Service Academy Nomination

Service Academy Nominations

Thank you for your interest in serving our country through an appointment to a U.S. service academy.

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY. (The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, does not require a Congressional nomination for appointment)

To request a nomination for Representative Balint, please submit a completed Academy Nomination Application online (below).

The application for Fall 2025 admittance is now open. To apply, use the form below.

Remember: you MUST also contact an Academy directly to initiate the admissions process.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our Vermont office at 802-652-2450.

What is a nomination?

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 their state.

You may also qualify for nomination through other sources, including:

· The President of the United States, who nominates children of career military personnel, deceased or disabled veterans, military of civilian personnel in missing status, and Medal of Honor recipients.

· The Vice President of the United States, who nominates five individuals from across the United States per year.

What are the basic eligibility requirements?

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

· Must be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23^rd birthday.

· Must be a U.S. citizen

· Must be unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal obligation to support children or other dependents

· Must be a permanent resident of Vermont

· Must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy

When do I apply for a nomination?

The nomination application period opens May 15^th of each year for those candidates who are high school juniors and will be seniors the following school year, or who have already graduated.

What is the deadline for completing a nomination file?

The deadline for submitting a complete nomination application to Representative Balint’s Vermont office is November 15^th.

What must be included in my nomination application?

A complete nomination application consists of the following items:

· Application

· Resume of extracurricular activities

· A cover letter stating why you want to attend a service academy (500 words or less)

· High school transcript

· A minimum of three letters of recommendation

Which application materials can be submitted online?

· Application

· Resume of extracurricular activities

· A cover letter stating why you want to attend a service academy (500 words or less)

Which application materials must be emailed separately?

· High school transcript (must be sent by your high school)

· A minimum of three letters of recommendation (those that are writing your letters must send them independently)

Email Address: VT00.Academy.Nominations@mail.house.gov (please note: 00 are the number zero, not the letter Os)

What are the five service academies and where are they located?

· U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York

· U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland

· U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado

· U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York

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

Are the requirements the same for all academies?

No. Although many of the qualifications are similar, each academy operates under its own admissions guidelines. Visit the website of the academy of your choice for detailed admissions qualifications.

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

Applicants typically seek recommendations from the following:

· Teachers

· Counselors

· Employers

· Coaches

· Clergy

· Scout Leaders

A specific recommendation form is not required. A letter of recommendation is sufficient.

Will I automatically be admitted to the academy after I receive a nomination?

No. A Congressional nomination does not guarantee admission; it represents only one component of a complete application. You will still need to meet rigorous admissions standards for the school.

Can I choose more than one academy or am I limited to a single nomination?

You can be nominated to multiple academies depending on how well you have competed among this year’s pool of candidates. It is also possible to receive multiple appointments.

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

Academies will begin to notify candidates of their admission status in February. All offers of appointment are generally communicated by May.

Required fields are followed by *.

Contact Information

Prefix: *

First Name: *

Last Name: *

Suffix:

Email Address: *

Street Address Information

Street Address: *

Street Address: (Continued)

City: *

State: *

Zip Code: *

Mailing Address Information

Mailing Address: *

Mailing Address: (Continued)

City: *

State: *

Zip Code: *

Phone Number: *

Date of Birth: *

Gender: *

U.S. Citizen? * Yes No

Country of Citizenship:

Parent/Guardian Information

Names of Parents/Guardians:

Street Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Education Information

High School Name: *

High School Address: *

City: *

State: *

Zip Code: *

High School Phone Number: *

GPA: *

Class Size:

Class Rank:

Graduation Date:

Have you asked your school to send a transcript to Representative Balint?: * Yes No

Will your references be sending letters of recommendation to Representative Balint? We will not contact your references independently. * Yes No

Reference Information

Contact information for three references:

Reference 1

Name/Title:

Street Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Reference 2

Name/Title:

Street Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Reference 3

Name/Title:

Street Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Academy Information

Have you requested nomination from any of the following sources?: * Senator Bernie Sanders
Senator Peter Welch
The Vice President
The President

Rank from 1st to 4th, the Academy or Academies for which you wish you to be considered, leaving those you are not interested in applying to blank:

First Pick:

Second Pick:

Third Pick:

Fourth Pick:

In addition to submitting this form, please also email your cover letter and resume as separate PDFs to VT00.Academy.Nominations@mail.house.gov. Your cover letter to Representative Balint should be one-page explaining why you want to attend your desired Academy(ies) and why you deserve a nomination to that Academy. Your resume should list your work experience, significant academic accomplishments, and extracurricular activities throughout your school, church or community, especially those in which you have assumed leadership roles.