Our nation's service academies provide young men and women with the excellent education and leadership skills they need to succeed in the future.
Students must obtain a nomination in order to compete for admission to any of the four Service Academies and should apply for a nomination in the spring of their junior year.
Please note: The deadline for submission is Friday, October 4th, 2024. Please apply apply here.
FAQs
In order to be considered for a nomination, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility requirements by July 1 of the year of admission:
- Be between the ages of 17 and 23 (25 for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy)
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be a resident of the State of New Hampshire
- Be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.
A nomination from a qualified nomination source allows you to compete with other students to be accepted into the Service Academies. If you are nominated by Senator Shaheen's office, you will be placed among a select group of nominees, and the academy of your choice will make the final decision. A nomination DOES NOT guarantee you an appointment to a service academy.
Students are encouraged to seek nominations from all available sources. In addition to applying to Senator Shaheen's office, it is also recommended that you apply to Senator Maggie Hassan's office as well as either Representative Ann McLane Kuster or Representative Chris Pappas (please note that the Representatives may only nominate those students who reside in their district).
In addition to the Congressional nomination process, nominations may also be available to qualifying students from the following sources: President and Vice President of the United States and the Secretary of each military department; Army, Navy and Air Force.
Yes, it is absolutely critical that a student open an application with the Service Academy in which they are interested. Opening an application with the Service Academy will allow Senator Shaheen's office to track your application online, and if nominated, submit the student's nomination online to the Service Academy.
Each academy uses a questionnaire to make an initial assessment of an applicant's potential for an appointment. The results of this evaluation are provided by each academy to Members of Congress to assist them in screening their applicants for nominations. Please be sure to complete a pre-candidate questionnaire for each academy in which you are interested.
You may obtain a pre-candidate questionnaire from each of the Service Academy websites (below).
As part of the nomination process, several items are required to process your application. Please refer to our nominations portal to begin your application and see a list of required documents. The following items are required to process your request for a nomination. **Please note that submitting these items does not guarantee you a nomination.
- Official Request Letter - official letter from you, stating that you are requesting a nomination from Senator Shaheen. Phone calls or emails requesting a nomination will not serve as the official request letter.
- Resume
- Personal Statement (not to exceed one page single spaced)
- Official copy of High School Transcripts (if applicable, college transcripts should also be included)
- SAT/ACT scores - copies of your official scores will be accepted. If you would like to send your scores directly from the College Board you may use the SAT code 0225 or ACT code 7158.
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Three letters of recommendation (please do not submit more than three letters of recommendation)
- One from a teacher, principal or guidance counselor
- One from an employer, coach, or extracurricular faculty advisor
- One from anyone NOT related to you
Yes, each student who is deemed fully qualified to attend an academy will be required to participate in an interview with Senator Shaheen's Service Academy Nomination Board.
If you are a fully qualified candidate, you will be contacted by one of Senator Shaheen's staff members to schedule an interview with Senator Shaheen's Service Academy Nomination Board. The interview date and time will be determined after all applications have been received and reviewed.
If you are looking for additional information on one or more of the Service Academies, please visit their websites directly:
- U.S. Military Academy: www.usma.edu
- U.S. Air Force Academy: www.usafa.edu
- U.S. Merchant Marine Academy: www.usmma.edu
- U.S. Naval Academy: www.usna.edu
Application materials are accepted on a rolling basis beginning June 1, 2024. Please note that no priority will be given to those applications submitted earlier than others. All applications are submitted to Senator Shaheen's Service Academy Nomination Board two weeks prior to the date of interviews.
**No application materials via email or fax will be accepted**
All application materials must be completed no later than October 4, 2024. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
Please create an account on our nominations portal to apply for a nomination.
All students will be notified of the nomination results by January 1, 2025.
If you have more questions regarding a nomination to a U.S. Service Academy, Senator Shaheen's staff is more than happy to help. You may reach our office at 603-647-7500
