The U.S. Air Force ROTC program allows cadets to attend any college and major in any subject. All cadets will take AFROTC courses in addition to their normal college courses. Credits toward degrees are awarded for most Air Force ROTC courses. Students are allowed to live in dorms or off campus without any restrictions imposed by the Air Force ROTC.
Cadets may be awarded a partial or full scholarship for their college education based on their application and chosen career field. Options include a full scholarship with a book and lab allowance, a full scholarship up to $18,000 with a book and lab allowance, and a full scholarship up to the state rate with a book allowance. None of the Air Force ROTC scholarships contribute to student housing costs.
Students already attending college can apply for the Air Force ROTC In-College Scholarship, which is available to freshman and sophomores. There are three levels of In-College Scholarship available: Type 2 limited to $18,000 per year, Type 2 limited to $9,000 per year, and Type 6 limited to $3,000 per year.
For individuals already enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, the AFROTC offers three scholarships: the ASCP, the POC-ERP and the SOAR. The ASCP is available to Air Force enlistees and offers up to $15,000 per year. The POC-ERP is available for active duty Air Force members and allows an enlistee to temporarily leave active duty to obtain a four-year degree. All POC-ERP recipients will receive $400 to $500 of tax-free income per month. The SOAR scholarship allows active duty personnel to temporarily leave active duty and attend college full time. All SOAR recipients will receive up to $15,000 per year for tuition.
All Air Force ROTC cadets who apply for and are awarded a college scholarship while still in high school will be given a tax-free monthly allowance upon starting college. The monthly allowance rates for cadets are based on the year of their education. First-year students (freshmen) are given $300 per month during the school year. Second-year students (sophomores) are given $350 per month. Individuals already attending college may receive monthly spending money based on the type of scholarship awarded.