Air Force/Space Force ROTCVerifiedDrill TeamColor GuardAir Force ROTC at Syracuse University
Yes — Syracuse University hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 535 Syracuse University. Students from 9 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Detachment 535 Syracuse University · Orange · 535
AFROTC at Syracuse University contracts cadets on national scholarships into the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.
About this program
Detachment 535 Syracuse University is Syracuse University's officer-accessions program for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. It has commissioned officers from this campus continuously since 1947.
Detachment 535 Syracuse University runs as a consortium for cadets from Le Moyne College, Onondaga Community College, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry as well as Syracuse University. Cross-town students typically retain their primary residency and academics at the home campus and route only military-side coursework through the host.
Cadets pursue HSSP Type 1, Type 2, or Type 7 awards as high-school seniors and the In-College Scholarship Program once they're contracted. Tech and rated-pilot slots run through the same detachment board cycle. Syracuse University cadets pursue degrees across a wide spectrum, with biology and pre-health programs and nursing and health professions drawing strong cohorts.
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 535 Syracuse University. They travel to Syracuse University for training.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Syracuse University.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Syracuse University.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Syracuse University.
Contact this unit
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Detachment 535 Syracuse University, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.
We do not have an email address for this unit.
Use the phone number or official site below if we have one. If not, look for the Air Force ROTC program on the Syracuse University website. If you know the unit's email, tell us and we will add it.
Location: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
Air Force ROTC FAQ
Does Syracuse University have Air Force ROTC?
Yes — Syracuse University hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 535 Syracuse University. Students from 9 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Is Detachment 535 Syracuse University a host unit or cross-town?
Detachment 535 Syracuse University is the host unit, based at Syracuse University. Students at 9 partner schools join it cross-town and train at Syracuse University.
Where is Detachment 535 Syracuse University located?
Detachment 535 Syracuse University is hosted at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. The detachment's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Syracuse University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Detachment 535 Syracuse University?
In addition to Syracuse University, students enrolled at Le Moyne College, Onondaga Community College, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry can contract through Detachment 535 Syracuse 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 535 Syracuse 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 535 Syracuse 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.
Can students at other schools join Detachment 535 Syracuse University?
Yes. Detachment 535 Syracuse University takes cross-town and partner students from 9 other schools, including SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Upstate Medical University, Le Moyne College, Onondaga Community College. See the cross-town section above for distances and how to enroll.
Can I commission through Detachment 535 Syracuse University as any major?
Air Force programs take students from most majors at Syracuse University. Some scholarships and commissioning options require a specific major, such as nursing, engineering, or a foreign language. Ask the unit before you declare a major.
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