Start at the source
Each academy runs its own admissions portal. Tap an emblem to go straight to the official site. (Insignia shown are original, color-coded marks for navigation — not the academies' official seals.)
Plan to start in your junior year of high school. The steps below describe the four-step DoD academies and Kings Point; the Coast Guard Academy is the one exception that needs no nomination.
Open a candidate file
Start the pre-candidate questionnaire (West Point's portal opens Feb 15 of junior year). The academy confirms you're viable before the full file opens.
Build the academic file
Transcripts, SAT/ACT, a writing sample, and recommendations (usually one math/science teacher, one counselor). Rigorous coursework matters most.
Candidate Fitness Assessment
A six-event physical test (basketball throw, push-ups, pull-ups, shuttle run, sit-ups, one-mile run), administered by a coach, PE teacher, or officer.
Secure a nomination
Needed for West Point, Annapolis, and Air Force. USCGA needs none; USMMA does require a congressional nomination. (See the table below.)
DoDMERB medical exam
The DoD Medical Examination Review Board assigns a local physician for vision, hearing, blood work, orthopedic, and general screening. Waivers exist for some conditions.
Admissions decision
Your file is complete only with an application, a nomination, a qualifying medical exam, and a finished checklist. Appointees report for Basic Training that summer.
Eligibility by academy: age, marriage & dependents
The academies share a strict personal-status bar — you must be young, single, and childless — with one age exception at Kings Point.
| Academy | Age limit (by July 1 of entry year) | Marital status | Dependents | Citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Point (USMA) | 17 to not past 23rd birthday | Unmarried & not pregnant | None | U.S. citizen* |
| Naval Academy (USNA) | 17 to not past 23rd birthday | Unmarried & not pregnant | None | U.S. citizen* |
| Air Force Academy (USAFA) | 17 to not past 23rd birthday | Unmarried & not pregnant | None | U.S. citizen* |
| Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) | 17 to not past 23rd birthday | Unmarried & not pregnant | None | U.S. citizen |
| Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) | Not past 25th birthday | Unmarried & not pregnant | None | U.S. citizen |
*The DoD academies admit a small number of international cadets by agreement, but U.S. appointees must be citizens. The "unmarried / no dependents / not pregnant" rule must be met at entry and maintained while enrolled — marrying or incurring a dependent obligation as a cadet is grounds for separation. Age limits carry limited waivers (e.g., for prior enlisted service); confirm with admissions.
Types of nominations
Title 10 of the U.S. Code sets up the nomination system. Apply to every source you're eligible for — they're independent of one another.
| Nomination source | Who grants it | Eligibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Representative | Your House member | Residents of that district | Most common; apply to your own district's rep |
| U.S. Senators (×2) | Both state senators | Residents of that state | Apply to both |
| Vice President | The Vice President | Any U.S. resident, nationwide | West Point, USNA & USAFA only — not USCGA or USMMA |
| Presidential | The President | Children of career military (active, reserve, retired) | Up to 100 appointments per academy per year |
| Service-Connected | Statutory categories | Children of Medal of Honor recipients; certain children of deceased/disabled vets, POW/MIA; some enlisted | Several distinct categories & quotas |
| ROTC / JROTC | Unit commanders | Enrolled ROTC/JROTC cadets | An extra source if you're already in a program |
Find your nominating officials
For West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and Kings Point you'll need a nomination. Your U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators are your primary sources — apply to all three. Enter your ZIP and state to jump straight to their official pages.
Who represents you?
Your ZIP finds your U.S. Representative (via the official House lookup); your state lists your two U.S. Senators (via Senate.gov). Apply to each one's service-academy nomination page.
This tool links to official U.S. House and U.S. Senate websites; it does not collect or store anything you type. Some members route academy nominations through an online application — check each official's website for their specific process and deadlines (usually the spring/summer before your senior year).
How much does a cadet or midshipman make?
Academy students aren't just attending free — they're paid.
By law, cadets at West Point, the Air Force Academy, and the Coast Guard Academy, and midshipmen at the Naval Academy, receive monthly pay equal to 35% of an O-1 officer's basic pay (under two years). With the 2026 O-1 base of about $4,150/month, that's roughly $1,450 per month (about $17,400/year).
In the early years, much of that is deducted to cover uniforms, textbooks, a laptop, and gear, so a new cadet's take-home pay is modest. As they advance, deductions shrink and disposable pay grows. Tuition, room, board, and medical care are fully covered throughout.
The payoff is immediate at graduation: a brand-new second lieutenant or ensign (O-1) starts at about $4,150/month in base pay (~$49,800/year in 2026), plus tax-free housing and food allowances — often pushing first-year compensation well past $65,000 depending on duty location. See the 2026 pay tables →
The money, in short (2026)
- Tuition
- $0 — fully funded
- Cadet pay
- 35% of O-1 <2 yrs ≈ $1,450/mo
- Per year
- ≈ $17,400 gross stipend
- Early deductions
- Uniforms, books, laptop, gear
- At graduation
- Commission as O-1, ~$4,150/mo base
- Obligation
- ~5 years active duty (varies)
Prior-enlisted slots & the prep schools
The academies aren't only for high-school seniors. Federal law reserves appointments for enlisted service members — one of the most respected ways in.
West Point, for example, sets aside up to 170 appointments per class for soldiers — roughly 85 for active-duty and 85 for reserve-component soldiers — filled through the Soldier Admissions Program. The Naval Academy and Air Force Academy have parallel routes for sailors, Marines, and airmen/guardians.
A standout enlisted candidate can be admitted directly. Many others spend a year first at a preparatory school — USMAPS (West Point), NAPS (Naval Academy), or the USAFA Prep School — to sharpen academics before entering the academy with the rest of their class. Prep school is a fully-funded bridge, not a consolation prize.
Already enlisted? Talk to your chain of command and education office early — the timelines and nomination categories (including the service-connected and presidential routes) can work in your favor. See all enlisted-to-officer pathways →
Prior-enlisted routes
- West Point: up to 170 soldier slots/class + USMAPS
- Naval Academy: enlisted appointments + NAPS (Newport, RI)
- Air Force Academy: LEAD nominations + USAFA Prep School
- Coast Guard Academy: enlisted may compete (no nomination needed)
- Prep schools are fully funded; many enter the academy the next year
Graduate-school slots for new academy grads
A small number of top academy graduates go directly to graduate school — sometimes before they ever reach a unit — on the service's dime.
Each DoD academy nominates its strongest cadets/midshipmen for funded graduate study. Two flavors exist: prestigious national scholarships (Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Fulbright, Gates Cambridge, and similar), and service-run fellowships such as West Point's Graduate Scholarship Program and Technical Scholars Program, which fund one to three years toward a master's or doctorate. The Naval Academy (e.g., the Bowman Scholar/VGEP routes) and the Air Force Academy run comparable programs.
How competitive — and the catch
These slots are highly competitive: typically only a small percentage of each class, screened in the junior or senior year on grades, research potential, and leadership. The funded study generally adds an active-duty service obligation on top of the standard ~5-year commitment (often roughly the time spent in school, served consecutively), and a graduate scholarship is frequently deferrable so the officer can serve first and use it later. It's an extraordinary benefit — a free master's from a top university — paid for with additional years of service.
Grad-school slots, in short
- Who
- Top of the class, screened junior/senior year
- What
- National scholarships + service fellowships
- When
- Immediately after commissioning or deferred
- Cost
- Free tuition + officer pay
- Catch
- Added active-duty obligation
- Odds
- Very competitive — a small share of each class