- United States Air Force Academy
- United States Military Academy
- United States Naval Academy
- United States Merchant Marine Academy
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year of admission:
- Reside in the 2nd Congressional District to receive a nomination from Congressman Polis
- Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed their 23rd birthday (25th birthday for the Merchant Marine)
- Be a legal U.S. Citizen
- Be unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal obligations to support children or dependents
Applying for a Nomination
Those interested in a nomination must complete and submit an application. You must also begin the application process with the U.S. Service Academy or Academies of your choice, as well as your U.S. senators and/or the vice president of the United States. Congressional representatives may only nominate a slate of 10 applicants for each U.S. Service Academy vacancy. A nomination panel and staff will review applications and conduct interviews. Congressman Polis will review and confirm the panel’s recommendations.
The nomination method may vary by Congressional office. The nomination method used in the 2nd Congressional District is called “competitive with a primary, ” and is designed to select qualified and diverse candidates. Of the 10 nominations comprising of a slate, one candidate will be selected as a primary and listed in the #1 slot. The other nine candidates will be listed as a competitive nomination in slots #2-10. The U.S. Service Academy will review all 10 nominations for the most qualified candidates. They have the ultimate responsibility to appoint based on several “whole person” factors, including, but not limited to: academic and test records, athletic activities, leadership potential, medical qualifications, extracurricular activities, and diversity in perspective.
