A few years ago, the US Air Force has changed its Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship program. These changes affect who is offered scholarships and how much money they receive. Overall, there are fewer scholarships offered to students straight out of high school, but more Air Force cadets will receive scholarships for at least some of their time in AFROTC.
Air Force ROTC Scholarships for High School Students
In 2022, the Air Force reduced the number of scholarships awarded to high school seniors through the Air Force ROTC High School Scholarship Program (HSSP). In past cycles, they had selected around 1,000 high school students a year for scholarships. Now there are around 500 scholarships a year for high school seniors heading to college.
Each year, AFROTC revises which Type scholarships will be offered to High School Scholarship Program selectees and what the value of those scholarships will be. When the AFROTC scholarship selection board notifies students of their scholarship selection, the offer describes which Type the student would receive.
In general terms, AFROTC scholarships are capped (up to a specific dollar amount towards tuition and fees each academic year) or uncapped (no fixed limit on the tuition benefit). Academic major can affect which type scholarship a student receives. The Air Force maintains a list of Critical and Technical majors, based on Air Force mission needs. In general terms, students are more likely to receive a scholarship if they opt to study computer science, engineering, math, chemistry, physics, nursing, Chinese, or Russian.
Students selected for an Air Force ROTC scholarship can also elect to convert their scholarship from tuition benefits to a room scholarship to pay for on-campus housing or housing billed through the university. Scholarship conversion is done at the unit level and must be chosen immediately when you arrive at the detachment. You should coordinate closely with your detachment if this is of interest, so you fully understand the restrictions and benefits of this choice.
Scholarships for Current Air Force ROTC Cadets and College Students
The Air Force also has an In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP) for current college students and Air Force ROTC cadets. Like the HSSP, scholarships offered to students in college can be capped (limited to a specific dollar amount) or uncapped (no limit to the amount of tuition that would be paid). ICSP cadets also have the option of converting their scholarship to pay for campus housing.
If you are already in college, but are not in Air Force ROTC, contact the AFROTC detachment at your college or at the unit where your college has a cross town agreement. Use this Air Force ROTC College Locator Tool for more information.
General Charles McGee Leadership Award
The General Charles McGee Leadership Award (CMLA) is a new scholarship for students who are already Air Force ROTC cadets. They must be approved for the final two years of the AFROTC program (Professional Officer Course). This scholarship pays $18,000 per year for the final two years of undergraduate studies. Cadets may convert their award for a $10,000 per year award for on-campus housing.
Students interested in either Air Force or Space Force commissions are eligible for the In-College Scholarship Program and the General Charles McGee Leadership Award.
Related Article: ROTC Scholarships for College
Questions about Air Force ROTC?
If you read through the HSSP Applicant Guide and still have questions, reach out to the staff of an Air Force ROTC unit at one of the colleges you’re applying to. But remember you are creating an impression; so be professional and show that you’ve done your homework. I’d recommend starting with an email, since that gives you a chance to think through what you’re asking before hitting send.
At Admissions Decrypted, I work to guide students through the college application process. This includes ROTC Scholarship applications. If you want help with your application (including essays and practice interviews) please reach out.
Bottom Line
These changes prioritize cadets with a demonstrated ability to handle college academics and military requirements, including fitness tests, air science courses, and military training.
Scholarship decisions (and the decisions about who becomes an Air Force or Space Force officer) will depend on long-term performance, not on test scores, high school grades, and a short interview.
One AFROTC staff member indicated that cadets awarded ICSP scholarships tend to have higher retention than cadets selected for scholarships in high school. They have first hand experience with the Air Force or Space Force, since instead of relying on recruiting videos and a brief unit tour.
This all means that students who don’t get an Air Force ROTC scholarship in high school, shouldn’t give up. They should reach out to the unit at the college where they enroll to find out how to join the ROTC unit. (This is actually true of all college ROTC programs, not just the Air Force.) Then they should work hard to perform well as a cadet and as a college student.
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