Eligibility Requirements

To make sure you’re ready for anything the job demands, the Coast Guard has rigorous eligibility standards.

Select Officer Programs to see the Eligibility Requirements

Refer to the Coast Guard Recruiting Manual, COMDTINST M1100.2 (series) for more information about eligibility requirements.

Enlisted: Active Duty

Enlisted: Reserve

Officer Candidate School (OCS)

Officer: College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) Scholarship Program

Officer: CSPI Student Loan Repayment (CSPI-SLRP)

Officer: Direct Commission Aviator (DCA)

Officer: Direct Commission Cyber Officer (DCCO)

Officer: Direct Commission Engineer (DCE)

Officer: Direct Commission Environmental Manager (DCEM)

Officer: Direct Commission Health Service Officer (DCHSO)

Officer: Direct Commission Intelligence Officer (DCIO)

Officer: Direct Commission Lawyer (DCL)

Officer: Direct Commission Lawyer - Reserve (DCL-SELRES)

Officer: Direct Commission Physician Assistant (DCPA)

Officer: Direct Commission Physician Assistant - Reserve (DCPA-SELRES)

Officer: Direct Commission Selected School (DCSS)

Officer: Licensed Officer of the Merchant Marine (LOMM)

Officer: Maritime Academy Graduate (MARGRAD)

Officer: Prior Trained Military Officer (PTMO)

Officer: Select Reserve Direct Commission (SRDC)

Tattoos

There’s no limit on the number of tattoos you can have, but there are location restrictions and decency standards.

Fitness Standards

Physical fitness is important to military readiness. The Coast Guard’s fitness standards can be challenging, so start training your body early in the enlistment process.

Enlisted

At boot camp, enlisted recruits are expected to perform:

One minute of push-ups (men: 29, women: 15)
One minute of sit-ups (men: 38, women 32)
1.5-mile timed run (men: 12:51, women: 15:26)

Officer

At Officer Candidate School (OCS), officer candidates are expected to perform:

Cadence push-ups: one second down, one second up (men: 30, women: 20)
Two minutes of sit-ups (men: 60, women: 60)
1.5-mile timed run (men: 10:59, women: 12:49)

Swimming

Both boot camp and OCS include swim training. If you are uncomfortable in the water, you may benefit from strengthening your abilities before arrival.

Waivers

Coast Guard Recruiting Command can authorize case-by-case waivers to certain entrance standards for otherwise strong candidates. Your recruiter will determine if any are appropriate for you.