Becoming a Marine: Initial Requirements

What does it take to join the Marine Corps? There are physical, mental, and moral requirements that must be met before you enlist as a Marine or commission as a Marine Officer.

To enlist as a Marine, you must obtain your high school diploma and be a legal U.S. resident between 17 and 28.

To commission as a Marine Officer, you must be a United States citizen between 20 and 28 and have obtained both a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree.

Both enlisted and officer candidates must pass a criminal background check and have no felony convictions.

New recruits must pass The Initial Strength Test, or IST, to demonstrate their physical fitness. The IST consists of pull-ups or flexed arm hang, a plank, and a 1.5-mile timed run.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, determines eligibility and appropriate MOS assignment. The ASVAB test has 9 parts that measure verbal, math, science, technical, and spatial aptitude.

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About the United States Marine Corps:

The Marine Corps defends the people of the United States at home and abroad. Within every Marine is the willingness to engage and determination to defeat any adversary, and it is this fighting spirit that allows us to fight and win our Nation’s battles.

The mission of the United States Marine Corps is made up of three promises: We make Marines, we win our Nation’s battles, and we develop quality citizens prepared to fight and win battles.

You don’t join the Marines—you become one, forged in the crucible of training aboard our recruit depots on Parris Island, South Carolina, and in San Diego, California, or through the dedication required of officer candidates at Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia. Beyond the physical requirements, aspiring Marines must prove they have the honor, courage, and commitment to face and defeat any obstacle.

Today, more than 180,000 enlisted Marines and 23,000 Marine Officers serve in active duty or reserve forces on bases and in communities around the world, proudly carrying with them the core values of the Marine Corps.

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