadets Website: https://corps.tamu.edu/
Anyone can apply to Texas A&M! Once accepted you can join the Corps of Cadets because the only requirement to join the Corps is to be accepted to TAMU! In order to remain in the Corps, they will ask you to join an ROTC for a minimum of three (3) semesters, so anyone in the Corps that is willing to work hard and apply themselves is able to join our AFROTC Det 805!
Yes, you have to be in the Corps to join AFROTC Detachment 805.
Generally, a scholarship cadet must: 1. Enroll as a Full-Time student (12 credit hrs/semester) 2. Maintain both a 2.5 CGPA and TGPA 3. Maintain Medical, Fitness, BMI, and Body Fat Standards
All the requirements are the same except a non-scholarship cadet will instead have to maintain a 2.0 CGPA throughout their time in AFROTC.
a) There are two main programs that offer AFROTC scholarships; High School Scholarships Program (HSSP) and In-College Scholarships Program(ICSP). The main difference is in the name; one is offered while a senior in high school and the other is offered after a full semester in-college.
b) If you are a high school senior, please visit www.afrotc.com/scholarships for more information on how to apply for the HSSP. Deadlines typically are from Jun to Jan of the high school student’s senior year.
c) If you were not picked up for the HSSP scholarship or had no idea these scholarships existed, no worries. Detachment 805 will automatically submit qualifying cadets for the ICSP after their first semester and every semester thereafter until the second semester of their sophomore year. If interested, wait until you’ve arrived to the Detachment where you will have the chance to sit down one-on-one with your instructor to discuss.
b) If you are a high school senior, please visit www.afrotc.com/scholarships for more information on how to apply for the HSSP. Deadlines typically are from Jun to Jan of the high school student’s senior year.
c) If you were not picked up for the HSSP scholarship or had no idea these scholarships existed, no worries. Detachment 805 will automatically submit qualifying cadets for the ICSP after their first semester and every semester thereafter until the second semester of their sophomore year. If interested, wait until you’ve arrived to the Detachment where you will have the chance to sit down one-on-one with your instructor to discuss.
a) Bottom Line Up Front: All scholarship awardees (in & out of state) will receive full IN-STATE tuition and fee rates so any of the four-year scholarship options will work for you and there is no need to convert to the three-year option! There are three main Types of HSSP scholarships: All three cover Texas A&M in-state tuition and fees. All three come with a book stipend of $450 a semester and a monthly personal stipend starting at $300.
i) Type 1: Pays Full Tuition and Fees (no cap)
ii) Type 2: Pays $9000 a Semester ($18000 cap/year)
iii) Type 7: Pays Full Tuition and Fees (in-state tuition cap)
(1) Type 7 has the option to convert to a three-year Type 2 that starts the cadets sophomore year to be used at out-of-state or private institutions. (This won’t be necessary if come to Texas A&M. Find out why in the next bullet!)
b) Here at Texas A&M, AFROTC scholarship awardees of any type are able to obtain an in-state waiver meaning that if you take your scholarship here, the cost of tuition is reduced to the in-state rate. This is good news for the Type 7 awardees because they won’t have to convert to a three-year Type 2.
i) Type 1: Pays Full Tuition and Fees (no cap)
ii) Type 2: Pays $9000 a Semester ($18000 cap/year)
iii) Type 7: Pays Full Tuition and Fees (in-state tuition cap)
(1) Type 7 has the option to convert to a three-year Type 2 that starts the cadets sophomore year to be used at out-of-state or private institutions. (This won’t be necessary if come to Texas A&M. Find out why in the next bullet!)
b) Here at Texas A&M, AFROTC scholarship awardees of any type are able to obtain an in-state waiver meaning that if you take your scholarship here, the cost of tuition is reduced to the in-state rate. This is good news for the Type 7 awardees because they won’t have to convert to a three-year Type 2.
All types for HSSP and ICSP only pay for tuition and fees. They will not pay for other expenses such as room and board.
You’ll have to contact the Texas A&M admissions office concerning college credits outside of the AFROTC program. Generally, other AFROTC detachment courses will transfer for AFROTC credit and other service ROTC courses will transfer up to AS200 (sophomore year) course requirements
As long as you are participating in the TEAM/TEAB program and are able to live on the quad with the Corps of Cadets, you are eligible to join our AFROTC program.
AFROTC scholarship will be applied to the student account as a conditional credit. Conditional credits do not signify that payment from AFROTC was received by the University. Conditional credits are subject to change based on payments received. Invoices are typically sent out after the 20th day of class
This is up to personal choice, especially while not on scholarship. However, if on scholarship, choosing a fixed rate is best making costs easier to track and process.
a) It depends. Both AFROTC and the Corps of Cadets are four-year programs. If you transfer but are able to complete the full four-year program, usually because your degree requires five years, you must go through the full four years.
b) You must complete a minimum of three full years in the program. The year starts with the fall semester.
c) You must complete one year in the General Military Course (GMC) and two years in the Professional Officer Course (POC).
b) You must complete a minimum of three full years in the program. The year starts with the fall semester.
c) You must complete one year in the General Military Course (GMC) and two years in the Professional Officer Course (POC).
We have professional scholarships available to all of our AFROTC cadets. For more information please use the following link: https://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/Media-Center/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/425437/hpsp-fact-sheet/
No, we are able to accept the Corps of Cadet Medical Form in lieu of the Form 28.
One of the requirements for your New Student Conference and Freshman Orientation Week is to set up a WINGS account. You will be able to upload all needed documents within this account. Instructions on how to set up a wings account can be found in the Inbound Cadets link under “Guides and Checklists” here: https://afrotc.tamu.edu/inbound-cadets/