High School Scholarship (HSSP)

The HSSP scholarship is a scholarship that high school students apply for going into their senior year of high school.

The window to apply is usually from July to December, going into the senior year of high school, then applicants will have until some time in January to submit all of their required documents.

Official details on the scholarship and links to apply can be found here.

Scholarship Balance

In past years, most scholarship funding was diverted to HSSP scholarships, meaning selection rates were relatively good and there were a range of Type 1, 2, and 7 scholarships.

In 2022, AFROTC HQ has decided to rebalance most of that money to In-College Scholarships (ICSP) instead. This means that cadets already in the program are much more likely to pick up a scholarship in their first or second year in the program, and also that all qualifying POC cadets will receive a scholarship for the last two years they are in the program, at least for the year 2022.

This balance can change back and forth sometimes, so by the time you are applying for an HSSP it may be different.

I’m personally very glad to see that they have changed the majority of scholarships to ICSP, as it rewards cadets already dedicated to the program, and allows cadets that may not have performed well in high school but that are performing well in college be rewarded with a scholarship.

Type 1 scholarship

It looks like the only HSSP scholarships this year will be Type 1, which covers full tuition for any school. However, they will likely only be looking for STEM majors for this scholarship. For details on how to apply, read the 2022-2023 Applicant Guide.

HSSP Space Force

For 2022-2023, there is a new four year USSF HSSP scholarship board being offered separately from the HSSP board.

See the guide linked above for details, but it looks like it’s an additional pot of money for those interested in the US Space Force. You can apply for both boards, and then choose which scholarship you’d like to accept if you’re offered both.

Eligibility

To be eligible for any HSSP scholarship you need to meet the following:

Be accepted to an accredited university with a supporting AFROTC detachment
Be at least 17 at the time of scholarship activation (with parental consent) and no more than 30
Be a US Citizen. Though you can join the program without a scholarship without being a US citizen, you must be a US citizen to activate a scholarship.
Have an SAT score of 1240 or higher, or an ACT score of 26 or higher.
Have a cGPA of at least 3.0 in high school, unweighted
Take an Air Force fitness assessment. You don’t have to have a passing score, but your score will be used for consideration
Have an interview with a local AFROTC detachment. You’ll meet with a detachment close to your home, not necessarily the detachment you’re trying to join. You’ll be asked questions about why you want to join, your leadership experience, thoughts on the Air Force core values, etc. Prepare for it like you would a job interview, come in looking sharp, ‘yes sir/no ma’am’ etc.