Nominations
Nomination Deadline
Each nominating authority has its own processes and deadlines. After determining which categories you are eligible for, contact the appropriate authority and follow their specific application procedures . Because the nomination process can be lengthy, you should begin researching requirements and deadlines and plan to apply as soon as applications open.
Nomination Categories
Vice Presidential Nominations
The Vice President of the United States may nominate candidates from the nation at large. All U.S. citizens are eligible for this nominating category.
The Office of the Vice President will not accept paper applications. If you wish to request a nomination from the Vice President, you may complete the online application .
The deadline for requesting a nomination in the Vice Presidential category is Jan. 31.
More information: Visit White House website
Congressional Nominations
To request nominations in this category, access your senators’ and representative’s websites listed below and complete their online applications. Each office has different application procedures and deadlines so be sure to follow their online process.
You should request a nomination from both of your U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative. Because members of Congress want to nominate outstanding individuals from their state or district, they consider academic achievement, leadership performance and athletic participation. While you must be domiciled in the state or congressional district in which you are applying, it is not necessary to know your member of Congress personally. Children of active-duty military parents may apply for Congressional nominations in the state and district in which their parents are domiciled. Contact each congressional office for domicile rules, procedures, and deadlines. Note: Candidates can only apply in one district/state.
Senators: To get up to date contact information for your Senators, go to www.senate.gov and choose your state.
Representative or Delegate to Congress: To get up to date contact information for your representative or delegate to Congress go to www.house.gov and enter the zip code for your domicile in the find box. We recommend you use your zip code and not the name of your representative as congressional boundaries shift and representatives change.
You will then access each member’s website for specific instructions on the nomination application process, including which office to contact and specific deadlines.
Most congressional offices prefer you to contact them in the spring or summer of the year before you desire to enter the Academy. While some offices will accept requests through the fall, most do not accept requests for nominations after October. Many offices have deadlines as early as Sept. 1.
District of Columbia: Consult their website through www.house.gov.
Puerto Rico: You should request a nomination from both the governor of Puerto Rico and from the resident commissioner.
For the governor of Puerto Rico, submit your request to:
Honorable (name of governor)
Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico (La Fortaleza)
PO Box 9020082
San Juan, PR 00902-0082
Puerto Rico
For the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico, consult their website through www.house.gov .
U.S. Territories (American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands), consult their website through www.house.gov .
If selected for a congressional nomination, you will likely receive notice from your member of Congress first. After the member has submitted the nomination to the Academy your nomination will be posted on your portal. Please be patient, as this may occur as late as 30 days after you have been notified by your member of Congress. If your nomination is not posted by Jan. 31, contact Admissions.
Military-Affiliated Nominations
If you are eligible to apply in one of the military-affiliated categories, follow the specific instructions for that category as detailed below.
Note: Still seek congressional nominations.
Presidential
Vacancies allocated to the Presidential nomination have been reserved for children of career military personnel. This includes enlisted, warrant, and commissioned members of regular and reserve components who are on active duty (other than for training) and who have served continuously on active duty for at least eight years; and military retirees either living or deceased who have received retired or retainer pay. Reservists must be serving as members of reserve component and be credited with at least eight years of service computed under Section 12733 of U.S.C. Title 10 (at least 2880 points); or who died while they would have been entitled to retired pay under Chapter 1223 of U.S.C. Title 10 except for not having attained 60 years of age. Stepchildren of career military parents are not eligible for a Presidential nomination unless they have been adopted by the military stepparent. For adopted children, the adoption proceedings must have begun before their 15th birthday.
To apply for this nomination, you must be promoted to candidate status. You will complete a nomination request letter. The format is found in the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal. You will be required to upload the letter and supporting documents. See the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal once you enter candidate status. The deadline for receiving this information is Jan. 31.
Children of Deceased or Disabled Veterans
There is no limit to nominations, but appointments authorized in this category are limited. Vacancies are available for the children of deceased or 100 percent disabled armed forces veterans whose death or disability was determined to be service-connected; or children of military personnel or federally employed civilian personnel who are in a missing or captured status. If you are eligible in this category, you will NOT be considered in the Presidential category.
To apply for this nomination, you must be promoted to candidate status. You will complete a nomination request letter. The format is found in the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal. You will be required to upload the letter and supporting documents. See the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal once you enter candidate status. The deadline for receiving this information is Jan. 31.
Children of Military or Civilian Personnel in Missing Status
The child of a parent who is in missing status is eligible if the parent is a member of the armed services or a civilian employee in active government service who is officially carried or determined to be absent in a status of missing; missing in action; interred in a foreign country; captured, beleaguered or besieged by a hostile force; or detained in a foreign country against his or her will.
To apply for this nomination, you must be promoted to candidate status. You will complete a nomination request letter. The format is found in the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal. You will be required to upload the letter and supporting documents. See the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal once you enter candidate status. The deadline for receiving this information is Jan. 31.
Children of Medal of Honor Recipients
Vacancies have been reserved without appointment limit for the children of Medal of Honor recipients who served in any branch of the armed forces. If candidates meet the eligibility requirements and qualify on entrance requirements, they receive an appointment to the Academy.
To apply for this nomination, you must be promoted to candidate status. You will complete a nomination request letter. The format is found in the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal. You will be required to upload the letter and supporting documents. See the Instructions to Candidates posted on your portal once you enter candidate status. The deadline for receiving this information is Jan. 31.
Honor Military Schools and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
Honor military high schools are designated by the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy (to include Marine JROTC), or the Department of the Air Force to nominate Academy candidates annually from among their honor students. Each honor unit may nominate five students to compete for vacancies. Students should request a nomination from their most senior Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) instructor.
Application for an Honor Military School nomination cannot be completed until you are promoted to candidate status in the application process and receive checklist items on your application portal. The nomination form is on the nomination checklist item on your application portal. Note: For Air Force JROTC and Honor Military School nominations, you must upload a copy of your Distinguished Unit Order. The Distinguished Unit Order is the order that identifies the unit of participation as a Distinguished Honor Unit. It must be on official letterhead and identify that the Air Force JROTC unit or Honor Military School program has been awarded the honor designation.
Members of college Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) units may also apply in this category. Five students from each AFROTC detachment may be nominated to compete for the authorized vacancies. Students should request a nomination from their AFROTC detachment commander. The nomination form is also on the nomination checklist item on your application portal and you must wait until you are in the application process to apply.
Consult with your Air Force JROTC, Honor Military School, or AFROTC cadre for more information about this process.
Air Force/Space Force Regular, Reserve, and National Guard Components
Vacancies are available for enlisted members of Regular, Reserve, and National Guard components of the Air Force and Space Force. Reserve and National Guard must have completed basic training.
To apply for this nomination, download and complete the AF Form 1786 . Be sure to obtain all the appropriate authorizations. Once the form is complete you will upload it in your Admissions portal. The deadline for receiving this information is Jan. 31.
Learn more about the ‘Enlisted to Officer’ (LEAD) program.
International Nominations
If you are a citizen of a country other than the United States, you must be nominated by your country.
Nominations from your government are processed through the United States Defense Attaché Office/American embassy serving your country.
Nominations must be received by the Academy by Dec. 15 for the class entering the following June.