United States Air Force Academy

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With a history of excellence and a focus on the future, the United States Air Force Academy instills cadets with pride and integrity while preparing them to serve their country and succeed in 21st-century careers.
As a public university and a military service academy, we lead the way into an increasingly complex future, driving advancement and innovation in air, space, and cyberspace, among countless other fields. Whether you come to Colorado Springs for the world-class education, military training, Division I athletics, or character-building challenge and adventure, one thing is sure, the Academy experience—more than 60 years in the making—is unlike any other.
The United States Air Force Academy does not just graduate cadets. It produces the Nation’s best leaders of character. From the application process to the first day of Basic Cadet Training, the Academy seeks out and trains cadets to adhere to qualities of moral excellence to final exams.
At the United States Air Force Academy, our rigorous academic program balances Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) with the arts and humanities. Our robust core curriculum places cadets at these disciplines' intersection, generating opportunities to cultivate and apply creative and complex problem-solving abilities.
This challenging yet rewarding academic program continues to garner national recognition. We offer 27 majors and four minors, unique research opportunities, and a variety of post-graduate scholarships. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to developing cadets as officers and scholars, stoking intellectual curiosity, and committing lifelong learning. This academic program is woven into the Academy's broader fabric and its programs in character and leadership development, athletics, and airmanship. Academy graduates are well-equipped with the knowledge, skills, and responsibilities necessary to serve the Air Force and the Nation as character leaders.
Here at the Air Force Academy, we are committed to meeting the highest ideals of a broad, liberal education while also providing our cadets with the best possible preparation for a lifetime of service to the Nation. Achieving this balance is one of the most unique and critical contributions of the Air Force Academy to the officer corps. No other commissioning source can create the collaborative blending of rigorous academics, military training, character and leadership development, and competitive athletics than what defines the four-year experience cadets have at the Air Force Academy.
Nowhere is the Academy’s commitment more evident than in the Core Curriculum, which all cadets are required to complete. As part of the Core, all cadets, regardless of academic major, complete 29 Dean of Faculty courses across a variety of academic disciplines while also engaging in military training programs, participating in seminars and symposia offered by our Center for Character and Leadership Development, and completing required Physical Education courses offered by our Director of Athletics. Importantly, these diverse programs are purposefully integrated to create a one-of-a-kind four-year experience that prepares our cadets to serve as commissioned officers in the greatest Air Force in the world. There are two libraries in the United States Air Force Academy Library (DFLIB) system that support faculty and staff, cadets, and other patrons of the Academy—McDermott Library and the Base Library.
There are many cutting-edge learning centers, historical relics, and outdoor retreats to explore at the United States Air Force Academy. Each contributes to the unique experiences had by our visitors, cadets, faculty, and more. Visit our renowned, all-faiths Cadet Chapel, with its towering spires reaching 150 feet in the air, or sneak a peek at Polaris Hall, home to our new Center for Character and Leadership Development. Head over to Falcon Stadium to catch a game or attend a STEM outreach event at one of our 19 research centers. Whether you are here as a visitor, cadet, or staff member, one thing is sure, the Academy experience—decades in the making—is unlike any other.
Research is a staple of our educational program, with increasingly diverse interdisciplinary programs encompassing more than 20 research centers and institutes. The research significantly enhances the cadet learning experience by providing rich, independent learning opportunities and fostering the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed as leaders in the Air Force and beyond. The United States Air Force Academy is the No. 1 funded undergraduate research institution in the country, according to a survey conducted by the National Science Foundation. Also, Forbes recently named the Academy the No. 5 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) school. Our research program is fueled by partnerships, with 19 centers and two institutes, cadets, faculty, and industry all working together to benefit tomorrow’s, Air Force.
As aviation advanced after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, the Nation’s military aviation service followed a constantly growing lineage from 1907 to 1947. Officials discussed establishing an aeronautical academy for decades, and when the Air Force became a separate service in 1947 under the National Security Act, plans for an Air Force Academy officially got underway.

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