Military Academy Nominations

The 2025-2026 Military Academy Nomination Application for Congresswoman McClain Delaney's Office is now Open.

Information About the Nomination Process:
The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Congresswoman April McClain Delaney may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies:

the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY
the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD
the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO
the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, the fifth service academy, does not require a congressional nomination.

Each applicant for a nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year of admission to the Academy. The academies, not our office, set these requirements:

Be at least 17 years old but not have passed the 23rd birthday (25th birthday for the Merchant Marine Academy)
Be a U.S. citizen or national
Be unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal obligation to support children or other dependents.
Reside within the boundaries of the 6th Congressional District of Maryland (Please go to https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative to confirm your residence in District 6)
Meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy

Nominations are based on a "whole person" evaluation. Factors such as academic achievements, extra-curricular activities, leadership skills, character, and motivation are considered and compared with other applicants.

Please note that in addition to applying for a nomination from our office, you MUST apply directly to the Academy of your choice. Rep. McClain Delaney's nomination does not automatically result in selection by the service academies. Appointment to each Academy is ultimately decided upon by the Academy to which the appointee has applied.

Once the application and supporting documentation is submitted, our office will reach out to the candidate to schedule an interview with the Service Academy Panel.

Click here to access the application form.

What is the deadline?

October 15, 2025

What must be included in my application file?

A complete nomination file consists of the following items in one PDF. Please ensure the documents are in the following order:

Cover Page with contact information
Photo - must be a recent head-shot in business casual attire
Resume detailing work and volunteer history, and personal accomplishments
Personal essay (500 words): Why do you want to attend a military academy? Why are you military academy material? What is your personal philosophy of leadership?
Three Letters of Recommendation* from non-familial sources that can speak to the candidate's potential for leadership, motivation, character, etc. For high school students, one of these letters must be from a STEM teacher.
High school/college transcripts
Most recent SAT/ACT scores [NO SuperScore or Score Choice] (We accept test scores up until interview dates. Include scores in packet)
First quarter/semester senior grades or progress report
Include copies of any LOA or LOE you may have received; Letter of Assurance (LOA) is a conditional offer of admission, while a Letter of Encouragement (LOE) indicates the academy is highly interested in a candidate and encourages them to continue the application process.

*Letters of recommendations may be submitted separately from your packet as long as they are received before your deadline. Email subject line would be in this format "StudentLastName StudentFirstName_Letter of Recommendation." Recommendations may be sent separately to Edena Bradford at MD06ServiceAcademyNominations@mail.house.gov

The Office of Congresswoman April McClain Delaney appreciates your interest in the United States Service Academies. Please contact Edena Bradford at MD06ServiceAcademyNominations@mail.house.gov to ask any questions.