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.


Connect with Marine Corps Recruiting:


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.

[cvbrocks]

I fear I do not meet the physical requirements for a Marine but my desire to become one has been unwaivered by my physical form. Because I know my will power will be able to push me through. I've been training for the IST since January, I have wounded my shins and sprained my arms multiple times. But I am determined to earn that title of Marine. I'm signing up, and will put myself to the test

[jpturner]

Semper Fi, from a mustang Marine! PI graduated 73 .... USNA 78 🇺🇸👍🏽

God bless all of you new Marines ...keep our Corps STRONG!

[jesuscabrera]

Mistakes I made at 18 have keeps me from fulfilling my dream of becoming a marine. It is what it is.

[redwemette]

One thing to remember: The Marine Corps is NOT for everyone. I served in the late 60"s and was never sorry I joined. I'm 73 years old now and I thank the Corps for the best training in the world. Semper Fi

[NoLc]

1:59 GySgt Moffet and GySgt Sensing, my PTIs. Badass women right there

[Schwtz]

If a person wants to join the military, to serve their country, for whatever reasons they have, are physically and mentally fit, they should be able to regardless of age restrictions, marines stop at 28 but can get an age waiver for most part, and army stops at 40 and some of them older guys are tough as nails.

[IvanRodriguez-iceq]

Jeez I wanna become one just because I wanna be fit and become disciplined i do t know if its the right path but college isn’t for me but i don’t know if I can pass it I don’t even know how to swim I gotta get on the grind now

[GTMarine]

When I went through OCS in 2010, our OSO in Atlanta wouldn’t send anyone unless they had a 295 PFT. All of us in our small group were 300 PFTers. And then once we got there, 2-3 from our group DOR’d. No sleep gets to a lot of guys in the end…

[lamarrdeshields]

That was a awesome video that would motivate me

[TheFacilityguy]

The benefits and responsibilities for life!

[arizonarangerbutupsidedown]

It sounds hard but it’s not, it’s just a haze fest until you climb the reaper and become a marine. Graduated from MCRD Beginning of last year

[yamother]

I wanna be a marine but what holds me back is that I graduated high school but I floated by with shitty teachers and I feel like I didn’t learn anything so I don’t feel smart enough to work under pressure :/

[Callsign_Scythe]

although I may do something else when I'm older possibly pottery or a story written I dream to be a Marine I know my physical well being, my emotional well being and my education may lower my chances on entering but I want to force myself to be better than what I am now I hope that I will have the chance to join any branch but the top one on my list is the Marine Corps I'll just have to see if I have the strength to force myself to be a better version of me than I am now. my father keeps on telling me to not even think about enlisting but I won't let him stop me from possibly achieving my dream and I hope that I will not back down from this dream even if I do choose a different future I dream to join, to become a better person than I am now, to feel like I've actually achieved something in my life to feel like I matter but I also wish that I might find that same feeling in a different and more healthy way other than forcing myself to do things and pushing my mental health aside. (I'm 13 and I've been told over and over again "what do you wanna do when you grow up" or "have you figured out what job your gonna do" and I still don't know what I want to do with my life I just wanna feel like I matter to people.)

[sburton]

Apparently, even for the age requirement, it would be too late for me since I'm 38 years old, soon to be 39 in May.

[vecremser]

What happened to the 30 pushups requirement?

[painhurts_]

I’m very dedicated on joining the marines I’ve thought hard over the past 2 years about this, however I don’t have a highschool diploma Im working on my ged currently but I don’t think it’s gonna work for me and it’s been really upsetting me lately. I’m 19 I know I have the physical requirements down and I’m very common sense smart and technical and I’m ready to take on the training but no highschool diploma I couldn’t finish highschool life was very hard during that time for me and I only want to join the marines.

[Runejitsu]

Did the pull up requirements change? I remeber it was like 20 when I was 19? I never joined but im looking forward to a 2 pull up entry due to a shoulder injury. Which is treatable

[LoneLeagle]

Are there any options to join the Marines at age 29 or 30?

[frederickgates]

Would've liked to if I could this from an old soldier

[zacharyvoyer]

I can do all the requirements already except for the pull ups