There are five (5) service academies that offer appointments to highly qualified individuals who meet eligibility requirements and are the most competitive in academic performance, physical fitness, medical standards, extracurricular involvement, leadership traits, motivation and aptitude for military service.
United States Air Force
Director of Admissions
Colorado Springs, CO 82840-5651
1 (800) 443-9266 www.usafa.edu
United States Naval Academy
Candidate Guidance Office
117 Decatur Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5018
(410) 293-4361 www.usna.edu
United States Military Academy at West Point
Admissions, Building 606
West Point, NY 10996
(845)938-4041 www.usma.edu
United States Merchant Marine Academy
300 Steamboat Road
Kings Point, NY 11024-1699
www.usmma.edu
United States Coast Guard Academy
31 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320-4195
(800) 883-USCG (8724) www.cga.edu
Candidates seeking nomination and appointment to a service academy must be at least 17 years old, but not older than 23 years of age on July 1 of the calendar year of entrance; they must be legal citizens of the United States as of November 1 of the application year; they must be unmarried with no legal obligations to support children or other dependents and female applicants cannot be expecting a child.
Each United States Senator and United States Representative may have no more than five people attending each service academy at any given time. Most members of Congress allocate at least one open vacancy each year. For each vacancy, ten nominations may be submitted to the respective service academy admissions office. Offers of appointment are made by the admissions office on a competitive basis measuring the overall qualifications and eligibility of all nominees.
To apply for a service academy nomination, please download and complete this form.
Service academy applicants are eligible for nomination by both United States Senators in the state of their legal residence and the United States Representative for the District in which they reside. Applicants should apply for nomination to all three nominating sources.
You are encouraged to apply early to any and all service academies for which you have a sincere interest. You may apply online at the respective service academy web site. If you meet the minimum eligibility and entrance requirements, the academy will forward a formal application package. You should return all requested materials as directed by the academy as quickly as possible. If you are considered an "official" candidate by the academy, you will be scheduled for a medical examination by the Department of Defense Medical Review Board (DODMERB). You will also complete a Physical Aptitude Evaluation (PAE).