Military Academy Nominations
Background
The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.
The U.S. service academies – Army, Naval, Air Force, and Merchant Marines – rank competitively with the top academic institutions in the country. These academies offer young people a chance for top-quality education and the opportunity for a solid career in the military. The U.S. government pays for all educational costs.
Nominations
Members of Congress are authorized to grant Congressional nominations to candidates residing in the district they represent. Others authorized to nominate candidates include the Vice President and our two U.S. Senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.
Please be aware that the congressional nomination process and the academy application process, although parallel, are separate application processes. If you have not already done so, you must contact the academy or academies you are interested in applying to for information on their application process. You are responsible for following each distinct process thoroughly.
Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.
Congresswoman Lofgren may nominate individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district. To request a U.S. service academy nomination from our office, please complete the form on the bottom of this page. Best wishes to you as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. service academies and serving our country.
For more information, please review the page of Frequently Asked Questions for those seeking a Military Academy Nomination.
Who is eligible to apply?
All candidates applying for a nomination from my office must be a U.S. citizen and legal resident of the 18th Congressional District of California. They must be at least 17 years old and not yet 23 on July 1st of the year of admission. They also must not be married, pregnant, nor have a legal obligation to support a dependent.
Entrance requirements
Candidates are evaluated in the areas of academics, leadership, and physical aptitude, and must meet certain medical standards. Candidates must receive a Congressional nomination to be considered for an appointment to any of the service academies.
Process
Below, you’ll find a form used to help evaluate potential nominations in our congressional office.
A list of required items for a complete nomination packet can be found here.
The application deadline for the Class of 2030 is October 24, 2025 5pm PST.
Once the mandatory interviews have been completed, the advisory panel will make recommendations and a final decision will be made.
The office will notify candidates in December 2025 of their nomination status.
For more information, including nomination applications and academy brochures, please contact my San Jose office at (408) 271-8700.
Important related addresses and phone numbers
U.S. Air Force Academy
Admissions Office
2304 Cadet Drive, Suite 200
USAF Academy, CO 80840
(800) 443-9266
Academy Admissions
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Office of Admissions
300 Steamboat Road
Kings Point, NY 11024
(516) 773-5000
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
Director of Admissions
606 Thayer Road
West Point, NY 10996-9902
(914) 938-4041 or 1-800-822-ARMY
www.usma.edu/admissions
U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Army)
U.S. Naval Academy
Dean of Admission
117 Decatur Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5018
(410) 293-4361
U.S. Naval Academy
