10 Toughest Military Training Academies in the World

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: it’s very difficult to nail down a definite list of the toughest military training academies in the world.  We could spend days attempting to pick apart what aspects of a given military’s training regimen makes it ‘tougher’ than the next and make little if any progress.  Inextricably linked in a subjective debate such as this are equally subjective criterion such as mental toughness, physical toughness, and a litany of others that are brain-scratchingly difficult to quantify.  

In theory, if you graduated from the Full Metal Jacket school of thought, you could argue that cruelty is a defining factor in any debate about the Best, Most Elite, Hardest Training Special Forces in the World, but that too is quite difficult to measure.  How does one assign a value to sadism; and even if such a methodology existed, how likely is it that the cruelest, jaw-dropping facets of a military’s training procedures actually surfaced to the level of public awareness?  There are things that my older brothers subjected me to as a kid that I’m not even comfortable talking about privately–there’s no way I’d willingly volunteer information about traumatizing things that I was exposed to while in the throes of some military’s training academy.

Even if cruelty were the primary metric applied to the ranking of military academies, it wouldn’t necessarily be the most praiseworthy of traits in evaluating an academy.  Take a moment and try to brainstorm the most rigorous training process for anything–athletes, armed forces, chefs, etc.–you can imagine.  If I make it through the travails of training but come out on the other end as a mentally unstable basket case who can’t be relied upon to carry out the procedures that I’ve been taught once I get into the field, how worthwhile was the training in the first place?  The Agoge training regimen exacted upon all Spartan males in ancient Greece, for example, had a number of elements that could have been perceived as “tough,” or “cruel,” but each of these served a functional purpose, which the Spartan soldiers were ultimately able to use during battle.

Disclaimers aside, we found that a more useful approach to ranking military academies the world over would be to aggregate a series of factors that are likely indicative of an academy’s prowess.  If we were ranking non-military academies for example, those that are talked about the most tend to also be the ones with some of the most exacting standards.  People mention Harvard, Oxford, Princeton, etc. because the demands placed on attendees at those universities are substantially greater than those placed on students at “lesser” schools.  For that reason, prestige in military academies factors in heavily when considering which are the toughest.  

Of equal importance in considering military academies in this discussion–unfair though it may be–is overall military might.  The argument here is that a military with greater resources has the ability to construct a training regimen for cadets that’s more difficult in ways that actually matter than can a less-well-equipped military.  

Using these criteria, we’ve compiled a list that, given the aforementioned constraints, ranks the 10 toughest military training academies in the world.

10. South African Military Academy

The South African Military Academy operates in much the same style as many US-based military academies, and offers training to cadets looking to subsequently serve in the South African Army, Air Force, Navy, and Military Health Service, the four arms of the South African National Defense Force.  The academy accepts just 300 cadets each year, all of whom must prove their qualifications in the branch of the armed services in which they hope to serve upon graduating from the academy.

9. Evelpidon Military Academy

Founded in 1828 by Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first governor of modern Greece, Evelpidon Military Academy is the oldest tertiary educational institution in all of Greece.  In addition to providing education and training to all branches of the Hellenic Army (artillery, army aviation, engineering, infantry, and signals), the academy also serves as a cadet training ground for foreign allied armies.  The academy’s motto, “When you learn how to be ruled, you will learn how to rule,” pervades the education of all of the school’s attendees.  50% of student education consists of academic and military education, with an additional 38% and 12% consisting of applied military tactics and physical training, respectively. Those that make it through the academy’s rigors automatically become second lieutenants in the Hellenic Army.

8. Indian National Defense Academy

Offering training services to cadets in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, India’s National Defense Academy is the world’s first tri-service training academy.  The academy boasts a venerable list of decorated alumni, all of whom have either led or been involved in each conflict that India has been involved in since the school’s establishment in 1954.  The academy’s admission process features a written exam, along with psychological assessments and a series of rigorous interviews.  It is estimated that of the near 4,500,000 applicants that sit for the academy’s written exam, only about 6,000 are invited to interview for entrance into the academy.  Of those 6,000, only just over 300 will ultimately be accepted into the academy, meaning that if for no reason other than its near-impossible admission rates, the National Defense Academy in India is one of the toughest military training academies in the world.  Those that are accepted undergo demanding academic and physical training, which lasts a total of six terms, each five months in length.

7. Pakistan Military Academy

Located in Kakul, Abbottabad, the Pakistan Military Academy is a two-year federal service military academy with similar function to a number of other academies listed in this article.  Much like the Evelpidon Academy, PKA provides unique training to Pakistan Army officers as well as to those of other allied countries.  The academy’s training practices have become so well-renowned that each year, over 2000 invited guests from 34 different countries come to observe the training practices undergone at the rural facility.  In addition to rigorous academic coursework, students at the academy, known as gentleman cadets (GCs), are subjected to physical training whose intensity increases with each term.  This training includes professional weapons-handling, use of signal equipment, and a battery of field exercises. And now, let’s see what else we have in our list of toughest military training academies in the world.

6. Japanese National Defense Academy

Founded in 1953 and located in Yokosuka, the National Defense Academy of Japan that ranks 6th in our list of toughest military training academies in the world is a university-level military academy that aims to train cadets looking to serve in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces’ three branches: the army, navy, and air force.  Students that gain admission into the four-year academy receive rigorous physical and psychological training, and are paid as civil servants in compensation for their work.  Upon graduation, cadets must continue their military training in the specific wing of the armed forces in which they seek to serve.  The academy has produced a lengthy list of decorated army officers as well as a number of well-respected members of Japan’s citizenry, and was also the site of former United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s visiting professorship in 1984.

5. General Staff Academy

With a history dating back to its founding in 1832 in St. Petersburg, Russia’s General Staff Academy differs from other institutions listed here as all entrants are required to have previous military service or have attended an academy for specialized training in one of Russia’s military branches.  As proof of their seasoning, those that are accepted into the academy tend to be in their late 30s and generally already hold high rank within the armed services.  Though the academy has undergone a series of name and structural changes over the course of its nearly 200-year long history, it has been the home to some of Russia’s foremost military tacticians and scholars, including former Albanian Minister of Defense Beqir Balluku, and commander of the Albanian Navy, Teme Sejko.  Producing such well-recognized alumni is indicative of rigorous educational and leadership programs, which help make the General Staff Academy one of the toughest military training academies in the world.

4. Pla National Defense University, China

Known by attendees as China’s Westpoint, Pla National Defense University that ranks 4th in our list of toughest military training academies in the world is the result of the unification of the PLA Political Academy, the PLA Logistics Academy, and the PLA Military Academy in 1985.  With roots in Chairman Mao’s Red Army Training Brigade in 1927, and subsequently in Yanan’s Red Army University in 1936, the academy employs a curriculum that includes courses in national defense, joint command and staff, and advanced refresher concepts.  The university has opened its doors to over 800 foreign military professionals, and has received foreign leaders such as former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who spoke at the academy in 2013.

3. Special Military School of Saint-Cyr, France

Established in 18003 by Napoleon Bonaparte, one the world’s greatest military minds, France’s foremost military academy prides itself on its motto, “Ils s’instruisent pour vaincre“: “They study to vanquish.”   Students are recruited to this university both domestically and internationally through an annual competitive exam that tests their general knowledge, aptitude, and intelligence.  Additionally, applicants must interview and undergo a test of their physical ability prior to being admitted.  Upon admission around the age of 21, cadets undergo three years of leadership, academic, physical, and military training, and ultimately graduate with a master’s degree and the rank of Lieutenant.  From there, graduates will attend a school in the branch of their choosing, where they later become platoon leaders.  The academy’s formidable alumni list include Louis II, Prince of Monaco, Peter I of Serbia, Liao Yaoxiang, Chinese General in the second Sino-Japanese War, and Haj Ali Razmara, former Prime Minister of Iran. And now, let’s see the top two entries in our list of toughest military training academies in the world.

2. Royal Air Force College Cranwell

Originally established as the world’s first air academy in 1919, RAF Cranwell that ranks second in our list of toughest military training academies in the world is a training and education academy that develops cadets looking to become commissioned officers.  Like many other academies on this list, the Royal Air Force College at Cranwell attracts a number of students from around the world, and forces cadets to undergo extensive physical and academic training during their training.  More specifically, the latter consists of but is not limited to essential service knowledge, military skills, ethics and strategic thinking training, and academic air power studies.  The academy has graduated a lengthy list of politicians, royalty and military leaders over the course of its existence, including Prince Charles, Prince William, Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton, and Arjan Singh, Marshal of the Indian Air Force.

1. United States Military Academy

Familiarly known simply as “West Point,” the United States Military Academy was founded in 1802 by Thomas Jefferson.  Interestingly, the academy’s history actually dates back even further than its founding, as its location was believed to be highly strategic in the Revolutionary War, and was thus employed as a fortified military command by then-General George Washington.  The academy has a rigorous application process, which includes standardized testing, above-average academic performance prior to application, above-average physical fitness as determined by various tests, and recommendation from elected officials.  As a four-year institution, the academy provides its cadets with a wide range of skills, leadership, and academic training, all of which factor into their class rank, which subsequently determines their army branch and assignment upon graduation.  West Point boasts a litany of notable graduates, including Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight Eisenhower (former presidents of the United States), CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Civil War Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and 18 different NASA astronauts.  With such a distinguished collection of graduates, it’s clear that getting into and graduating from the United States Military Academy is no small feat, making it number one among the toughest military training academies in the world.