The success of the AFJROTC program lies in its progressive and academically sound curriculum and the numerous extracurricular activities AFJROTC offers students. AFJROTC is a 3- or 4-year program offered to high school students in grades 9-12. The curriculum includes Aerospace Science (AS) and Leadership Education (LE), and Wellness components. All students are granted academic credit applicable toward graduation requirements for the successful completion of AFJROTC courses provided by the Air Force equivalent to credit given for other academic courses per the Air Force School Agreement. Each academic course must consist of Aerospace Science (AS), Leadership Education (LE) and Wellness components.

ALL units (traditional/block) have the option to determine which aerospace science and leadership courses to offer to first-, second-, third- and fourth-year cadets. The aerospace science options to select from are: AS-100: A Journey into Aviation History; AS-200: Global and Cultural Studies; AS-210: The Science of Flight; Cultural Studies:  An Introduction to Global Awareness; AS-300: The Exploration of Space; AS-310: Introduction to Astronomy; AS-400: Management of the Cadet Corps; AS-410: Survival; AS-420: World Geography: Building a Global Perspective; AS-430: Policy and Organization; AS-440, Laboratory Manual; and AS-500, Aviation Honors Ground School. The leadership education options are: LE-100, Citizenship, Character and Air Force Tradition; LE-200, Communication, Awareness, and Leadership; LE-300, Life Skills and Career Opportunities; and LE-400, Principles of Management.

The model curriculum consists of 180 contact hours. Each academic credit must consist of aerospace science (AS), leadership education (LE) and Wellness components. The chart below describes recommended contact time for science core credit classes.
 

The AFJROTC curriculum must consist of a minimum of 120 contact hours. The same proportion of aerospace science and leadership education hours described above must be presented in the curriculum. Recommended course hours for elective or other non-core credit classes are shown below. 
 

Co-Curricular Activities are an important part of AFJROTC. They serve to augment AFJROTC classroom and Leadership Education requirements. Cadets participate in summer leadership schools, Aerospace and Technology Honor Camps, drill meets, dining-ins and dining-outs, model rocketry programs, flying model programs, static model programs, Kitty Hawk Air Society (KHAS), and the Tuskegee Airmen Program. 

Career-minded high school students will learn about jobs in the aerospace industry and the Air Force that will open important opportunities for the future. High school students who successfully complete at least three years in the AFJROTC program may be able to enter the military at a higher pay grade than most enlistees. Also, AFJROTC cadets will be better prepared to work in an expanding technological world – in the Air Force or as a civilian.

College bound students can compete for an Air Force Academy nomination or an Air Force ROTC scholarship through their Air Force Junior ROTC unit. Or, they may receive credit for the first year of an Air Force ROTC four-year college program--- plus, free uniforms, insignia and ROTC textbooks. They may also receive priority processing when entering the Air Force if they win the Congressman Herbert Advanced Placement Award. 

Air Force Junior ROTC was awarded accreditation by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) Board of Directors on 29 November 2005. To achieve accreditation, AFJROTC underwent and successfully completed a self-study conducted by CITA.