Leadership Development Branch (FC-LDR)

Leadership Development Branch (FC-LDR)

Commandant (FC-LDR)
U.S. Coast Guard
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
Stop 7907
Washington, D.C. 20593-7907

National Defense University (Civilian)

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Aug. 14, 2026 —

AY27-28 applications are due by COB Monday, September 21, 2026.

About

The National Defense University (NDU), located on Ft. McNair in Washington, DC) educates joint warfighters and other national security leaders in critical thinking and the creative application of military power to inform national strategy and globally integrated operations, under conditions of disruptive change, in order to prevail in war, peace, and competition.

NDU colleges are in-residence, full-time programs that culminate in the award of a Master's Degree upon successful completion of the program.

NDU opportunities are part of the DHS Academic Programs that provide employees with degree and professional development opportunities for Coast Guard civilians and military members. Application periods vary, and programs are added throughout the year.

The Programs

National Defense University programs provide graduate-level education focused on national security, strategic leadership, resource strategy, information, and cybersecurity. All NDU programs are located at Ft. McNair in Washington, DC.

College of International Security Affairs

Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies

Eligibility: GS-14 or higher; Top Secret (SCI eligibility)

Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy

Master of Science in National Resource Strategy

Eligibility: GS-14 or higher; Secret

College of Information and Cyberspace

Master of Science in Government Information Leadership

Eligibility: GS-13 or higher; Top Secret (SCI eligibility)

National War College

Master of Science in National Security Strategy

Eligibility: GS-14 or higher; Secret

Eligibility Requirements

Full-time, permanent federal employees who have been with DHS for at least one year at the time the application is due are eligible to apply.
Employees must have achieved at least a “Meets Expectations” rating or equivalent on their most recent review and must be in good standing.

Funding

These programs are fully funded for participants, including all travel and per diem expenses associated with class trips.

Applicants Outside the Local Commuting Area

If you live outside the local commuting area of your program of choice, travel or moving costs, lodging, per diem, and other incidental expenses associated with the one-time move from the applicant’s permanent duty location to the school location, and the one-time move back to the permanent duty station following completion of the course of study, are the responsibility of the applicant’s unit.

These expenses should be considered by the applicant and leadership before applying, as participation may require a move, travel, and payment of per diem.

Participants will be required to sign a Continuing Service Agreement if selected to attend a school.

Education

Applicants must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Consideration is given to applicants who already have a master’s degree.

An official transcript from the institution awarding the highest degree must be included. The official transcript should be sent to the applicant’s home so it can be attached to the application. An official transcript is needed for each application being submitted.

Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on their most recent transcript.

Any individual who has completed a degree under a Department of Homeland Security graduate academic program within the last three years is not eligible to apply.

Application Procedures

Applications must be received by the Coast Guard program point of contact listed below no later than COB Monday, September 21, 2026.

Find the application here>>

Applicants may apply to multiple schools (NDU or DoW Service Schools). However, a separate application and separate letters of recommendation must be completed for each school.

Please read all instructions on the application form as they pertain to length and formatting.

Complete and sign the application document.
Obtain the direct supervisor’s signature.
Include the required transcript with the application package.
Redact any personally identifiable information that is not required from the transcript.
Properly secure and password-protect personally identifiable information when submitting the application.
Be prepared to provide an official transcript to the school following initial acceptance.

The application package is not considered complete unless all required items are included.

Selection Process

All applications will be prescreened based on the eligibility requirements listed in the criteria and forwarded to the DHS Graduate Education Nomination Committee for review.

Nomination by the Graduate Education Nomination Committee does not guarantee participation in the program. Each school reserves the final decision to select a nominee for participation.

The number of nominations is based on available billets and may include alternates for each program. The number of available billets varies by school and academic year.

Program Manager

For questions or to submit an application, please email Ms. Alyssa Lombardi Blase:

SMB-COMDT-DHSAcademicProgramsAdministration@uscg.mil

Additional Information

DHS Academic Programs information is accessible only through Coast Guard workstations.

If you do not already have access to the DHS Connect site pages, you will need to submit a guest account creation request to the HQ O365 Team using the SNOW form titled “Tier0 Catalog Item - DHS OCIO IT4me Self-Service Portal.”

Inactive guest accounts are deleted after 90 days.