Starfleet Academy is a department within Starfleet. This department's primary purpose is to educate and train individuals for service in Starfleet. As early as the 2140s, United Earth had established this Academy where Starfleet personnel were trained. It was officially incorporated into the Federation in 2161 with the motto Ex Astris, Scientia, to serve as a training facility for Federation Starfleet officers. By the early 25th century, thousands of cadets from the Alpha and Beta Quadrants were attempting to complete the four-year training program. In one graduating class in 2401, cadets from Andoria, Trill, United Earth, Vulcan, Ferenginar, Betazed, Klingon Empire, Romulan Free State, Denobula, and Orion.

The headquarters of Starfleet Academy are located at the Presidio in San Francisco, while the Academy training facility was across the Golden Gate Bridge. The training facility consisted of a Starfleet Command School, a Starfleet Flight School, a Starflight Tactical School, and the Starfleet Medical Academy. Staff accommodations for flag officers were next to the northern part of the Golden Gate Bridge. Administration buildings are located in San Francisco's downtown financial district. By the 32nd century, Starfleet Academy had left Earth and the rest of Starfleet and the Federation government. However, a massive tree on the former campus under which cadets had studied as far back as the 23rd century remained intact and well-maintained. In 3190, Starfleet Academy was re-commissioned at Starfleet Headquarters, with Captain Michael Burnham of the USS Discovery and Federation President Laira Rillak addressing the new cadets.

In 2401, there were satellite campuses on over 80 Federation worlds.

• Academy Flight Range
• Marseille Starfleet base
• Starfleet testing area, Relva VII
• Starfleet Academy, Beta Aquilae II
• Starfleet Academy, Beta Ursae Minor II
• Starfleet Academy, Earth
• Starfleet Academy, Psi Epsilon III
• Starfleet Academy, Psi Upsilon III

Admission into Starfleet Academy began with the acceptance of the candidate's application. Once the application was accepted, the candidate underwent the Starfleet Academy entrance exam, which determined those admitted by the best scores among a group of candidates competing for admission. In 2364, one such location for these competitions was on Relva VII. The exam contained sections on hyperspace physics and dynamic relationships, among others. Along with the infamous "psych test", in which the prospective cadet faced their greatest fear, unannounced tests could occur anytime during the exam period. Not all candidates entered Starfleet Academy on their first attempt; however, if their scores were high enough in the competition, they could be eligible to reapply the following year. If the results of the reapplication were sufficiently high, the candidate was accepted into the Academy.

For non-Federation citizens, a candidate could attend the Academy if they were sponsored and had a letter of reference written on their behalf by a command-level officer. Once this was accomplished, the candidate was eligible for the Academy Preparatory Exam. It is not certain whether a non-Federation citizen who signed up for application at a Starfleet recruitment booth still required this letter of reference, or if there was an equivalent process for this candidacy path. In the 24th century, the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program was a pre-requisite for Academy admission, which consisted of six weeks of summer classes. By passing the Preparatory Program, a candidate had proven to the admissions committee that they were prepared, or determined, to become a cadet. Once this had been accomplished, the candidate was eligible for the Academy entrance exam.

The Academy program typically lasted four years, though certain programs lasted five, six, or eight years.

The Academy has a separate program for training enlisted crewpeople, which included receiving basic training and attending the Starfleet Technical Services Academy on Mars.

The head of the academy was the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy.

The chief administrator of the Academy was the superintendent or commandant.

Chancellor, Starfleet Academy: Position Open

Commandant, Starfleet Academy: Position Open