Academy Dreams
Hamilton Hall, a brick building with a white clock tower, on a summer day

USCGA · High school roadmap

Freshman year: U.S. Coast Guard Academy9th grade · Build the habits

Your 9th grade checklist for USCGA, built from the official pages we track.

Hamilton Hall at the Coast Guard Academy, July 2008. Photo: US Coast Guard Academy via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Why this year matters

You don't need to apply yet, but the habits you build now matter.

Checklist for freshman year

Start here

  • Get moving. Join a sports team, or a local program if your school doesn't have one1.
  • Look for leadership programs such as JROTC, Scouts, or Civil Air Patrol1.

Key deadlines

The official pages we track list no dated USCGA deadlines for freshman year. Dated steps start in junior year. See junior year or the full deadline list.

Dates change. Always confirm on the official USCGA admissions site and your congressional offices’ pages.

USCGA-specific notes

Eligibility basics2

  • Age: 17–22 on the last Monday in June
  • Other basics: U.S. citizen; unmarried; no dependents or financial debt

Sources

  1. USAFA Grades 8–10 (usafa.edu)
  2. USCGA Requirements (uscga.edu)

Keep every USCGA date on your calendar.

Coming soon: reminder emails before applications open, nomination deadlines close and summer program windows shut.

Reminders coming soonAll deadlines