Air Force/Space Force ROTCVerifiedDrill TeamColor GuardAir Force ROTC at Michigan State University
Yes — Michigan State University hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 380 Michigan State University. Students from 3 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Detachment 380 Michigan State University · Spartans · 380
Spartans is the AFROTC detachment at Michigan State University in Michigan.
About this program
Air Force ROTC Detachment 380, the "Spartan Warriors," was established in 1946 and is based at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The program prepares college students to earn a commission as officers in the U.S. Air Force or Space Force while completing their degrees.
The detachment is a regional program: in addition to MSU students, it supports cadets from Western Michigan University, Olivet College, and Lansing Community College, and its cadet corps averages around 100 cadets drawn from these five institutions. Joining incurs no service commitment up front, so students can explore the program before deciding to pursue a commission.
Training emphasizes hands-on leadership. Classes run as seminars built around active discussion, and cadets help run their own cadet wing through a mandatory weekly two-hour Leadership Laboratory, taking on corps positions with increasing responsibility over four years. Cadets also take part in physical training, leadership projects, visits to Air Force bases, and orientation flights.
Scholarships at this unit
Tuition + fees capped at $18,000/yr, plus $900/yr textbook allowance and monthly stipend ($300-$500); may convert to a housing scholarship (up to $10,000/yr). AY27-28 minimums: SAT 1310 / ACT 28 / CLT 93, GPA 3.3. Window: July 1 - December 11, 2026. Award type is fixed at selection - no upgrades.
Service obligation: 4 years
In-College Scholarship Program for freshmen/sophomores already enrolled in AFROTC. Merit-based with fall and spring selection phases; same capped/uncapped structure as HSSP plus the $10,000/yr housing conversion. The General Charles McGee Leadership Award (CMLA) covers non-scholarship cadets who receive an enrollment allocation.
Service obligation: 4 years
Tuition + fees capped at $36,000/yr, plus $900/yr textbook allowance and monthly stipend ($300-$500); may convert to a housing scholarship (up to $10,000/yr). Type 4 replaced the old in-state Type 7 award in the current HSSP structure. AY27-28 minimums: SAT 1310 / ACT 28 / CLT 93, GPA 3.3. Window: July 1 - December 11, 2026.
Service obligation: 4 years
Full tuition with no cap + $900/yr textbook allowance + monthly stipend ($300 freshman to $500 senior); may convert to a housing scholarship (up to $10,000/yr). Most competitive tier. AY27-28 minimums: SAT 1310 / ACT 28 / CLT 93, unweighted GPA 3.3, single test sitting. Window: July 1 - December 11, 2026; two boards (Oct 2026, Mar 2027). 4-year active-duty obligation (longer for rated career fields).
Service obligation: 4 years
Cross-town and partner schools
Students at these schools can join Detachment 380 Michigan State University. They travel to Michigan State University for training.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Michigan State University.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Michigan State University.
Contact this unit
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Detachment 380 Michigan State University, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.
Unit email
airforce@msu.eduThis is the address Detachment 380 Michigan State University publishes. You can email the unit directly. Or use the form below, and we will forward your message to that same address.
Phone: 517-355-2168
Official site: https://afrotc.msu.edu
Location: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1046
Air Force ROTC FAQ
Does Michigan State University have Air Force ROTC?
Yes — Michigan State University hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 380 Michigan State University. Students from 3 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Is Detachment 380 Michigan State University a host unit or cross-town?
Detachment 380 Michigan State University is the host unit, based at Michigan State University. Students at 3 partner schools join it cross-town and train at Michigan State University.
Where is Detachment 380 Michigan State University located?
Detachment 380 Michigan State University is hosted at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The detachment's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Michigan State University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Detachment 380 Michigan State University?
In addition to Michigan State University, students enrolled at Lansing Community College and Olivet College can contract through Detachment 380 Michigan State University via cross-town agreements. Cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to the host for ROTC-side coursework.
What scholarships are available through Detachment 380 Michigan State University?
AFROTC cadets at this detachment compete for AFROTC HSSP Type 1 (full tuition), AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap), AFROTC HSSP Type 7 (in-state), ICSP (in-college). National awards apply out of high school; on-campus side-loads kick in once a cadet is enrolled and contracted.
What's the AFROTC summer training for cadets at Detachment 380 Michigan State University?
Between sophomore and junior year, cadets compete for slots at AFROTC Field Training at Maxwell AFB — the gate that converts a GMC cadet into a POC contracted cadet.
How big is the corps at Detachment 380 Michigan State University?
Public corps-size figures aren't always published year-to-year; AFROTC detachments in this size class generally carry between several dozen and a few hundred contracted cadets depending on host enrollment.
When was Michigan State's Air Force ROTC founded, and what is it called?
Detachment 380, known as the "Spartan Warriors," was established at Michigan State University in 1946.
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