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Admissions

The United States Coast Guard Academy prepares future leaders of the Coast Guard and our nation. We seek students of high moral character who bring an established academic, athletic and leadership track record.
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The United States Coast Guard Academy prepares future leaders of the Coast Guard and our nation. We seek students of high moral character who bring an established academic, athletic and leadership track record that outpaces the competition.

Admission to the Coast Guard Academy is highly competitive and based on merit. Congressional nominations are not required or considered.

Few applicants will meet our requirements. Fewer still will be offered an appointment. Each year, the Academy admits about 300 cadets from thousands of applicants. They’re exclusive tickets to an extraordinary educational experience.

If you want your ticket, if you aspire to an elite education, one that challenges you to learn, achieve, and lead, we encourage you to find out more about the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

ADMISSIONS

Resources

ADMISSIONS

CAREERS AND
OUTCOMES

As an Academy graduate, you receive a highly respected degree, a commission as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and a guaranteed position of leadership.

Explore the Campus and Region

Located on the banks of the Thames River in New London, Connecticut, the Academy’s picturesque, waterfront campus offers the idyllic New England college setting. The region we call home has a rich maritime heritage, one that has long embraced the sea, the military and higher education.
Discover the Academy
and New London

What the Academy Has to Offer

What the Academy Has to Offer

Featured Cadets

Jazmyn Brandon

Jazmyn Brandon
Choctaw, OK
Major: Mechanical Engineering

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Justin Summers

Justin Summers
San Ramon, CA
Major: Naval Architecture and
Marine Engineering

READ MORE

Isabella Ortez

Isabella Ortez
Armed Forces Europe (Belgium)
Major: Mechanical Engineering

READ MORE

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The Coast Guard is recognized as a leader in the field of search and rescue – on an average day, the Coast Guard saves 10 lives.
Whether a hurricane, flooding, oil spill or other disaster, the Coast Guard is ready to respond as the nation’s maritime first responder. The Coast Guard also renders aid to foreign nations struck by disaster.
The Coast Guard works with a variety of groups and organizations to ensure the livelihood of endangered marine species.
As a lead agency in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard is America’s shield of freedom, keeping America safe.
The Coast Guard works continuously with international, federal, state and local governments to detect, deter, and stop crime, terror, and violations of the law.
The Coast Guard is the nation’s first line of defense against drug smugglers seeking to bring illegal substances into the United States.
…against threats and disruption to critical infrastructure.
The Coast Guard provides training and information sharing to help developing countries establish and sustain maritime service capabilities.
As activity in the Arctic region continues to evolve and grow, the Coast Guard ensures the safety, security and stewardship of our nation’s arctic waters.
…the Coast Guard ensures freedom of navigation and the rule of law in arctic waters.
The Coast Guard experience is woven into the fabric of the sea – as an afloat officer in the Coast Guard, you lead in this vast realm.
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Links from these pages to non-Coast Guard sites are provided as a customer service and do not represent any implicit or explicit endorsement by the United States Coast Guard of any commercial or private issues or products presented there.