United States Coast Guard Academy

The United States Coast Guard Academy or USCGA is located in New London, Connecticut, the school having been established in 1876. The academy offers university courses and officer training for the United States Coast Guard. Around three-hundred students are admitted each year, and it is the smallest of the five federal service academies. The school was originally located in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1876, before moving to Curtis Bay, Maryland in 1900, Fort Trumbull, Connecticut, in 1910, and then to its current location on the bank of the Thames River near New London, Connecticut in 1932. The school operates the only active duty tall ship in the U.S. military, USCGC Eagle. The ship was obtained from Germany in 1947, following World War II.

The USCGA is not quite as selective as the other military academies, as it does not require a nomination from any sort of political figure; however, high academic standing and physical fitness are required to be accepted. The academy offers multiple degrees in engineering, degrees related to maritime activity, as well as degrees in government and management. Military training is a major aspect of the academy, with programs that graduates must attend each summer, prior to classes starting. This involves on-deck training on the USCGC Eagle for several summers, along with other standard military training principles. Upon graduation, students are obligated to a five-year term as an officer in the United States Coast Guard.