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International Cadet Program
All non-U.S. citizens interested in applying for Admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point are first advised to contact the U.S. Defense Attaché Office located at the American Embassy in their native country. The USDAO serves as the link between the student, the host nation, and the United States Military Academy.
Revision of Title X of the U.S. Code in 1963 authorized up to sixty International Cadets to study at USMA at any given time. Eligible countries are selected on an annual basis by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Each year, usually in mid-summer, these departments send a message through the U.S. Defense Attaché Officer in the American Embassies notifying invited nations of their selection to nominate up to six candidates per country to compete for admission to the U.S. Military Academy.
167 nations were invited to nominate candidates for the USMA Class of 2010; this expanded list of nations was the largest number in this program's history. The goal is to admit fifteen (15) International Cadets each year.
Central to the success of the International Cadets is full assimilation into the Corps of Cadets and a four-year experience that is identical to that of U.S. Cadets. The U.S. Military Academy has implemented a support system that is based on this policy of full assimilation, but which also provides appropriate assistance to ensure transition to Cadet Life.
The application process for International Candidates are essentially the same as that for U.S. citizens, with a few key differences. General requirements include:
- Be sponsored by a national level government official.
- Be between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two years of age.
- Not be married and not pregnant, nor have any legal obligation to support children.
For further information on the USMA International Cadet opportunities available to each nation, contact the USDAO at the American Embassy.
