Imperial Academy An Imperial Academy was a military training program run by the Galactic Empire , and primarily focused on training both the enlisted and officer corps of the Imperial Military . History . Origins . With the rise of the First Galactic Empire , the massive task of the reorganization , transformation and homogenization of the Republic military training complexes commenced . With the former Republic lacking an institutionalized military force , many regions , sectors , and systems relied on independent training standards of varying scope and tradition to protect their own , localized interests . Occupying much of the Empire ' s early political focus , Galactic Emperor Palpatine would oversee the absorption of Republic - era military schools four years after the end of the Clone Wars , inviting Commandant Baylo of the " Defiance " Flight Training Institute , along with other senior officials including the last naval chief of the Galactic Republic , Vice Admiral Tallatz , to discuss the consolidation . With the gradual shift of the Imperial armed forces towards non - clone recruits and voluntary citizens , regional governors revamped current training curriculum with rigidly standardized programs . The flags , swords , and other regalia of tradition were replaced with the uniform look of the stormtrooper . Serving the Empire . Despite commanding a galaxy - wide Empire , getting into the Academies was very difficult , especially for people from former Separatist worlds . Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree found themselves very lucky to both be accepted into the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant , having spent their entire childhood training for such a career . In fact , while Inner Rim worlds often fielded thousands of candidates for the Imperial Academies , the Empire strictly limited slots for citizens from former Separatist worlds . As the Empire expanded its authority into Outer Rim systems , it altered its language to appeal to new recruits . The lawlessness of the Outer Rim and victimization of remote settlers by the former Republic and criminal elements gave the Empire ' s offer of retribution and power an appeal to those who felt they lacked control over their own lives . During the Empire ' s reign , not all academies were considered to be equal , with cadets produced from the Academy for Young Imperials among others considered ' inferior ' to those procured elsewhere . As a result , the Arkanis Academy ' s Commandant Brendol Hux would form a secret society known as the Commandant ' s Cadets , whose goal was to train a new generation of stormtroopers who would be loyal to the Empire from birth . Hux ' s belief in natural selection led him to kill a number of " unworthy cadets " . Hux ' s ruthless tactics and attempts to create a command structure independent of the Empire alarmed Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin , who dispatched Lieutenant Chiron to investigate in 4 BBY . With the destruction of the First Death Star , many officers and cadets were pulled out of training to fill the vacuum left by the station ' s destruction , with the Imperial command hierarchy left in temporary disarray . Many Imperial Academy graduates would see action during the Galactic Civil War . Following the Battle of Endor and the destruction of the Death Star II , much of the Empire ' s top military officials and veteran stormtroopers were killed , resulting in the overall deterioration of Imperial martial forces stationed across the galaxy . Cadets pulled early from training often found themselves on the front lines fighting a war they lacked the will to carry on , resulting in a high number of military desertions to the New Republic . Imperial Academies such as on Uyter often found themselves caught up in the galactic struggle , often being destroyed by advancing Republic troops . Dissolution and legacy . With the signing of the Galactic Concordance roughly a year after Endor , the Empire agreed to a total surrender . Along with war reparations and a host of other conditions , the treaty also stipulated the banning on the recruitment and mobilization of stormtrooper forces , along with the abandonment of all Imperial Academy complexes . The former Arkanis Academy Commandant Brendol would ultimately flee to the Unknown Regions following its surrender along with much of the Empire ' s political hardliners , where they would form the Empire ' s successor state , the First Order . With officers more receptive to his ideas of training regimen , his son General Armitage Hux would continue on the ideas of Brendol well into the future . Along with increasing the operational effectiveness of the First Order ' s troops , Hux would seek to solve the inconsistent Academy standards of the Old Empire , which often resulted in troops of varying skill and competency . The New Republic also created a network of military academies including the New Academy on Chandrila , the Ganthel military academy , and the Hosnian Prime flight academy . At least one Centrist politician regarded the New Republic ' s academies as a poor imitation of the Imperial Academies . By 28 ABY , the study programs at the old Imperial Academies were being reintegrated into the academies on Centrist worlds . Organization . The main campus of the Imperial Academy , the Royal Imperial Academy , was located on Coruscant . Other academies were located on Lothal , Mandalore , Arkanis , Carida , Uyter and Prefsbelt . Some planets like the Outer Rim world of Lothal had several regional academies including the Academy for Young Imperials and the Pretor Flats Academy . There were three types of Academies . One - year junior academies were used to prepare teenage cadets for further training at senior academies . After senior academies , the most talented cadets would enter a specialized service academy for officer training with either the Imperial Army , the Imperial Navy or the Stormtrooper Corps . Lothal ' s Academy for Young Imperials was an example of a junior academy . Some known senior academies were the Arkanis Academy and the Marleyvane Academy . The Raithal and Corulag academies were regarded as specialized officer - training academies . Some trainees however , would not pursue an advanced education , instead retiring to their everyday lives after completion of their one - year junior academy . Skystrike Academy was an elite pilot school located on Montross . Some academies began training cadets as young as 13 standard years of age . While the Imperial Academy focused on military - based training for future servicemen and women , COMPNOR ' s Sub - Adult Group allowed youths an alternate path to traditional Academy enrollment . Rather than becoming armed soldiers , members of the SAGroup were trained to become able - bodied administrators and bureaucrats . Classes in the Royal Academy could include Core Worlds Classical Culture , Security Protocols and Interrogation Techniques , Large Vessel Design , and Amphibious Battle Tactics , along with training in flight simulators . Students were not only expected to remain in peak physical condition , but also learn battle tactics and the finer points of what it took to be an Imperial citizen . The pro - Imperial Current Events class sought to promote a positive view of the Empire to cadets . While the Academy was noted for its rigorous academic programs , a high emphasis on competitive sports also existed — at least within junior academies — and had cadets complete an obstacle course known only as the Well , where ingenuity and courage were key tenants to success . The Office of Student Outcomes also existed as part of the bureaucracy of the Imperial Academy , and was tasked with finding ways to push students to their mental and physical limits . Students that exhibited force - sensitivity would be sent to the Empire ' s clandestine Project Harvester operation , while those that simply resisted Imperial efforts at indoctrination could be enrolled in Project Unity , which through a combination of psychological manipulation and pharmaceutical drugs could render the individual completely loyal to the ideals of the New Order . Upon graduation , officers were enlisted as lieutenant s and given their first assignment abroad after a brief graduation ceremony . Top cadets at the Royal Academy could attend a ball at the Imperial Palace , and spark contacts with high - ranking members of Imperial society . It was highly discouraged to take recreational time off , with most members remaining in service until they hit the mandatory retirement age , or died . Notable students . Sabine Wren and Ketsu Onyo both attended the Academy on Mandalore before fleeing to become bounty hunter s . Sabine ' s " Ghost " crewmmate Ezra Bridger attended the Academy on Lothal as part of an undercover assignment , befriending Zare Leonis and Jai Kell while there . Wedge Antilles and Hobbie were cadets at the Skystrike Academy before defecting to the rebellion . Biggs Darklighter joined the Imperial Academy , but defected to the Alliance to Restore the Republic after graduation . His close friend , Luke Skywalker , also longed to join the Imperial Academy and live a star - faring life , but his uncle , Owen Lars , forbade it . Other known Imperial cadets included the Wild Space r Eli Vanto , who studied at the Myomar Academy , before transferring to the prestigious Royal Imperial Academy during the last three months of his studies . His friend was the Chiss soldier Mitth ' raw ' nuruodo , who studied at the Royal Imperial Academy for three months as part of an Imperial orientation course . Vanto later became a Commander while Thrawn rose to the position of Grand Admiral ; a high achievement for an alien . The Jelucan i cadets Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree also studied at the Royal Imperial Academy ; a high achievement for two residents of a former Separatist world . Their friends included the Alderaanian Nash Windrider , Jude Edivon of Cloud City , and Kendy Idele of Iloh . All five cadets were tested by the destruction of Alderaan . While Ciena , Nash , and Jude remained loyal to the Empire during the Galactic Civil War , Thane and Kendy defected to the Rebel Alliance .