1. (a) To be eligible for admission to the Academy a candidate must be at least 17 years of age and must not have passed his twenty-third birthday on July 1 of the year in which he enters the Academy.
2. (b) To be admitted to the Academy, an appointee must show, by an examination held under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force, that he is qualified in the subjects prescribed by the Secretary.
3. (c) A candidate designated as a principal or an alternate for appointment as a cadet shall appear for physical examination at a time and place designated by the Secretary.
4. (d) To be admitted to the Academy, an appointee must take and subscribe to an oath prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. If a candidate for admission refuses to take and subscribe to the prescribed oath, his appointment is terminated.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 565; Pub. L. 89–718, § 47, Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1121; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 555(d), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2527.)

In subsection (a), the words “Effective January 1, 1951” are omitted as executed. The word “Calendar” is omitted as surplusage. The words “must not have passed his twenty-second birthday” are substituted for the words “not more than twenty-two years of age”, to make it clear that a person whose twenty-second birthday falls on July 1 of the year of admission is eligible (see opinion of the Judge Advocate General of the Army (JAGA 1952/7083, 2 Sept. 1952)).

In subsection (b), the words “is qualified in” are substituted for the words “to be well versed in”. The words “To be” are substituted for the words “before they shall be”. The words “an appointee must show that he is qualified” are substituted for the words “shall be required to be well versed”. The words “from time to time” are omitted as surplusage.

In subsection (c), the word “shall” is substituted for the word “may”, since the nominee is required to appear for the examination. The word “appear” is substituted for the words “present himself”. The words “at a place” are substituted for the words “at West Point, New York, or other prescribed places”.

Amendments 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–201 substituted “twenty-third birthday” for “twenty-second birthday”.

1966—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 89–718 added subsec. (d).

Authority To Waive Maximum Age Limitation on Admission to Service Academies for Certain Enlisted Members Who Served During Persian Gulf War For authority to waive maximum age limitation in subsec. (a) of this section on basis of service on active duty in connection with Operation Desert Storm, see section 514 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as a note under section 4346 of this title.