To qualify for the U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy Program, applicants must meet following requirements:

1. Age: Candidates must be at least 17 and not yet 23 years of age on July 1 of the year of admission.
2. Marital Status: A candidate must not be married, pregnant, or have a legal obligation to support a child or children.
3. General Academic Qualifications: All academic work done at a level equivalent to a U.S. high school freshman or higher must be submitted on an official transcript. High school and college records are closely examined.  A strong indicator of academic competitiveness is the candidate rank in class (if available).  Most admitted international candidates are in the top 10 percent of their secondary school class.  A candidate must have knowledge of the principles of the English language with sufficient fluency to comprehend college-level instruction.  A candidate should also have completed the equivalent of high school mathematics in algebra, plane geometry, trigonometry, and pre-calculus.
4. Standard Academic Test Required:
   1. All candidates must complete either the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) by the application deadline. Once candidates are accepted by the Defense Attaché Office among the top six, test scores should be sent directly to the academies. Candidates are encouraged to register in time for the tests.  The majority of candidates take the SAT.  The mean SAT scores for the international cadets admitted to the Military Academy in the most recent selection process were 470 for verbal and 620 for mathematics, and the mean ACT scores were 23 for English, 29 for math, 23 for science reasoning, and 27 for reading comprehension.  Scores must be verified and sent from the testing agency in order to be used for the application.  The essay must also be included.
   2. All candidates must submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as part of their application. Once candidates are accepted by the Defense Attaché Office among the top six, a copy of the TOEFL score must be submitted directly to the academies. The mean TOEFL score for the international cadets admitted to the Military Academy in the most recent selection process was 100 out of 120.
5. Leadership: U.S. service academies educate and train young men and women to be “leaders of character” who are ready “to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.” It is imperative that international candidates seeking admission to service academies exemplify strong leadership potential through:
   1. Active participation in extracurricular activities
   2. Accomplished performance in varsity and/or intramural/community athletics
   3. Strong endorsements/recommendations from high school/college faculty members
6. Physical Aptitude: Physical condition and stamina are vital to successful completion of the service academy physical education and military programs. All international candidates must submit a verified Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) with their application.  Embassy personnel will administer this examination to nominees.  CFA instructions are here.
7. Medical Fitness: A statement from a qualified physician stating that the candidate is free from all communicable diseases and has no known medical, mental, or dental issues that would prevent him/her from completing the service academy is required. A follow-up medical check will be conducted upon a selected candidate’s arrival to the academy.  All persons must meet the height and weight requirements for admission set forth in the Military Academy Catalog and must be free from obviously disfiguring or incapacitating defects or diseases.  Selected candidates must conform to all Military Academy grooming, dietary, and conduct standards while in attendance.

October-November: Program is announced and applications are received;

December: Applicants take Candidate Fitness Assessments supervised by the Embassy’s Defense Attaché Office;

January: The Defense Attaché Office conducts interviews and selects the top six candidates;

February:  Candidates prepare and submit applications to the academies through online and the Defense Attaché Office;

Late April: Candidates receive results from the academies;

June: The cadets depart to the U.S.