Each year, hundreds of Louisiana's best and brightest young men and women contact my office about a nomination to a service academy. The five service academies include the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Nominations are required for every service academy except the Coast Guard Academy. Please note that acceptance at an academy involves at least a nine-year obligation: four years at the academy and five years of military service.
Applicants are encouraged to visit the websites for each academy to determine the entrance requirements as well as the respective deadlines for applications. Every applicant must meet the requirements listed below to be eligible to receive a nomination from one of the authorized nominating sources. Nominating sources available to each applicant are their two U.S. Senators, their U.S. Representative, the vice president, and the president.
Members of Congress may have no more than five people attending each service academy at any given time. For each vacancy, 10 nominations may be submitted to the respective academy admissions office. Each academy makes offers of appointment on a competitive basis according to the eligibility of all 10 nominees.
Eligibility requirements
An applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements by July 1 of the year of admission to a Service Academy unless otherwise stated:- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Must be a legal resident of Louisiana.
- Must be at least 17 years of age, but cannot have passed his or her 23rd birthday. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy allows individuals between the ages of 17 and 25 to apply.
- Must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the respective academy.
- Must have an open application with at least one Service Academy by November 1, 2026.
- Cannot be pregnant or have a legal obligation to support children or other dependents.
To receive a nomination from Senator Kennedy's office, applicants must have an ACT score of at least 25 or an SAT score of at least 1200.
Senator Kennedy's office accepts applications every year beginning in September and ending in November. The application period for 2026-2027 opens on September 1, 2026 and closes at 11:59 p.m., November 1, 2026. All application materials and the open-application requirement with at least one service academy must be submitted by this same November 1, 2026 deadline; incomplete or late files will be disqualified from the interview phase.
Applicants requesting more information or having questions about academy nominations should contact Senator Kennedy's Academy Nominations Coordinator by email at academy_kennedy@kennedy.senate.gov.
2026-2027 Application requirements
Access to the online application opens September 1, 2026 and closes at 11:59 p.m., November 1, 2026. An incomplete application account will not be considered, and no exceptions will be made.
For high school seniors, college students, and active-duty military members:
- Senator Kennedy's application process is completed entirely online, including the submission of all transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other required materials. To have these files submitted directly into the applicant's online portal, the applicant should email Academy_Kennedy@kennedy.senate.gov with the applicant's full name as the subject line.
- Applicants will not be allowed to create an account until the application process opens on September 1, 2026. During the application window, applicants can create an account for the online application. Each applicant will be given a password to this account so that he or she can update data on the online application as the applicant works toward completion. The following items are required to complete the online application:
- One-page resume only
- Three letters of recommendation: Letters must be addressed to Senator Kennedy and may come from sources of the candidate's choice but cannot include family members. Applicants may submit only three letters of recommendation.
- Transcript: An official transcript of the applicant's high school academic record must show his or her final junior grades and numerical class rank or percentile rank. If the applicant's school only provides sealed transcripts and letters of recommendation, those may be mailed to Senator Kennedy's Monroe office. Please notify the Academy Nominations Coordinator if this is the applicant's school's policy.
- SAT and/or ACT scores: A minimum score of 25 on the ACT or 1200 on the SAT is required to apply for a nomination, but meeting the minimum score does not guarantee an applicant will move on to the interview phase. Scores may be submitted from the testing agency directly, or the applicant may upload a copy of scores printed from the testing agency website. Scores will only be accepted in these two ways. If an applicant is waiting on scores from a previous test date at the time applications are due, the applicant should notify the Academy Nominations Coordinator via email.
- Candidate essays: Applicants must answer each question included on the online application.
- Headshot: A 2 ½" x 3 ½" photo, submitted as a jpeg or png file only.
Interviews
After the November 1, 2026 deadline, Senator Kennedy's office will work with the academies to determine interview status. A complete file does not guarantee an interview. Interviews are typically held the first Thursday and Friday of December in Baton Rouge and are mandatory; candidates will select their interview time once notified. Rescheduling is only permitted for a documented family illness or emergency. Applicants will be notified no later than November 20, 2026 if they are moving to the interview phase.
Additional information
For more information on the service academies, applicants may check their respective websites: |
Office of U.S. Senator John N. Kennedy
Attn: Hannah Livingston, Academy Nominations Coordinator
1651 Louisville Avenue, Suite 148
Monroe, LA 71201
Phone (318) 361 1489
