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Visits Unrivaled

We believe that visiting is essential to making an informed decision. We are pleased to offer unparalleled college visits on-campus, on-the-road, and virtually! You are also welcome to tour the campus on your own or arrange a meeting with your Admission Officer between 8 AM and 4 PM Monday-Friday.

Campus Programs

Please join us to explore cadet life by registering for the programs below. To search for a virtual program select “Virtual” in “Category.

Search Schedule
A two-hour session held on select weekdays (1 PM to 3 PM) and select Saturdays (9 AM to 10:30 AM ET). Select Virtual Admissions Briefs are also available. This is a great introduction for first-time visitors.

Explore Admissions Brief and Tour Sessions

An overnight visit for junior and senior high school students and their parents. Genesis is designed for students of color and first generation college bound prospective applicants starting at 8:30 AM and ending at 12:00 PM the next day. In this experience your student will be paired up with a cadet for a behind the scenes look of all aspects of the campus to include academic, military, and athletic life. This program also includes parent informational sessions to help each family learn more about our campus and opportunities that are available to their student.

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An overnight visit for high school seniors and graduates, starting at 8:30 AM and ending at 12:00 PM the next day. Shadow a cadet for a truly authentic experience, after you and your parents attend a welcome session!

A day long visit for high school students, starting at 8:30 AM and ending at 3:40 PM. Enjoy presentations, lunch with cadets and staff, and a campus tour.

Join us online to interact with cadets, staff, and Coast Guard officers to understand the opportunities available at the CGA and beyond. Sessions typically are from 7-8:30 PM EST.

REGISTER FOR EVENTS NOW

A day long visit for female high school students, focusing on the opportunities and challenges of earning a technical degree. Learn why science, math or engineering degrees are the “best” first undergraduate degree! STEP combines real world academics with an Academy orientation. Guests will meet cadets, faculty, Admission staff, and like-minded young women. Participants depart better prepared to choose a college major, with insight about the unique opportunities available to Academy graduates. Guests arrive at 8:30 AM ET and depart at 4:00 PM.

  • 03 February 2025 (Please check back for sign-up link)

College Fairs

Explore here to learn about upcoming Black College Expo Fairs.
Explore here to learn about upcoming Hispanic College Fairs.
Meet us at the following virtual college fairs hosted by NACAC. You can:
  • Attend a presentation
  • Schedule a one-on-one meeting with your Admission Officer, before, after or during the Fair!
Visit National College Fairs for more information.

Off Campus

Besides high school visits and college fairs, we host Admission Workshops and attend congressionally sponsored service academy events around the country. Check the calendar and these sites for the latest opportunities.

Workshops
EAGLE Admissions Events
Apply Now

Admissions

Upcoming Programs

October 21
Bears Day
LEARN MORE
November 7
Genesis Invitational
LEARN MORE
December 5
Cadet for a Day
LEARN MORE

Contact Information

Admissions Visit
LTJG Lindsay Harnly
Campus Programs Manager
860-701-6678
Lindsay.M.Harnly@uscga.edu
Apply Now

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

  1. If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  2. If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  3. If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  4. If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  5. All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.

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Links from these pages to non-Coast Guard sites are provided as a customer service and do not represent any implicit or explicit endorsement by the United States Coast Guard of any commercial or private issues or products presented there.
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