Nomination Information 

You should begin seeking nominations as soon as you have confirmed your basic eligibility to attend West Point. You must have a nomination to complete your application for admission to West Point. There are two types of nominations: Congressional and Service-Connected. The nomination requirement is unique to Service Academies. Information on obtaining a Congressional Nomination and/or a Service-Connected Nomination is included below. Read carefully and contact an Admissions Officer for additional information. Forms are available to fill out by clicking on the links under the respective information sections. .


Nomination Sources

  • U.S. Senators, Representatives, and Delegates, The President of the U.S. (including the governor of Puerto Rico and the delegates to Congress from Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Northern Marianas Islands)
  • The Vice President of the U.S.
  • Army (Active, Reserve, and National Guard)
  • Army Junior and Senior Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Units and Honor ROTC Units of other services
  • Children of deceased or disabled veterans and children of prisoners of war or servicemembers missing in action
  • Children of Medal of Honor Awardees

What To Do:

  • Apply for every nomination that you are eligible for. At a minimum, send a request to both U.S. Senators from your state, your Congressional representative in the House of Representatives, and the Vice President.
    • TIP: Start early! You should begin seeking nominations in the spring of your junior year, or as soon as you start your application to West Point. The nomination authorities determine their own internal process and deadlines, but the West Point deadline to receive your nomination is 31 January of the year you will enter. The online Vice Presidential nomination application is open between 1 March and 31 January.
  • Determine if you are eligible for nominations related to military service. For example, sons and daughters of career military personnel may be eligible for Presidential nominations. Service-Connected Nominations are due 15 December.

 

Service-Connected Nominations - Who Can Apply?

 

Sons and Daughters of "career military personnel" (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard)

  • Career military personnel, for the purpose of service-connected nominations, are members of an armed force (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard) who are currently on active duty (other than for training) with at least eight years of continuous active duty service, or who are, or who died while they were, retired with pay or granted retired or retainer pay. Service members currently serving in the reserve component who are credited with at least eight continuous years of service computed under section 12733 of Title 10, United States Code are also eligible. Finally, Reservists who would be, or who died while they would have been, entitled to retirement pay except for not having attained 60 years of age are also included in this category.
  • Applicants must furnish a statement of service, retirement orders, or casualty report to verify eligibility.
  • A step-parent's military service is applicable for this category only if the applicant was adopted.

Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard Soldiers

  • This category is for current Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard Soldiers.

Sons and Daughters of Deceased or Disabled Armed Forces Veterans

  • This category is for children of deceased or 100% disabled Armed Forces Veterans whose death or disability was determined by the Department of Veteran Affairs to be service-connected, and for children of military personnel or federally employed civilians who are in a missing or captured status.
  • Applicants should include a brief statement concerning the date, place, and cause of death or the details of disability together with the claim number assigned to the Veteran parent's case by the Department of Veteran Affairs (if appropriate).

Children of Medal of Honor recipients

  • Applicants should include a brief statement of the date and circumstances under which the Medal of Honor was earned, if applicable.

Army Junior and Senior ROTC Programs and Honor ROTC Units of Other Services

  • Applicants currently enrolled in an Army Junior or Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program or an ROTC program from another branch of service that has been designated as an Honor Unit with Distinction are eligible for a nomination in this category.
  • A request for a ROTC Nomination should be made through your Professor of Military Science or Senior Instructor who must submit a Request for ROTC Nomination (Form 5-497) to the Director of Admissions, U.S. Military Academy. NOTE: You must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view the Sample Statement below. A free version of the Adobe Reader software is available for download at the  Adobe website