Service Academy Nomination Information

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.

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies:

• U.S. Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, NY
• U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, MD
• U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, CO
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, NY.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

Congressman Brown may nominate up to ten individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district.

Best wishes to you as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. Service Academies and serving our country.

A nomination to one of the United States Service Academies is a distinct and rare honor.  Acceptance of an academy appointment involves at least a nine-year obligation to the Service: four years at the academy and at least five years of active duty service (with the exception of the Merchant Marine Academy). The information below is provided to help you complete your application completely, accurately and correctly.

Nominations for military academies in the Fourth Congressional District are competitive. You are urged to apply for a nomination from every available nominating source.  These sources include Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Ben Cardin, the President and the Vice President. Service-affiliated nominations are also available to children of career officers and enlisted personnel of the armed forces, including active and reserve. Children of deceased or disabled veterans or children of Medal of Honor winners may also receive nominations. Please contact the military academies for more details.

A nomination is required to gain an appointment to a service academy. However, it does not guarantee admission; the number of young people receiving nominations is far greater than the amount of appointments available. The decision to admit a nominee to a service academy is entirely at the discretion of each academy’s admission’s processes.

The application deadline for this year has now passed.

Nominations Process

Each Congressional office uses a selection process designed to meet its particular needs and standards.  Please carefully read and follow the specific instructions for each office you seek a nomination from.

If you have not already filed a pre-candidate questionnaire with the Academies of interest to you, please complete and mail the appropriate Academy Information Cards or visit their website.

Upon learning of your interest, the Academy will establish a Prospective Candidate's File for you and send you any pertinent information. Congressman Brown will not be able to offer a nomination to any student who does not have an open candidate's file at the relevant Academy and has not submitted a completed packet by the deadline.

Guidelines and Procedures

• To be considered for a nomination from Congressman Brown, you must submit a complete application and supporting materials by October 15, 2021.
• Once we receive your application we will create a file for you. Once your file is complete (see components needed below), you will be notified. You will be notified of your interview time at least two weeks before the interview day.
• An interview with Congressman Brown’s Service Academy Review Board is mandatory to receive a nomination. Interviews will ONLY be held on November 20, 2021. Candidates unable to attend interviews in person must notify the office as soon as possible.
• Applicants will be notified of the nomination decision on their application no later than January 31, 2022, though notifications are typically made by the end of the year. It is the practice of Congressman Brown’s office to communicate directly with the applicant themselves, when possible.
• We appreciate the enthusiasm and pride parents have for their children and understand their desire to see their children prosper. Success at service academies requires a great deal of maturity and responsibility from those that are admitted. We expect applicants to be able to communicate directly with our office on any questions or inquiries they may have. 
• Applicants are expected to adhere to the application to provide information for review. For example, applicants should not exceed the word limit on the personal statement, submit more than the allowed amount of letters of recommendations, or submit any supplementary materials. The review board will only consider information contained in your application packet or learned from the interview.
• To maintain eligibility for a nomination from Congressman Brown’s office, all information submitted to our office must to be factual and all deadlines must be met.

Requirements For Nomination

To qualify for an appointment and nomination you must be:    

• On July 1 of the year of entry, 17 years old but not yet 23 years old to enter all academies, except the Merchant Marine Academy, which has a maximum of 25 years of age.
• A citizen of the United States;
• Unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support a child or dependent;
• And a legal resident of
  • The Fourth Congressional District of Maryland, for nominations to the Naval Academy, Military Academy (West Point), and the Air Force Academy.
  • The State of Maryland, for nominations to the Merchant Marine Academy.

• A complete application form
  • The application form may be found at https://anthonybrown.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations once the application opens on or before May 25, 2021.
  • The application components include basic information, answers to writing prompts, a one-page resume of activities and leadership, an order of preferences for the academies, a current photo and other information.

• 2 Letters of recommendation
  • The letter of recommendations may be sent via mail or electronically to the addresses listed below by the recommender.
    
  • The letters must be from a person who has supervised, instructed, managed or coached the applicant. This include: teachers, employers, job supervisors, and coaches.
    
  • At least 1 letter should be from an academic instructor.
    
  • Extra letters will not be considered.

• Official transcripts for high school and college courses
  • Official transcripts from every high school and college-level school you have attended. Your current transcript should include your grade point average, class rank (if available), complete junior year course work and the classes you are currently taking in your senior year.
  • Transcripts must be sent by mail or email directly from your school’s registrar.

• Official Test Scores
  • Applicants are responsible for requesting testing services to provide official scores to Congressman Brown’s office. Copies or screenshots will not be accepted. You may send scores when you take the test or via the testing service afterward.
  • SAT scores will be sent directly to our office if you indicate 5313 as a score recipient on the SAT registration form. 
  • ACT scores will be sent directly to our office if you indicate 7446.
    
  • Note: You may submit your application without your test scores, but your score reports must be received by the interview date. When scheduling your test please take into account when we will receive the results. You will not be eligible for a nomination or interview if your SAT or ACT results are not received in by the interview date. 

Basis For Nomination

Nominations are made on the basis of the candidate's academic record, extra-curricular activities, recommendation letters, SAT and/or ACT scores, and an interview with the Fourth District Service Academy Review Board.  Our review committee will also consider the applicants personal character and motivation.

Key Dates for the Class of 2026

May 25, 2021 - Nominations Application Opens
October 15, 2021 - Deadline for applications and supporting documents
November 20, 2021 – Mandatory Interview date for those who submitted complete applications
No later than January 31st, 2022- Candidates Notified of Nomination Decisions
February to May, 2022- Candidates notified by academies of appointment decisions

Contact

All correspondence regarding the service academies should be sent to the following addresses:

Transcripts and Letters of Recommendation

Congressman Anthony G. Brown
Attn: Military Academy Nominations
Applicants for the Class of 2026
9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 103
Largo, MD 20774

Letters of Recommendation and Official Transcripts Online

Email to: MD04.AcademyNominations@mail.house.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions for Academy Nominations

What is a nomination?

A nomination is required to be appointed to 4 of the 5 United States Service Academies. Members of Congress may nominate applicants who meet the eligibility requirements established by law. A candidate may seek a nomination from the following:

• A member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represents the congressional district in which the candidate resides
• Both U.S. Senators from his or her state
• Vice-President of the United States
• Service-affiliated nominations are also available to children of career officers and enlisted personnel of the armed forces, including active and reserve.
• Children of deceased or disabled veterans or children of Medal of Honor winners may also receive nominations. 

A nomination does not guarantee an appointment. Nominees must also apply to the service academies. Admissions decisions are at the discretion of each of the individual academies.

What are the basic eligibility requirements?

Each applicant for a nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1st of the year of admission to an academy:

• Age: Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday
• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen
• Marital Status: Must be unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal obligation to support children or other dependents
• Residence: Must reside within the boundaries of the 4th Congressional District of Maryland.
• Skill / Fitness: Must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy

A completed application and interview with the service nomination board are also required.

When do I apply for a nomination?

The nomination application period opens by the beginning of May of each year for those candidates who are high school juniors and will be seniors the following school year, or who have already graduated. Each applicant for a nomination must also meet the eligibility requirements listed above as of July 1st of the year of admission to an academy:

What is the deadline for completing a nomination file?

The deadline for submitting complete application will be October 15, 2021. 

What must be included in my nomination file?

Be sure you have read the information above regarding application components.

A complete nomination file consists of:

• A complete application form, filled out online.
  • The application includes basic information, a short personal statement, a one page resume of activities and leadership, an order of preferences for the academies and other information.
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts for high school and college courses
• Official Test Scores

What happens after I have completed my nomination file?

Applicants who submit a completed nomination file will be notified their application is complete. Their interview time will be provided no less than 2 weeks before the interview date.

What criteria is used in selecting candidates?

Nominations are based on a "whole person" evaluation. Factors such as academic achievements, extra-curricular activities, leadership skills, physical aptitude, character and motivation are taken into consideration and compared with other applicants.

How many academies are there?

There are four service academies that members of Congress may nominate applicants to:

• U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York
• U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland
• U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York

A nomination is not required for:

• U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut

Are the requirements the same for all of the service academies?

No. Although many of the qualifications are similar, each academy operates under its own admissions guidelines. Visit the academy of your choice via the websites noted for each academy's particular admissions qualifications. It is not necessary to seek a nomination to the Coast Guard Academy, as the U.S.C.G.A. accepts candidates based on their own testing criteria. You must establish a candidate file with the service academy or academies of your choosing to be considered for a nomination.

Who should I ask to write a letter of recommendation on my behalf?

The letters must be from a person who has supervised, instructed, managed or coached the applicant. This include: teachers, employers, job supervisors, and coaches. At least 1 letter should be from an academic instructor. Any extra letters will not be considered.

Will I automatically be selected by the academy after I receive a nomination?

No. You will be placed among a select group of nominees, and the academy of your choice will make the final appointment decision. If selected, you will receive an offer of admission (an appointment) directly from the academy.

What if I am interested in more than one academy? Will I be limited to a single nomination?

No. It is possible to nominated to multiple academies depending on how well you have competed among this year's pool of candidates and the level of interest. It is also possible to win multiple appointments. However, due to the limited amount of nominations available please choose your order of preferences carefully.

When will I know if I have been offered a nomination?

Applicants will be notified of the nomination decision on their application no later than January 31, 2022.

When will I know if I have been offered an appointment by an academy?

Academies typically begin to notify candidates of their admission status in January. All offers of appointment are generally sent out by May. Congressman Brown's office has no impact on when appointment decisions are made.

What if my SAT/ACT scores will not be ready by the application deadline?

You may submit your scores after the deadline. However, they must be received before the interview date.