Aerospace Studies

Three- and Four-Year Programs

College students join the three- or four-year AFROTC program by registering for Aerospace Studies classes in the same manner as they do for other University classes. Students in the program attend a field training encampment during the summer between their second and third years. Students are in the General Military Course (GMC) during the first two years (one year is approved on a case-by-case basis—first-year students do not qualify for one year), and the Professional Officer Course (POC) during the last two years.

First-year GMC academic classes focus on the functions, organizations, and heritage of the US Air Force. Second-year classes concentrate on leadership and teamwork fundamentals.

All GMC classes meet one hour per week. Complementing the academic classes, a weekly leadership laboratory introduces students to US Air Force customs, courtesies, drill and ceremonies, and team-building exercises. Guest lecturers, seminars, briefings, films, and practical experience are also included.

Students in AFROTC are expected to wear the uniform correctly and meet the grooming standards required of active duty Air Force personnel. Students must wear the issued US Air Force uniform to all aerospace classes and leadership laboratories.

Entry into the POC during the junior year of the AFROTC program is competitive. Factors considered include leadership potential, academic performance, field training evaluations, and results of a Department of Defense physical examination and the physical fitness assessment (PFA). Students must be in good academic standing with the University, have demonstrated motivation and potential for success as US Air Force officers, and meet US Air Force physical standards.

POC students are expected to plan and conduct a leadership laboratory once a week. The time required varies depending on the responsibilities of the individual POC student. Aerospace Studies class activities during the junior year center on management and leadership in a US Air Force setting. The senior year Aerospace Studies curriculum examines national defense policy and the military in American society. All POC academic classes meet three hours per week.

Completion of the POC typically incurs a four-year active duty service commitment; six- and ten-year commitments are required for certain “rated” (aviation) career fields. There is a $300–500-per-month, tax-free stipend for members of the POC, regardless of their scholarship status.

Graduate Law Programs

Students already attending law school wishing to serve as Air Force Judge Advocate Generals (JAGs) may apply for the program through the Air Force JAG website.

Field Training

For participants in the program, field training typically occurs during the summer between the second and third years and lasts approximately two weeks.

Field Training is conducted at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and allows the cadet to test their leadership abilities firsthand in a structured military environment. Room, board, and travel expenses are provided.

Scholarships

Academic scholarships are available for those who qualify. There are two different scholarship programs, and both consist of tuition, textbooks, required fees, and a $300–500-per-month, tax-free stipend.

Air Force ROTC offers numerous competitive scholarships to qualified individuals. High School Scholarship Program (HSSP) scholarships are awarded for three or four years. Applications are accepted starting the senior year in high school. Application forms are available online. Scholarship applications are typically due by the end of the calendar year of the student’s senior year in high school. More details are available on the Air Force ROTC website.

Scholarships are also available for students already in college through the In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP). In order to be eligible, students must be a member of the AFROTC program for a minimum of one term. Students are nominated by ROTC staff and there is no application process for the in-college scholarships on the student’s behalf.  Students are nominated based on their GPA, AFROTC fitness score, and overall standing amongst peers. Nominees compete nationwide with other AFROTC cadets contingent on scholarship availability. Additional information on AFROTC scholarship opportunities can be found on the Air Force ROTC website.

All POC cadets are eligible for the General Charles McGee Leadership Award. This award is an $18,000-per-year scholarship along with a monthly stipend. It recognizes cadets who have demonstrated the ability and intent to commission. The intent is to provide financial stability for the cadet. This allows their focus during the remainder of their time in AFROTC to be on the development of their leadership acumen and successful completion of their academic course of study rather than financial constraints.

Supplemental Scholarships

Boston University offers competitive ROTC grants to augment the ROTC scholarship. A limited number of scholarships for the cost of on-campus room and board are available to entering full-tuition ROTC recipients living in a Boston University residence on the Charles River Campus. Room and board grants are awarded on the basis of academic performance. ROTC scholarship recipients who receive partial-tuition ROTC scholarships are eligible for Boston University supplemental tuition grants, which cover the difference between tuition and the ROTC scholarship. The grants are all renewable for four years of undergraduate enrollment.

Recipients of three-year HSSP ROTC scholarships are eligible for a Boston University Tuition Incentive Grant for the first year of their studies. The amount is equivalent to one-half of one year’s tuition. Information on these grants is available from Boston University Financial Assistance.

After Commissioning

Upon graduation from the University and completion of AFROTC courses, cadets will commission as second lieutenants in the US Air Force. All AFROTC graduates are expected to serve on active duty.

When their active duty service commitment is complete, officers may either continue on in career status or return to civilian life.

Military assignments are made based on the needs of the Air Force, the officer’s interests, and academic background. Effort is made to match the graduate with the job they are most interested in pursuing.

Those who want to attend graduate school may apply for an Air Force–approved educational delay from active duty. Selection for an educational delay is based primarily on the strength of the applicant’s undergraduate academic record and the needs of the US Air Force.