Enlisted Scholarships

Air Force ROTC provides several programs in nearly a thousand schools to encourage the best of the best to pursue a commissioncommissionBestowed upon an AFROTC graduate by the President of the United States recognizing them as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. . These programs and their requirements are frequently changing to meet officer production and scholarship budget requirements. In order to receive the most accurate, up-to-date information, please visit our separate web site here »

Here’s a short description of the currently available enlisted scholarships:

ASCP

The ascp allows enlisted personnel to separate from active duty and receive a scholarship worth up to $15,000 per year while pursuing their commission through the Air Force ROTC.

POC-ERP

The Air Force ROTC (AFROTCAFROTCAir Force Reserve Officer Training Corps ) professional officer course - Early Release Program (poc-erp) offers active duty Air Force enlisted personnel an opportunity for an early release from active duty to enter AFROTCAFROTCAir Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and receive a commission as an Air Force officer.

Members selected for the poc-erp will separate from active duty, sign a contract with AFROTCAFROTCAir Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and become full-time college students. The program is open to undergraduate degrees only. Upon completion of all degree and commissioning requirements, cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants and returned to active duty for a period of at least four years.

Qualifications

To qualify, an applicant must:

  1. Be a United States citizen
  2. Have one-year time in service (waiverable)
  3. Have one-year time on station (waiverable)
  4. Be recommended by immediate commandercommanderThe officer in charge of running an Air Force unit's day-to-day operations.
  5. Pass the AFROTC Physical Fitness TestPhysical Fitness TestPFT - an exam composed of three events in the following order: push-ups, crunches, and a 1.5-mile run. The test is used to ensure cadets maintain an acceptable level of fitness.
  6. Be worldwide qualified
  7. Be admitted to a school offering AFROTC
  8. Have qualifying AFOQTAFOQTAir Force Officer Qualifying Test scores
  9. Be commissioned and enter active duty before age 35 (must be under age 31 on December 31 of the commissioning year to receive a scholarship)
  10. Be able to complete all undergraduate degree requirements in two years or less (minimum 1.5 years with a waiver)
  11. Have at least a 2.5 cumulative college grade point average
  12. Not be selected for a reassignment prior to submission of the application (waiver requests are due August 15)

Additional Information

Contact your base education office and/or the Enlisted Commissioning Programs website for guidance on the application process.

The poc-erp is open to all academic majors.

While in ROTC, individuals will no longer receive military pay or benefits. All members applying for the poc-erp are required to provide proof that they have the financial means to make it through the program.

All cadets in the poc-erp will receive a non-taxable monthly stipend according to the chart below.

AFROTC Class Monthly stipend
AS300AS300Aerospace Studies. Junior-level course studying the anatomy of leadership, the need for quality and management leadership, the role of discipline in leadership situations and the variables affecting leadership. $450
AS400AS400Aerospace Studies. Senior-level course covering the role of the professional military leader in a democratic society, societal attitudes toward the armed forces, the requisites for maintaining adequate national defense structure, the impact of technological and international developments on strategic preparedness and the overall policy-making process, and military law. $500

Additionally, members may use their MGIB benefits while in the program along with any additional grants or scholarships for which they may qualify.

SOAR

The soar program allows enlisted personnel to separate from active duty and receive a scholarship worth up to $15,000 per year while pursuing their commission through Air Force ROTC. Students may not pay the difference to attend higher-cost schools.

Joining Air Force ROTC from Other Armed Services

Members of other branches of the service wanting to join Air Force ROTC and pursue a commission as an Air Force officer may apply for the Professional Officer CourseProfessional Officer CoursePOC - ROTC course for juniors and seniors. - Early Release Program (poc-erp) or the Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ascp).

You must first obtain a conditional release from your enlistment from your service's personnel system. Then you must meet the requirements for the program you are applying to: ASCPASCPAirman Scholarship and Commissioning Program - allows enlisted personnel to separate from active duty and receive a scholarship worth up to $15,000 per year while pursuing their commission through Air Force ROTC. or poc-erp.

If you have questions on how to apply, please contact your base education office.

For questions on how to obtain a conditional release from your enlistment (i.e., conditioned on your entry into a commissioning program), please see your personnel office for assistance.

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