---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51303"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51303"
heading: "Non-competitive appointments"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51303"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 513 — United States Merchant Marine Academy"
---

# §51303. Non-competitive appointments

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may appoint each year without competition as cadets at the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) not more than 50 qualified individuals with qualities the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) considers to be of special value to the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1). In making these appointments, the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) shall try to achieve a national demographic balance at the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1).
- (b) **Appointment of Candidates Selected for Preparatory School Sponsorship.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may appoint each year as cadets at the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Merchant Marine [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) not more than 40 qualified individuals sponsored by the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1) to attend preparatory school during the academic year prior to entrance in the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1), and who have successfully met the terms and conditions of sponsorship set by the [Academy](/usc/46/51102.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1572; Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3516(a), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2789; Pub. L. 116–92, div. C, title XXXV, § 3504, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1970.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 51303 | 46 App.:1295b(b) (3)(D). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XIII, § 1303(b)(3)(D), as added Pub. L. 96–453, § 2, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 1999. |

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 116–92 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).

2016—Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “50” for “40”.