Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Air Force (ROTC)

Air Force ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps, AFROTC) is an officer training programme of the United States Air Force and Space Force that students follow while they study for a degree at a US university. It is not a degree subject in itself. Cadets take Aerospace Studies courses and military training next to their normal major, and those who complete the programme are commissioned as second lieutenants when they graduate. The detachment at the University of Colorado Boulder sums it up: AFROTC allows students to earn a college degree and serve their country at the same time.

The programme is run by units called detachments, which are hosted by universities. This page describes how it works, based on the pages of several detachments. International readers should note one point first: the detachments consulted require cadets to be US citizens, so AFROTC is not a route into the United States for foreign students.

What cadets do

AFROTC adds three things to a normal student timetable:

  • Aerospace Studies courses. Students register for them through their university. According to the detachment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, most students begin in their freshman (AS100) or sophomore (AS200) year. At the University of Colorado Boulder, all cadets must complete these courses with a grade of C- or above.
  • Leadership Laboratory. A weekly practical session, taken every semester, in which cadets lead and are led by other cadets.
  • Physical training. Cadets take the Physical Fitness Assessment twice a year. It consists of push-ups, sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run.

After the first two years, cadets attend field training, a 21-day assessment at Maxwell Air Force Base, according to the MIT detachment. The last years of the programme prepare for commissioning as an officer.

Who can join

Requirements are set by the Air Force and applied by each detachment. The MIT detachment states that prospective cadets must be US citizens and full-time students at an affiliated university, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. All cadets must pass a Department of Defense medical examination. A student does not have to attend the host university itself: the Colorado detachment, for example, trains cadets from 10 other college campuses in the state, known as crosstown schools.

The official US government portal USAGov also states that nobody can join the military in order to enter the United States or to get a visa.

Scholarships and service commitment

A scholarship is not required to take part. The detachment at Texas A&M University lists the main options: the High School Scholarship Program, for which students apply as rising high school seniors in an application window from July to December, and the In-College Scholarship Program, for which cadets are eligible after their first semester in AFROTC and are nominated by the detachment commander. The Colorado detachment states that high school applicants need an SAT score of 1240 or an ACT score of 26 or higher and an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0, and that scholarship cadets must keep a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. Scholarships can cover tuition, books and a stipend. Conditions change from year to year, so check them with the detachment.

In return, graduates serve as officers. The Colorado detachment describes the commitment as four years of service in the Air Force or Space Force.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists one active school under Air Force ROTC: The University of California at Berkeley, in the United States, which lists Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) among its campus websites. Ask the detachment directly about its current courses and about agreements with other colleges in the area.

Careers

The result of the programme is a commission as an officer in the US Air Force or Space Force, not a civilian qualification. The Colorado detachment mentions more than 150 officer career options and points out that most officers are not pilots: many work in fields such as intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, weather and space operations. The academic degree is the one the student earns in their own major.

Frequently asked questions

Can international students join Air Force ROTC?

The detachments consulted require cadets to be US citizens, and scholarship applicants at the Colorado detachment must be US citizens by the last day of their first term. USAGov states that you cannot join the military to enter the United States or to get a visa.

Is Air Force ROTC a degree?

No. Cadets take Aerospace Studies courses and training next to the degree they study at their university. On graduation they receive their degree and a commission as a second lieutenant.

Do you need a scholarship to take part?

No. The Texas A&M detachment states that an Air Force ROTC scholarship is not a requirement to be in the programme and become an officer.

How long is field training?

According to the MIT detachment, it is a 21-day assessment at Maxwell Air Force Base, taken after the first two years of the programme.