Imperial Academy / Legends The Imperial Academy , also known as the Imperial Space Academy , was a military training program managed by the Galactic Empire which evolved from the Galactic Republic ' s own Academy system . History . Following the decentralisation of the Galactic Republic ' s military after the Ruusan Reformation , the Republic had no official military academy . However , the Planetary Security Forces had maintained the ancient schools on Prefsbelt IV and Anaxes and kept their traditions alive . After the outbreak of the Clone Wars , it was this system that the restored Republic Military drew on to train its officers , rather than the less - esteemed Judicial Academy of the Judicial Forces . By the end of the Clone Wars , the Academy was an elite educational institution that trained youths to become members of the Exploration , Military , and Merchant Services . Under Palpatine ' s direction the Empire reformed the Academy and incorporated other institutions used by planetary defense forces and the Judicial Department . It established campuses on many planets throughout the galaxy , producing stormtroopers for the Stormtrooper Corps and officers for both the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Army . In 19 BBY , General Gentis was headmaster of the combined Imperial Academies , and was succeeded by Grand Moff Trachta after the former was executed for his failed coup . In 0 ABY , in large part due to the destruction of the DS - 1 Orbital Battle Station during the Battle of Yavin , thousands of Imperial Academy cadets ended up rapidly advanced into service . Following the Battle of Endor and the Declaration of a New Republic , many planets associated with the Academy fell under New Republic control . The loss of the prestigious Core World of Anaxes and the Navy War College in 9 ABY badly - damaged Imperial hopes of reconquest . Thereafter the quality of Imperial recruits declined , and the Imperial Navy was forced to make increasing use of recruits trained on the job , and were even forced to order conscription raids to press men into service . The New Republic , meanwhile , took over the Anaxes War College and also established its own Fleet Academy on Coruscant . The Academy of Carida , a major stormtrooper training facility , ceased to exist in 11 ABY when Carida was destroyed by the renegade Jedi Kyp Durron with the Sun Crusher . Even before then , however , the New Republic was unable to conquer the planet , with General Carlist Rieekan informing Mon Mothma that the best case scenario , albeit difficult , for their plan to weaken the Empire ' s military infrastructure was containment , and even that was " very long term . " The Imperial Naval Academy on Prefsbelt IV , however , remained under the control of the Imperial Remnant after the Pellaeon – Gavrisom Treaty . Organization . Intake . Prospective cadets for the Navy or Army without the wealth or connections for a highly - placed reference that could fast - track their career began their applications at the system level , attending regional military schools , pilot institutes , or training academies maintained by an individual planetary or system government . Among these was the Syndaar Military Prep School . These schools varied in quality across the galaxy , with some schools ' qualifications being considered highly impressive , other distinctly less so . The requirements were very stringent , as very few managed to gain entry level due to the high standards , and even fewer managed to pass the intensive physical and mental challenges in basic training , with desired qualities including bravery , loyalty , intellect , and toughness . Cadets who did well in such schools or began with family connections then attended regional sector service academies . A number of these schools were accredited by the Empire , and the facilities for the two arms of the military were known respectively as Sector Naval Academies and Army Officer Training Academies . Here they completed basic training , including tasks such as an AT - ST pilot testing procedure , learned military history and theory , and took examinations aimed at determining what military career might suit them best . After passing out , cadets were required to dispatch their application to a Screening Officer of the Imperial Recruitment Office in their sector . These officers would assign cadets to a specific academy and would recommend the duration and nature of their initial training programme . Once assigned to a service academy , some cadets were graduated , commissioned , and posted to active duty after a minimum term , while others might be transferred repeatedly among academies and assigned different courses of study . Some of the academies were so classified that only members of Imperial High Command knew of their existence , while others were renowned names dating back centuries . The reasons for Screening Officers ' decisions and the convoluted nature of the whole system were subject to many conspiracy theories by cadets , but more often than not these decisions reflected a genuine desire to get the most out of the Empire ' s considerable investment in a cadet . According to Admiral Wullf Yularen of the Imperial Security Bureau , the academy system was responsible for creating superior officers in the Imperial Military , although Han Solo , himself a former graduate of the academy system , disputed that claim . Solo ' s own Academy progression was atypical : despite his humble background , Solo received a direct referral from Renn Tharen , a Corellian shipping magnate , which qualified him for entrance exams without a Sector Naval Academy credential . Clearly a superb pilot , Solo ' s scores saw him referred directly to flight school on Carida for two years rather than the three - year posting to officer training on Prefsbelt . Officer training . Cadets with top scores were invited to take entrance exams for the main service academies , where the Empire trained its most promising Officer Candidate s . Each service had its own main academy , supported by a number of schools for specialists , cross - commission training , research and development , and investigations into strategic analysis and theory . The Raithal Academy was the Imperial Army ' s most prestigious Army training institution , located on Raithal in the Colonies . It taught a one - year training programme that included both simulations and live - fire drills on drop camps across a variety of planets . After completing training , most graduates of Raithal would be assigned to the Corulag Academy , though the most promising or those seeking specialized Army careers might be assigned to the Academy of Carida . The Imperial Naval Academy was the premier center for training for the fleet . Based on Prefsbelt IV , its location was officially classified , and taught Midshipmen tactical simulations and leadership before assigning them to active service rotations as Ensigns . Courses included navigation , medicine , engineering , computers , and pilot training in both large and small craft , among others . Most cadets entered Naval service after a three - year course at Prefsbelt , but some did shorter courses before shifting to flight school or continuing their studies at one of the three advanced academies . In addition , those who had both taken at least five years of training and already began showing the desired leadership qualities will be enrolled in Officer Candidacy Training , which allowed the prospect of becoming part of the Imperial Navy ' s elite . This also allowed for the potential of commanding a strategic military outpost , a TIE squadron , or even a Star Destroyer . Specialist training . The three specialized military schools were the Corulag Academy , the Academy of Carida , and the Anaxes War College . Corulag was ranked second behind Raithal in prestige by some , and provided additional training to Navy Midshipmen , Army Cadets , flight school pilots , and specialists from all Imperial services , with an emphasis on active training . The War College , based at Anaxes Citadel , had been considered the embodiment of naval tradition for centuries , and offered active training and combat simulations . It also served as a think tank for promising cadets and active - duty Imperial officers , and tested new warships and equipment for the Imperial Navy in training cruises . Finally , the Academy of Carida was a major Stormtrooper training facility , which used the planet ' s high gravity to build tougher , more resilient troopers . Numerous Army , Navy and flight school cadets also spent semesters there . Carida also housed the Officer ' s Candidate School and the Imperial Engineers Academy . Although Carida was primarily a Stormtrooper academy , those who didn ' t make the Stormtrooper program were nonetheless allowed admittance into the Army and Navy branches of the Imperial Military as consolation . Training for TIE pilot s occurred separately , and subsequent to the Academy , at a flight school , typically located aboard a Star Destroyer . Flight training was reserved for the top graduates of the Sector Naval Academies and Prefsbelt , and was rarely done in a fixed location . The most prestigious was the Flight Academy housed aboard the " Venator " - class Star Destroyer " Vensenor " . Flight schools were also located on Carida , and as was the case with Han Solo , honors graduates might be referred to the Prefsbelt Academy for command training , before being posted for further command training in their specialist fields at schools like the highly - regarded Austringer Flight School , which focused on preparing ace pilots to be Wing Commanders . Two other Imperial Military academies attracted cadets , though they were far less prestigious than Raithal and Prefsbelt . The Imperial Exploration Academy was located in the Vanik system in the Inner Rim and trained scouts for the Imperial Survey Corps . The Imperial Merchant Galactic Academy on Rhinnal trained personnel for the Merchant Galactic and the Imperial Supply Fleet . Behind the scenes . In " The Imperial Sourcebook " , the Raithal Academy and the Imperial Naval Academy were established as the most prestigious branch of the Imperial Academy for Imperial Army and Imperial Navy cadets . The appearance of the Academy of Carida in the " " does not contradict this : Carida is described as the premier training facility for the Stormtrooper Corps , although Navy and probably Army cadets could also be assigned there .