Starfleet Academy Starfleet Academy ( also referred to as the Space Academy ) was a department within Starfleet . The main purpose of this department was for the education and training of individuals for service in Starfleet . ( ; ; ; ) The movement of personnel in and out of this service was governed by the Starfleet Transfer Regulations . ( , " okudagram " ) The chief administrator of the Academy was the superintendent . ( ) History . The Academy existed as early as the 2140s to train United Earth Starfleet personnel . ( ) It was officially incorporated into the Federation in 2161 with the motto " Ex Astris , Scientia " , to serve as a training facility for Federation Starfleet officer s . ( " " ) Dedication plaques . In the 24th century , the Academy was named on the dedication plaque s of some and starship s . Captain was noted for his work with the Academy on the on stardate 22519 . 5 . ( , dedication plaque ) Captain was noted for her work with the Academy on the on stardate 40250 . 5 . ( , dedication plaque ) Later , she was noted for her work with the Academy on the on stardate 44820 . 5 . ( , dedication plaque ) Holodeck simulation - Captain Riker . In 2367 , while exploring a cavern on Alpha Onias III , Commander William T . Riker was rendered unconscious by gas es . While unconscious , neural scanner s scanned Riker ' s brain . The scanners used elements of Riker ' s reality and constructed a holodeck simulation with those elements interspersed throughout , so that it felt real to him . What Riker wanted , the scanners made possible . In one of these simulations , as Captain Jean - Luc Picard was promoted to superintendent of the academy , on stardate 51253 , Captain Riker succeeded him as the commanding officer of the . In 2383 , the academy was mentioned in Riker ' s service record that was on display in his quarters on the " Enterprise " - D . ( , " okudagram " ) Locations . The headquarters of Starfleet Academy were located in the Presidio in San Francisco , while the Academy training facility itself was located in Marin County across the Golden Gate Bridge . ( ) Staff accommodations for flag officer s were next to the northern part of the Golden Gate Bridge also in Marin County . ( ; ) Administration buildings were located in San Francisco ' s Downtown Financial District . ( ) . Preparation for admission . Admission into Starfleet Academy began with the acceptance of the candidate ' s application . Once the application was accepted , the candidate underwent the Academy entrance competition exams , which determined those admitted by the best scores among a group of candidates competing to gain 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 take place at any time during the exam period . ( ; ) Not all candidates made entry into 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 they were 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 . ( ; ) The Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program was the next stage for consideration of admission , which consisted of six weeks of summer classes . By passing the Preparatory Program , a candidate ' s admission was ensured , as they had then proved to the admissions committee that they were prepared , or determined , to become a cadet . Once this had been accomplished , the candidate was then eligible for the Academy entrance exam . ( ) Attending the Academy . The Academy program typically lasted four years , though certain programs lasted five , six , or eight years . ( ; ) Program for enlisted crewmen . The Academy had a separate program for the training of enlisted crewpeople , which included receiving basic training and attending the Starfleet Technical Services Academy on Mars . ( ) Training vessels . Training vessel s included : Graduation . In 2368 , Captain Jean - Luc Picard was asked to deliver the commencement address for that year ' s Academy graduates . The occasion was marred by the loss of a cadet in an accident shortly before commencement . ( ) Appendices . Background information . Information on this educational institute being a department was derived from the regulations that were seen in " The Measure Of A Man " . Exteriors of Starfleet Academy were filmed at the Japanese Gardens at Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys , California . The Golden Gate Bridge was inserted into some shots in post - production to make it appear that the Academy was located in San Francisco . This location was also used to depict the planet Rubicun III ( ) . In the 2009 film , exteriors of Oviatt Library at California State University , Northridge , were used to depict Starfleet Academy . An unseen portion of the Picard family album mentioned the academy having a " Onizuka Wing " . The Academy motto was " " Ex Astris , Scientia " " , meaning " from the stars , knowledge " in Latin . The ancient Romans usually did not use verbs in inscriptions , so it would be better translated as " knowledge comes from the stars " . According to Michael Okuda , the motto was inspired by a quotation on the " Apollo 13 " mission patch , " " Ex luna , scientia " " . The " Apollo 13 " quote was itself a paraphrase of the motto of the United States Naval Academy , " " Ex Scientia Tridens " , " which means " from knowledge , seapower . " ( ; " " 2nd ed . , p . 197 ) The initially shown version " " Ex Astra , Scientia " " was grammatically wrong , as the preposition " " ex " " requires the ablative case " " Astris " " . According to Michael Okuda , six months after " The First Duty " aired he received a letter from a Latin Professor at Brown University pointing this out . This error was corrected for later appearances and also in the remastered Blu - ray edition of TNG . ( " Memorable Missions " , TNG Season 5 DVD special features ) The Academy emblem was based on a design by Joe Sena . ( ) There have been three versions of the Academy logo . The first version being the original logo seen in , with the Latin grammar error . The second was seen only briefly behind Harry Kim ' s interrogation in the alternate timeline in . This logo had the updated Latin phrase and the rays of light had been inverted when compared to the original , with the outer border changing to a shade of pink rather than a red . The third logo debuted shortly thereafter with an updated Starfleet insignia and the border returning to a shade of red . Apocrypha . According to the novel " The Kobayashi Maru " , Starfleet Academy has a curfew . In " Star Trek Online " , Federation players can visit Starfleet Academy on Earth . The IDW comic series " " reveals that the Academy was founded by Admiral in 2161 following the disappearance of the USS , whose crew included his son , . Somers felt that if Starfleet officers were properly trained , incidents like this wouldn ' t happen . This , however , may contradict canon as the Academy was said to be established in some form before the founding of the Federation .