One of my most important responsibilities as your Senator is nominating young men and women for admission to our country’s service academies. Admission to a service academy is a two-tiered process. First, the candidate must apply through the Academy directly. 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. The second tier in pursuing admission is the Congressional Nominations process. An individual must meet the admissions requirements of the Academy as well as receive a nomination in order to be offered an appointment to the Academy. You do not need a Congressional Nomination for the United States Coast Guard Academy.

Applicants should direct any questions regarding the admissions process of a particular Academy to that Academy’s Admissions office. Information can be obtained through the contact information below:


 

Air Force Academy

United States Air Force Academy

Director of Admissions
Colorado Springs, CO 82840-5651
1 (800) 443-9266
www.usafa.edu

Coast Guard Academy

United States Coast Guard Academy

31 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320-4195
(800) 883-USCG (8724)
www.uscga.edu

Merchant Marine Academy

United States Merchant Marine Academy

300 Steamboat Road
Kings Point, NY 11024-1699
www.usmma.edu

US Military Academy

United States Military Academy at West Point

Admissions, Building 606
West Point, NY 10996
(845)938-4041
www.usma.edu

US Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

Candidate Guidance Office
117 Decatur Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5018
(410) 293-4361
www.usna.edu

Additional Information

Eligibility

Candidates seeking a nomination to a service academy must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year of admission to an academy: be at least 17 years old but not have passed the 23rd birthday; be a U.S. citizen; be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

Nomination Process

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.  Service Academy nomination applications for those graduating from high school in 2023 are currently being considered.

Nominating Sources

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 as well as the Vice President. Applicants should apply for nomination to all four nominating sources.

The application for nominations to service academies is now live. To apply CLICK HERE

All documentation for your application must be received by 5:00 PM on Thursday, September 21, 2023.  The preferred method of receipt is through email to academy_noms@warner.senate.gov.  However, if express mail is warranted, to avoid delays documents should be expressed to: Office of U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, Attn: Academy Nomination Coordinator, 101 W. Main Street, Suite 7771, Norfolk, VA 23510.  Due to potential U.S. Postal Service delays, items sent by regular mail are not guaranteed to be received on time.  If you have not submitted all of the required information by the deadline, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for a nomination.

Applying to Academies

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 Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA).

If you have any additional questions, please email academy_noms@warner.senate.gov.

Academy Day 2024

Senator Mark R. Warner invites high school and middle school students, their parents or guardians, and school counselors to Academy Day 2024. 

The event will include a seated program that will provide a comprehensive overview of the United States service academies and their admission processes. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions during both the interactive service academy panel and the panel of other military-related options that exist at higher education institutions in Virginia. Information will also be shared regarding application procedures for congressional nominations and medical requirements for the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB). 

Following the program, attendees will be able to meet with officials from all five academies as well as representatives from DoDMERB, Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Richmond, ROTC programs at Randolph-Macon College and the University of Virginia, the United States Marine Corps, the Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, and the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University at their resource tables. Staff from Virginia congressional offices will also be available to answer questions.

As the event concludes, Randolph-Macon College will be offering campus tours. To participate, please meet in the bricked courtyard area in front of the Center for the Performing Arts at 1:30pm.

Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024

Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., doors open at 9:00 a.m.

Location: Randolph-Macon College Center for the Performing Arts,

Blackwell Auditorium, 205 Henry Street, Ashland, VA 23005

 

Registerhttps://senwarner.ticketbud.com/acadday24

 

If you have any questions about the event, please email academy_noms@warner.senate.gov

If you cannot make it to this year’s event and want to get a sense of the information offered at Academy Day, please see the video below from the virtual 2022 event. Please keep in mind this video references a previous application cycle, so some dates and times may be different from this year's requirements. This year's deadlines are listed in the sections above.