The USNA at Annapolis, Maryland, offers an outstanding career opportunity for qualified applicants as officers in the USMC or United States Navy (USN). Students at the USNA are Midshipmen, USN, receiving midshipmen pay, tuition, room, and board. Upon graduation, they receive a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission in the USMC or USN. You may commission as a Surface Warfare Officer (Navy Ship driver), Submariner, Naval Aviator/Flight Officer, or Marine Ground/Aviation Contract. Graduates are obligated to serve at least five years on active duty (eight for aviation contracts).

The Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) is located in Newport, Rhode Island. It provides ten months of intensive instruction in preparation for the academic, military, and PT curriculums at the USNA. Although attendance at NAPS is not mandatory, in the past many Marine appointments to the USNA have been awarded to those graduates of NAPS who are recommended and qualified for such appointment. The time does not count towards your four years at the Academy.

Consideration. In order to be considered for the USNA, to include the NAPS, if desired, all applicants must comply with the USNA Application instructions to become a candidate for nomination. Each nominee will be required to take a medical examination prior to becoming qualified for appointment.

United States Naval Academy (USNA) Non-Selects. Those applicants not selected for a direct appointment to the USNA may be considered for admission to the NAPS if the Marine is eligible.

In order to select those candidates who have the necessary qualifications to successfully complete the academic and physical demands associated with this program, detailed nominating, screening, and selection procedures are required.

General Qualifications. To be eligible for a nomination for admission to the USNA, an applicant must be:
(1) A citizen of the United States
(2) Of good moral character,
(3) At least 17 and not past their 23rd birthday on 1 July of the year they would enter the academy,
(4) Unmarried, not pregnant, and have no dependent children for which they are legally responsible,
(5) An acceptable score on the SAT or ACT tests as decided by the USNA.
(6) Medically qualified to include
(a) Visual acuity qualifying standard is 20/20 in each eye.
Waivers may be granted to a limited number of candidates with exceptional scholastic and leadership achievements whose eyes are without excessive refractive error and will correct to 20/20 with conventional prescription lenses
(b) Normal color vision is required (exceptions are made for some colorblindness)
(c) If an applicant is found to be reasonably qualified scholastically then the Director, Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board, will schedule the Marine for the service academy qualifying medical examination.

Marines will require nomination by their Chain of Command through the Commanding General.

Civilians will require nomination from one of their state's Senators or their local Congressmen, as well as to conduct interviews with Blue & Gold Officers (Alumni) and recruiters for the Academy. They can apply as high school students or as college students from another college (if they are underclassmen). You will still be required to complete four years of college at the academy, so if you transfer in, you will receive some credit for classes you have taken but will not graduate early.