United States
Coast Guard Academy

Application Timeline

Application - Availability and Deadline

The application opens in mid-July and closes in early January on the Regular Admission deadline; all required application material must be received by January 15. The application consists of four parts:

      • Online Application

      • Medical Examination

      • Physical Fitness Examination

      • Interview

Before you start your application, have a few things handy:

      • Your Bear's Den login credentials

      • The names, email and phone numbers of teachers who will submit your recommendations

      • The name, email and phone number of the adult who will submit your Physical Fitness Exam results

      • The names of the colleges your parents and siblings have attended (if any)

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply for the Coast Guard Academy if you are:

      • A U.S. citizen of sound moral character

      • Unmarried with no dependents or financial debt

      • 17-22 years of age on July 1 of the year of entry

      • A high school graduate or GED recipient (or will be prior to entry)

    • If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may want to consider applying to be an International Cadet.

Medical Examination

The Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB) and its contractor coordinate your medical examination to determine if you meet medical qualifications for admission.
Watch for a letter or email after you submit your application. Follow these instructions to schedule your exam and track results.
If the exam is not done by April 15, or your qualifications are still uncertain by May 1, you will not be eligible for further consideration.

Physical Fitness Exam (PFE)

You are responsible to arrange for the PFE. Find an adult to administer the PFE and submit your scores. The Academy will email instructions to this person after you submit your online application.

Download the PFE Instruction Manual and audio file to prepare in advance.
PFE Instruction Manual
 PFE Cadence Push-Ups (Audio File)

Applicants to the Coast Guard Academy must complete the PFE; the Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) cannot be substituted for this required application item.

Interview

Admissions may request to interview applicants and prospective applicants in order to best meet your needs and the Academy's enrollment goals. If so, a representative of Admissions will contact you. If selected for an interview, participation is required.

Early Action

The Academy’s Early Action review group is non-binding. All applicants appointed in this group will still have until May 1st to accept or decline.
High school seniors and active duty military members are eligible for Early Action. Those attending college or a post-grad year are not unless they are first-time applicants.