AFROTC Scholarship and Professional Flight - Merit Scholarship options

Herman_Snerd

Herman_Snerd

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Good Afternoon All,

My DS is interested in professional flight/ aerospace education. If he attends college on a AFROTC scholarship which will cover tuition, books, fees, 2 questions.
1. If he receives merit scholarships too, can he apply those to room/ board if he attends a school that does not offer free room/ board.
2. If he goes to a university that offers free room and board, and has a merit scholarship say for 10,000.00 per year, how does that work? Does he get to use the overage for things like flight fees?
It's clear the armed services do not cover flight fees, which by the way can be 50-75k over 4 years for fuel, plane use, instruction, exams... but is there any precedent of the school in a sense giving the merit money to the student if they have a full tuition scholarship?

We've reached out to his ROO but it's the holidays so we'll probably not hear back for a few days - just curious if any of you or yours faced this and how it worked for you.

All feedback and ideas welcome.

Thanks and Very respecffully,
Hermie, Sr.
 
Sorry i can't offer answer but following thread for answer as well. Similar situation with NROTC MO scholarship and wondering about merit scholarship to help cover room and board.
 
Usna77 said:
Sorry i can't offer answer but following thread for answer as well. Similar situation with NROTC MO scholarship and wondering about merit scholarship to help cover room and board.
Click to expand...

See if you can find a similar list of colleges that cover room and board for NROTC scholarship winners.

Here’s the similar link for AFROTC.
https://www.afrotc.com/scholarships/other

There are many threads each year here on SAF that address this.

http://www.nrotc.navy.mil/scholarship_benefits.html
 
Last edited:
Capt MJ said:
Usna77 said:
Sorry i can't offer answer but following thread for answer as well. Similar situation with NROTC MO scholarship and wondering about merit scholarship to help cover room and board.
Click to expand...

See if you can find a similar list of colleges that cover room and board for NROTC scholarship winners.

Here’s the similar link for AFROTC.
https://www.afrotc.com/scholarships/other
Click to expand...
Thanks! Was able to find some old threads that indicate it's up to individual schools. Unfortunately her assigned school looks like it doesn't allow it based on thread, but we will be sure to ask school directly. DD is also LOA to USNA so it may be a factor, although definitely not the most important, in her decision...should she actually get the appointment. I am new to this forum and need to remember to check threads before posting.
 
Thanks for these notes - I think the info shared is helpful and yet I should have been more specific - allow me clarify my asks please. I understand which colleges have room and board included for ROTC scholarship students, and which do not.
My main two questions are:
1. For students with a ROTC scholarship that covers tuition and fees, can merit scholarships be applied to room/ board (if attending a school that does not offer free room/ board to ROTC participants)?
Example: If my DS's full tuition and fees are covered, but room/board are 10,000.00 per year, and he has an 8,000.00 merit scholarship per year- would he owe just 2,000.00 or would he owe the full 10,000.00 for room/ board fees?
2. For students with a ROTC scholarship that covers tuition and fees, AND free room/ board, can merit scholarships be applied either as as a credit to other fees that are not covered under the ROTC scholarship - like flight fees? Or, is that money given back to the student? Or does it just go away/ cannot be used.
If my DS's tuition, fees, room, and board are covered, and say per year he has 25,000.00 in fuel, plane, instructor, test fees for a flight program AND a 10,000.00 merit scholarship from the school, is any of the merit scholarship given back to him or applied to the 25,000.00 bill?

If you have specific examples or have seen this play out, please share them. I have reached out both the to ROO and schools so I'll share an update if I find out details in the new year.

Thanks all,
Hermie, Sr.
 
It all depends on the individual scholarship. You need to read the fine print on the scholarship. If the funds are coming from the college I'm sure the bursar's office can help with any explanation. Keep in mind any scholarship monies, regardless of source, used towards room and board is treated as taxable income.
 
kinnem said:
It all depends on the individual scholarship. You need to read the fine print on the scholarship. If the funds are coming from the college I'm sure the bursar's office can help with any explanation. Keep in mind any scholarship monies, regardless of source, used towards room and board is treated as taxable income.
Click to expand...
#2 son has a national nrotc scholarship, he was able to apply his honors college scholarship to room and board. So definitely maybe
 
AFROTC scholarship money is for tuition only and fees. Flight school will be on his own dime. If you read the scholarship it states tuition only. Army and Navy scholarship allow them to be used for room and board or tuition.

You need to read the merit award. The school will determine how they disperse their merit. If the school also says tuition only, than you are on the hook for the room and board and flight fees. If the school says you can use it for anything than you can apply their merit to room and board and flight fees. Again, it will come down to the wording on the school's merit. Some schools will cut a check back to the student if there is a surplus, and some will not.
 
OBTW, typically if they cut a check back it usually occurs because they took the AFROTC scholarship off the top and than applied the college merit.

Notice the AF wording it says up to 18 K for type 2. Type 1 and 7 states cost of tuition. If the college uses their merit off the top, and than applies the AFROTC scholarship. It will only cover the remaining tuition balance. Thus, no surplus. If they take the scholarship 1st, and than the merit, if any is left over than the school may or may not cut a check.
 
My son is a first year AFROTC cadet and also an aviation flight science major. His flight fees are built into the tuition for the Professional Flight Lab courses he takes (this a a credited hour lab in which he flys). So his non-AFROTC scholarship monies cover this.
 
MilitaryDad1968 said:
My son is a first year AFROTC cadet and also an aviation flight science major. His flight fees are built into the tuition for the Professional Flight Lab courses he takes (this a a credited hour lab in which he flys). So his non-AFROTC scholarship monies cover this.
Click to expand...
What school does he attend, if you dont mind sharing?
 
My son attended Purdue (AFROTC) and majored in Professional Flight. He was told it was not considered a STEM major and wasnt going to qualify for scholarship unless he got one of the few non stem scholarships.
 
If you read through the various threads, STEM majors are vitally important if your son is interested in pursuing an AF career towards flight. AF/ROTC scholarships will not (as I understand them), cover any flight time. However, the Air Force has a written agreement (from last year) reimbursing the Civil Air Patrol for fuel/oil if a CAP pilot & plane is available. You might have your son discuss this with your local detachment commander and with your local CAP unit.

Personally, I would be very careful about building too much flight time with civilian instructors. Basic flight techniques are good, but the AF, N, M & A all have their own instructors and much of what is taught by civilians has to be "unlearned". My son is currently a freshman with an AF/ROTC scholarship. Although I am a licensed CFAI & CFAII instructor and have thousands of hours of flight time myself, I have not directly taught him anything about flight - except basic instruments (needle/ball/airspeed, etc.). This might seem crazy to some, but my son needs to learn the "Air Force" way, not mine. There is a lot of difference in doing a snap roll in a Citabria than a T38.
 
NoS.W.E.A.T. said:
If you read through the various threads, STEM majors are vitally important if your son is interested in pursuing an AF career towards flight. AF/ROTC scholarships will not (as I understand them), cover any flight time. However, the Air Force has a written agreement (from last year) reimbursing the Civil Air Patrol for fuel/oil if a CAP pilot & plane is available. You might have your son discuss this with your local detachment commander and with your local CAP unit.

Personally, I would be very careful about building too much flight time with civilian instructors. Basic flight techniques are good, but the AF, N, M & A all have their own instructors and much of what is taught by civilians has to be "unlearned". My son is currently a freshman with an AF/ROTC scholarship. Although I am a licensed CFAI & CFAII instructor and have thousands of hours of flight time myself, I have not directly taught him anything about flight - except basic instruments (needle/ball/airspeed, etc.). This might seem crazy to some, but my son needs to learn the "Air Force" way, not mine. There is a lot of difference in doing a snap roll in a Citabria than a T38.
Click to expand...
I am sure you know better but my son got his private, commerical, instrument and multi engine license from his college program and he is one of the top students at his UPT class. He was the first to solo and pass his fightcheck. While true that he had to learn the AF way and techniques, he had a good understanding of how to fly a plane and how a plane works
 
NoS.W.E.A.T. said:
// However, the Air Force has a written agreement (from last year) reimbursing the Civil Air Patrol for fuel/oil if a CAP pilot & plane is available. // You might have your son discuss this with your local detachment commander and with your local CAP unit.
Click to expand...
@NoS.W.E.A.T. Thanks very much for sharing your guidance. With regards to learning and re-learning, it's a good point.

My DS is a CAP cadet and a new private pilot (PPL) who has his CAP form-5. high performance rating, CAP Wing approval to use the airplanes, and usually flies CAP 172/182 planes... that agreement you referenced from last year, does that mean Air Force ROTC cadets can take CAP planes out and not pay for fuel? Do you happen to have a link to the article or agreement with the specifics, you could share? I may not be understanding - just want to confirm. DS was awarded an AFROTC 4 year tech scholarship and some of the colleges he is applying to have a CAP plane on-site in the hangar. A challenge in accepting/ using this is that he would have to double-major w aerospace and aviation if he wants to fly. Do-able has he has AP/ some dual-credit courses and his PPL already, but he's undecided on this path. He is awaiting additional board and admission option details to make a decision, but...Holy mackerel, this could be a huge game changer if he could major in aerospace (tech), and yet continue to fly and not pay for fuel. Lots to investigate on this for us - Please share the agreement details, if/ when you can. I'd like to follow-up with the detachments he is considering and CAP but would like to reference the agreement and read it before doing so- please share if you can. Thanks and respectfully, Hermie Sr.
 
No S.W.E.A.T you bring up a very valid point about there is the AF way.
Many moons back the AF and Navy decided to do a joint UPT in Florida. In the end, the services parted ways because those UPT students were arriving at their school house and needed to be re-trained the AF way.

Our DS had taken private flying lessons, solo'd and was a few hrs away from his ppl as a rising freshmen in college, however, not only did we move again, he went to college OOS. We made sure that his instructors were AF pilots. While he was in college we also made sure he took more hours with AF pilots and a plane that was more than just a Piper or Cessna. It was no longer about getting his PPL, it was about flying in an aircraft that was more like the Doss or the T6 regarding controls.

I agree with Humey to a point. It does give you an edge. No offense, and I am not sure what they mean 1st to solo and check flight, if it is at UPT or when they were in college. If it is at UPT, i.e. dollar ride, that is just scheduling impo. The edge that comes from it is knowing how to land in cross winds and only flying experience can help you there.

That being said UPT tracking is an overall score in both the T6 phase and later on in the T38/1 phase. It comes down to a lot more. It is academics, it is sims too. Formation flying will be on the table too. Finally, it is also going to come down to the IP opinions too. In the end, you can have 2 students with the exact same score. on the cusp between 38 or 1s. 1 will go 38 and 1 will go 1s. The 1 with higher academics may go the 38s.
~ I want to say when they wing they have taken tests that add up to about 800 questions. You can see students awarded best academics and get a heavy.
~ You can see the best handling the stick, but low academics get a heavy.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
NoS.W.E.A.T. said:
// However, the Air Force has a written agreement (from last year) reimbursing the Civil Air Patrol for fuel/oil if a CAP pilot & plane is available. // You might have your son discuss this with your local detachment commander and with your local CAP unit.
Click to expand...
@NoS.W.E.A.T. Thanks very much for sharing your guidance. With regards to learning and re-learning, it's a good point.

My DS is a CAP cadet and a new private pilot (PPL) who has his CAP form-5. high performance rating, CAP Wing approval to use the airplanes, and usually flies CAP 172/182 planes... that agreement you referenced from last year, does that mean Air Force ROTC cadets can take CAP planes out and not pay for fuel? Do you happen to have a link to the article or agreement with the specifics, you could share? I may not be understanding - just want to confirm. DS was awarded an AFROTC 4 year tech scholarship and some of the colleges he is applying to have a CAP plane on-site in the hangar. A challenge in accepting/ using this is that he would have to double-major w aerospace and aviation if he wants to fly. Do-able has he has AP/ some dual-credit courses and his PPL already, but he's undecided on this path. He is awaiting additional board and admission option details to make a decision, but...Holy mackerel, this could be a huge game changer if he could major in aerospace (tech), and yet continue to fly and not pay for fuel. Lots to investigate on this for us - Please share the agreement details, if/ when you can. I'd like to follow-up with the detachments he is considering and CAP but would like to reference the agreement and read it before doing so- please share if you can. Thanks and respectfully, Hermie Sr.
Click to expand...

Only you know your child, but I will say that doing aerospace engineering and aviation plus AFROTC maybe too much.
A strong engineering aerospace program typically will have a 33% drop rate and that is for students that are not waking up at 5 a.m. for 6 a.m. PT and doing LLAB, on top of their aero program. OBTW, as he makes rank in AFROTC, he will have jobs. A Flight Commander will write reports regarding all of their cadets in the flight and submit to the cadre. They will be required to attend det Commanders meetings on top of PT and LLAB. It could be hours extra per week just when it comes to their job in the det.

If he falls below 2.5 for even one semester he will be counseled, 2nd time and he is most likely handed the goodbye paperwork. The avg cgpa for tech majors to get SFT is 3.0/3.1
 
Humey said:
NoS.W.E.A.T. said:
If you read through the various threads, STEM majors are vitally important if your son is interested in pursuing an AF career towards flight. AF/ROTC scholarships will not (as I understand them), cover any flight time. However, the Air Force has a written agreement (from last year) reimbursing the Civil Air Patrol for fuel/oil if a CAP pilot & plane is available. You might have your son discuss this with your local detachment commander and with your local CAP unit.

Personally, I would be very careful about building too much flight time with civilian instructors. Basic flight techniques are good, but the AF, N, M & A all have their own instructors and much of what is taught by civilians has to be "unlearned". My son is currently a freshman with an AF/ROTC scholarship. Although I am a licensed CFAI & CFAII instructor and have thousands of hours of flight time myself, I have not directly taught him anything about flight - except basic instruments (needle/ball/airspeed, etc.). This might seem crazy to some, but my son needs to learn the "Air Force" way, not mine. There is a lot of difference in doing a snap roll in a Citabria than a T38.
Click to expand...
I am sure you know better but my son got his private, commerical, instrument and multi engine license from his college program and he is one of the top students at his UPT class. He was the first to solo and pass his fightcheck. While true that he had to learn the AF way and techniques, he had a good understanding of how to fly a plane and how a plane works
Click to expand...

Congratulations on the progress for your son!!

Since you asked, here is the location of the file from last August. I thought I had saved a copy of the signed version. However, after 7 years my old laptop finally expired (taps playing in background). Most of the data (including the signed copy of the agreement) was on that computer. I will try to recover the information for you and post SAP.

Nevertheless, here is the location of the agreement: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/AFI_102701_31_Jul_14_0475E646C469F.pdf
 
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