SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — The U.S. Naval Academy is accepting applications from enlisted sailors and Marines for the class of 2016.

The academy is responsible for officer development, and graduates receive a commission as well as a bachelor of science degree in one of the 23 offered academic majors, according the Navy news release. To be eligible, applicants must meet competitive standards based on academic, military, and physical performance.

Top enlisted sailors designated as junior sailors or Bluejackets of the quarter — or who graduated in the top 20 percent of their “A” and “C” schools — are encouraged to apply, the release said. Applicants must not have passed their 23rd birthday by July 1, 2012, and cannot be married or pregnant, or have parental obligations.

Classes in Annapolis, Md., begin in July of next year. The deadline to apply is Jan. 31 and completed applications and recommendations must be received no later than March 1.

For more information on admissions and applications, go to: http://www.usna.edu/admissions/steps.htm.