Midshipman A midshipman is an officer cadet , or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank , in the Royal Navy , United States Navy , and many Commonwealth navies . Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia , New Zealand , South Africa , Pakistan , India , Singapore , Sri Lanka and Kenya . The rank was also used , prior to 1968 , by the Royal Canadian Navy , but upon the creation of the Canadian Forces the rank of midshipman was replaced with the rank of naval cadet . In the 17th century , a midshipman was a rating for an experienced seaman , and the word derives from the area aboard a ship , amidships , either where the original rating worked on the ship , or where he was berthed . Beginning in the 18th century , a candidate for a commission was rated as a midshipman , and the seaman rating began to slowly die out . By the Napoleonic era ( 1793 – 1815 ) , a midshipman was an apprentice officer who had previously served at least three years as a volunteer , officer ' s servant or able seaman , and was roughly equivalent to a present day petty officer in rank and responsibilities . After serving at least three years as a midshipman or master ' s mate , he was eligible to take the examination for lieutenant . Promotion to lieutenant was not automatic and many midshipmen took positions as master ' s mates for an increase in pay and responsibility aboard ship . Midshipmen in the United States Navy were trained and served similarly to midshipman in the Royal Navy , although unlike their counterparts in the Royal Navy , a midshipman was a warrant officer rank until 1912 . During the 19th century , changes in the training of naval officers in both the Royal Navy and the United States Navy led to the replacement of apprenticeship aboard ships with formal schooling in a naval college . Midshipman began to mean an officer cadet at a naval college . Trainees now spent around four years in a college and two years at sea prior to promotion to commissioned officer rank . Between the mid - 19th and mid - 20th centuries , time at sea declined to less than a year as the entry age was increased from 12 to 18 . Ranks equivalent to midshipman exist in many other navies , especially in those whose officer training structures resemble that of Britain ' s Royal Navy . The Netherlands and Germany train officer candidates in naval colleges , though trainees remain within the petty officer ranks and are not elevated to candidate or commissioned officer status until graduation . In many Romance language s , the literal translation of the local term for " midshipman " into English is " Navy Guard " , including the French " garde marine " , Spanish " guardia marina " , Portuguese " guarda - marinha " , and Italian " guardiamarina " . Today , these ranks all refer to young naval officer cadets , but historically they were selected by the monarchy , and were trained mostly on land as soldiers . History . Apprentice officers . Royal Navy ( 1662 – 1836 ) . Origins . The rank of midshipman originated during the Tudor and Stuart eras , and originally referred to a post for an experienced seaman promoted from the ordinary deck hands , who worked in between the main and mizzen mast and had more responsibility than an ordinary seaman , but was not a military officer or an officer in training . The first published use of the term midshipman was in 1662 . The word derives from an area aboard a ship , amidships , but it refers either to the location where midshipmen worked on the ship , or the location where midshipmen were berthed . By the 18th century four types of midshipman existed : midshipman ( original rating ) , midshipman extraordinary , midshipman ( apprentice officer ) , and midshipman ordinary . Some midshipmen were older men , and while most were officer candidates who failed to pass the lieutenant examination or were passed over for promotion , some members of the original rating served , as late as 1822 , alongside apprentice officers without themselves aspiring to a commission . By 1794 , all midshipmen were considered officer candidates , and the original rating was phased out . Entry . Beginning in 1661 , boys who aspired to become officers were sent by their families to serve on ships with a " letter of service " from the crown , and were paid at the same rate as midshipmen . The letter instructed the admirals and captains that the bearer was to be shown " such kindness as you shall judge fit for a gentleman , both in accommodating him in your ship and in furthering his improvement " . Their official rating was volunteer - per - order , but they were often known as King ' s letter boys , to distinguish their higher social class from the original midshipman rating . Beginning in 1677 , Royal Navy regulations for promotion to lieutenant required service as a midshipman , and promotion to midshipman required some time at sea . By the Napoleonic Era , the regulations required at least three years of services as a midshipman or master ' s mate and six years of total sea time . Sea time was earned in various ways , most boys served this period at sea in any lower rating , either as a servant of one of the ship ' s officers , a volunteer , or a seaman . Cadets at the Royal Naval Academy earned sea time as part of their studies . By the 1730s , the rating volunteer - per - order was phased out and replaced with a system where prospective midshipmen served as servants for officers . For example , a captain was allowed four servants for every 100 men aboard his ship ; many of these servants were young men destined to become officers . In 1729 , the Royal Naval Academy in Portsmouth , renamed the Royal Naval College in 1806 , was founded , for 40 students aged between 13 and 16 , who would take three years to complete a course of study defined in an illustrated book , and would earn three years of sea time as part of their studies . The rating of midshipman - by - order , or midshipman ordinary , was used specifically for graduates of the Royal Naval College , to distinguish them from midshipmen who had served aboard ship , who were paid more . The school was unpopular in the Navy , because officers enjoyed the privilege of having servants and preferred the traditional method of training officers via apprenticeship . In 1794 , officer ' s servants were abolished and a new class of volunteers called ' Volunteer Class I ' was created for boys between the ages of 11 and 13 who were considered future midshipmen and lived in the gunroom on a ship - of - the - line or with the midshipmen on a frigate or smaller vessel . Volunteers were paid £6 per year . By 1816 , the rating of midshipman ordinary was phased out , and all apprentice officers were rated as midshipmen . Social background and uniform . In the 18th century Royal Navy , rank and position on board ship was defined by a mix of two hierarchies , an official hierarchy of ranks and a conventionally recognized social divide between gentlemen and non - gentlemen . Boys aspiring for a commission were often called young gentlemen instead of their substantive rating to distinguish their higher social standing from the ordinary sailors . Occasionally , a midshipman would be posted aboard a ship in a lower rating such as able seaman but would eat and sleep with his social equals in the cockpit . Approximately 50 percent of midshipmen were the sons of professional men , which included the sons of naval officers , and there were notable sailing families throughout the Age of Sail , such as the Saumarez , Hood , and Parker families . The niceties of preferment and promotion made family connections an obvious advantage for prospective officers . The next largest group was the landed gentry , about 27 percent of officers . The numbers were smaller , but similarly , their connections gave them excellent prospects for promotion , and they had a considerable influence on the Royal Navy . A notable member of this group was Prince William , later William IV who served as a midshipman from 1780 – 1785 . The rest were from commercial or working class backgrounds , and because of the advantages possessed by the gentry and professional sailors , their chances of promotion to lieutenant were slim . Since most midshipmen were from the landed gentry or had family connections with sailing ships , many used their connections to have their names placed on a ship ' s books . A notable example was Thomas Cochrane , whose uncle had him entered at the age of five ; his name was carried on various ships until he was 18 and received his commission . When uniforms were introduced in the Navy in 1748 , midshipmen started wearing the same uniform as commissioned officers . They also began wearing their traditional badge of rank , a white patch of cloth with a gold button and a twist of white cord on each side of the coat collar . The uniform emphasized that midshipmen were gentlemen and officers under instruction . Duties and promotion . Midshipmen were expected to work on the ship , but were also expected to learn navigation and seamanship . The work consisted of tasks normally assigned to seamen and to officers . They were expected to have learned already , as able seamen and volunteers , to rig sails ; other duties included keeping watch , relaying messages between decks , supervising gun batteries , commanding small boats , and taking command of sub - division of the ship ' s company under one of the lieutenants . On smaller ships midshipmen were instructed by a senior master ' s mate , often a passed midshipman , who taught them mathematics , navigation , and sailing lore . Larger ships would carry a schoolmaster , who was rated as a midshipman but usually was a civilian like the chaplain . Midshipmen were expected to keep detailed navigational logs , which were shown to the captain to assess their progress . Prior to promotion to lieutenant , a commissioned officer candidate in the Royal Navy had to pass a formal examination . Officially , a prospective lieutenant was at least 19 , and was expected to produce proof of his service , which would include certificates from his commanders and journals kept while a midshipman . However , most midshipmen aspired to take the lieutenant examination at age 17 or 18 , and the typical age of a midshipman was between 15 and 22 . The candidate was summoned before a board of three captains and questioned about seamanship , navigation , and discipline . The board would ask questions such as : An enemy is observed ; give orders for clearing your ship , and make all the necessary preparations for engaging . The actual exam questions were not standardized and their content depended mostly on individual captains . In seamanship , the candidate was expected to be able to splice ropes , reef a sail , work a ship in sailing and shift his tides . In navigation , he was expected to be able to keep a reckoning of the ship ' s way by plane sailing , to use Mercator projection maps and observation of the sun and stars to determine the course and position of the ship , and to understand the variation of the compass . He was also expected to be qualified to do the duty of an able seaman and midshipman . Successful completion of the examination made the midshipman a ' passed midshipman ' . From the 18th century until the second half of the 19th century , a midshipman in the Royal Navy who passed the lieutenant ' s examination did not automatically receive a commission . Midshipmen with political connections were promoted first , while others would wait their turn on a roster . During wartime , when large numbers of ships and men might be lost in battle , most passed midshipman would be promoted in a year or two , but during peacetime the wait might be so long that the midshipman would be considered too old and would lose his chance at a commission . Passed midshipmen awaiting promotion often elected to become master ' s mates , a high - ranking petty officer who assisted the master with his duties , served on watch as deputy to the lieutenants , and commanded small boats . A midshipman who became master ' s mate earned an increase in pay from £2 5s to £3 16s per month ( $ 2 , 990 to $ 5 , 040 in 2008 dollars ) , but initially reduced his chances at a commission because master ' s mates , along with masters , were assumed to have a working - class background . Over time , however , appointment to master ' s mate became considered a normal part of the path to a commission ; the situation caused some confusion during the last part of the 18th century , when two parallel roles – master ' s mates trying to become masters , and former midshipmen working toward a commission – held the same title and responsibilities aboard ship . By the first years of the 19th century , the term ' mate ' , without the prefix master ' s , was used for passed midshipmen , to distinguish them from master ' s mates who had not served as midshipmen . In 1824 , the rating of master ' s assistant replaced master ' s mate , and mate continued to be used unofficially by passed midshipmen . These changes helped eliminate the confusion caused by the mingling of midshipmen in the navigator ' s branch . In 1838 a Royal Commission , presided over by the Duke of Wellington , recommended the institution of the rank of mate as an official step between midshipman and lieutenant . In 1861 mate was abolished in favor of sub - lieutenant . United States Navy ( 1794 – 1845 ) . When Congress created the United States Navy in 1794 , midshipman was listed as a rank of warrant officer in the Naval Act of 1794 , and they were appointed by the President of the United States . Midshipmen had similar duties and responsibilities as in the Royal Navy , and were typically young men between the age of 14 and 22 training to become a naval officer . " Passed midshipman " was first used in 1819 , and was an official rank of the US Navy . During the long period of peace between 1815 and 1846 midshipmen had few opportunities for promotion , and their warrants were often obtained via patronage . The poor quality of officer training in the US Navy became visible after the Somers Affair , an alleged mutiny aboard the training ship USS " Somers " in 1842 , and the subsequent execution of midshipman Philip Spencer . Spencer had gained his post aboard the " Somers " via the influence of his father , United States Secretary of War John C . Spencer . Cadet officers . Royal Navy from 1836 . The original Royal Naval College closed in 1836 , after which the only method for training midshipman in the Royal Navy was aboard ships . In 1844 the rank of naval cadet was created , and to qualify as a midshipman a candidate had to be 14 years old , successfully pass an admiralty examination and have two years of service as a naval cadet or three years of service in the Navy . A decline in qualified officers prompted the Navy to order training in a ship at anchor for all cadets , which began in 1857 aboard HMS " Illustrious " , which was replaced by HMS " Britannia " in 1859 . " Britannia " was moved to Portland in 1862 , and to the present location of the Britannia Royal Naval College , Dartmouth in 1863 . Beginning in 1840s , the normal entry age for executive officer cadets , those destined to command ships and fleets , was between 12 and 13 , and instruction consisted of two years of classroom training , during which time trainees were rated as naval cadets . Cadets who received a first - class passing grade in studies , seamanship and conduct on their final examination could receive a credit for up to a year of sea time , and could be rated as midshipmen immediately after passing out of the college . After passing out of the college , cadets served aboard a special training vessel for one year . Cadets were then rated as midshipmen , and served aboard the fleet another two years . Midshipmen lived in the gunroom , kept watches , and ran the ship ' s boats . They received instruction in navigation every day . After five total years of training and having reached the age of 19 , the midshipmen were eligible to take the examination for lieutenant . After passing the examination for lieutenant , midshipmen were commissioned as sub - lieutenants , and were transferred to the Royal Naval College , Greenwich , which opened in 1873 as the ' University of the Navy ' . Beginning in 1903 , officer training of military and engineering students was reformed by the Selborne - Fisher scheme , and engineering and executive officer candidates began to enter the Navy in the same way , which was termed ' Common Entry ' . Previously , engineer cadets had been trained separately at the Royal Naval Engineering College , Keyham which was closed in 1910 . In 1903 a new preparatory school was opened at Royal Naval College , Osborne , which was Queen Victoria ' s favorite residence but was not a favorite of her successor Edward VII who had donated it to the nation in 1902 . Training initially consisted of two years at Osborne and two years at Dartmouth as cadets , later four years at Dartmouth , followed by approximately 3 years of sea duty as midshipmen prior to promotion to sub - lieutenant . In 1905 , a new building was completed on shore to replace " Britannia " , which was named Britannia Royal Naval College . In 1913 , increasing demand for officers led to recruitment of 18 year - old graduates of public school s , which was called ' Special Entry ' , and was conducted separately from Selborne scheme cadets . Special entry cadets trained for approximately 6 months prior to service in the fleet as midshipmen . When World War I began in 1914 , all the cadets at Dartmouth were quickly mobilized as midshipmen in the reserve fleet . During the war , two midshipmen , George Drewry and Wilfred Malleson were awarded the Victoria Cross , the highest award of the British Commonwealth for gallantry , during the Landing at Cape Helles . After World War I ended , opposition to the Selborne - Fisher scheme led to re - segregating executive and engineering officers into separate branches , while common entry and special entry were maintained . After World War II another series of reforms , influenced by the quality of officers produced by the special entry scheme and other nations ' experience with training officer candidates in a university setting , were initiated to increase the quality of officers in the Navy . In 1949 the entry age was increased to 16 , and by 1955 the entry age was increased to 18 and entry required a minimum of two A levels . After 1957 midshipmen no longer served in the fleet . In 1972 , all cadets became midshipmen when the rank of cadet was abolished . United States Navy from 1845 . Congress formally authorized the establishment of the United States Military Academy in 1802 , but it took almost 50 years to approve a similar school for naval officers . One major reason for the delay was that Navy leaders preferred the apprenticeship system , citing famous officers such as Nelson and the captains of the War of 1812 who did not attend a formal naval school . However , after the Somers Affair , officers realized that the system for training officers had to change to be more efficient . George Bancroft , appointed Secretary of the Navy in 1845 , decided to work outside of congressional approval and create a new academy for officers . He formed a council led by Commodore Perry to create a new system for training officers , and turned the old Fort Severn at Annapolis into a new institution which would be designated as the United States Naval Academy in 1851 . Midshipmen studied at the Academy for four years and trained aboard ships each summer . Midshipman began to mean " passed midshipman " at this time , and a student at the Naval Academy was a cadet midshipman . The rank of ensign was created in 1862 , and passed midshipmen were promoted to ensign when vacancies occurred . In 1865 , the Department of Steam Enginery was created and cadet engineers were admitted to the Academy for the first time . In 1874 , Congress changed the curriculum to include four years of classroom training and two years of sea duty aboard a regular vessel prior to examinations as warranted midshipmen . In 1882 , Congress eliminated the distinction in training between engineer and naval cadets , and designated the student officers as naval cadets ; the name reverted to midshipmen in 1902 . By an act of Congress passed in 1903 , two appointments as midshipmen were allowed for each senator , representative , and delegate in Congress , two for the District of Columbia , and five each year at large . In 1912 , Congress authorized commissioning midshipmen as ensigns on graduation day , and ended the previously required two years of post - graduation sea service as warrant officers . In 1930 , the Naval Academy received accreditation as an approved technological institution . In 1933 , a new law enabled the Naval , Military , and Coast Guard Academies to award Bachelor of Science degrees , and the class of 1933 was the first to receive this degree and have it written in the diploma . In 1937 , the superintendent of the Naval Academy was granted the authority to award Bachelor of Science degrees to all living graduates . Commonwealth navies . As Dominions of the British Empire formed their own navies during the 20th century , further countries began using the rank of midshipman . Today Australia , New Zealand , South Africa , Pakistan , India , Singapore , Sri Lanka , Bangladesh and Kenya use the rank . Prior to 1968 Canada also used the rank of midshipman , until the National Defence Act consolidated the Royal Canadian Navy with the Army and Air Force into a single military , called the Canadian Forces . As part of the act , the rank of midshipman was replaced with the rank of naval cadet . Snotty . In Royal Navy slang , a midshipman is sometimes referred to as a " snotty " . Two popular stories give origins for the term : the first claims that it arose due to a shortage of handkerchiefs among midshipmen , who would consequently use their sleeves to wipe their noses . Prince William , later William IV , is sometimes cited as a notorious example of this practice among midshipmen . The other story claims that the three buttons formerly sewn onto midshipmen ' s jacket cuffs were placed there to prevent the men wiping their noses on their sleeves . Modern usage . Royal Navy . In the modern Royal Navy a midshipman is the second lowest rank of officer , above the rank of Cadet RN which is referred to in the Naval Discipline Act 1957 but no longer used . Midshipmen are officers in the Royal Navy , and rank immediately below Second Lieutenant in the British Army and Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force and above all enlisted and warrant rank s . A midshipman ' s rank insignia , which has changed little since Napoleonic times , is a white patch of cloth with a gold button and a twist of white cord on each side of the coat collar . Prospective officers must have at least five GCSE s , including English and maths , plus at least 180 UCAS points from A levels or other suitable qualifications . They must pass a two - and - a - half day assessment , called the Admiralty Interview Board , and a medical examination . Those joining the Navy as graduates start as sub - lieutenants , with non - graduates joining as midshipmen . General basic training ( Initial Officer Training ) for Royal Navy officers takes place at the Britannia Royal Naval College . Training takes up to a year depending on specialization ; all midshipmen participate in at least the first two terms , which are 14 weeks each . Until they have completed initial fleet training , both midshipmen and sub - lieutenants at Britannia Royal Naval College do not use their substantive ranks , but instead use the rank of officer cadet . During the first seven weeks of training , officer cadets learn militarization and sea sense , focusing on learning about the military environment , along with team and leadership skills . During the second seven weeks , officer cadets learn essential sea officer skills , including navigation and the marine environment , strategic studies , and basic sea survival . During the second term officer cadets spend 10 weeks in Initial Fleet Time , serving aboard capital warships as junior ratings . Upon completion of Initial Fleet Time , officer cadets return to Dartmouth for four weeks to complete their final leadership assessment , the Maritime Leadership Exercise ( MARL ) , and a week spent with different areas of the Royal Navy . If they have been successful , officers of all branches then pass out of the college . Upon completion of Initial Officer Training , university cadet entrants , engineering , logistics and flight specialization officer cadets move to their second phase of training elsewhere within the Royal Navy . Midshipmen specializing in warfare remain at the college for the Initial Warfare Officer ' s Foundation course , which completes part of a Foundation degree in Naval Studies ( equating to two thirds of a Bachelor ' s degree ) , on completion of initial professional training . Officers can complete degrees via distance learning with the Open University , although completion is not required . After completion of training at the college , a midshipman will sit the commissioning exam , the Fleet Board ; with success at the Fleet Board , the officer cadet becomes a commissioned officer . United States Navy and Marine Corps . In the modern United States Navy a midshipman is classified as an officer of the line , though their exercise of authority is limited by their training status . Legally , midshipmen are a special grade of officer that ranks between Warrant Officer ( W - 1 ) and the lowest grade of Chief Warrant Officer ( W - 2 ) . Students at the United States Naval Academy ( USNA ) are appointed as " midshipman " , United States Navy by the President . Students in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps ( NROTC ) are appointed as " midshipman " , United States Navy Reserve or United States Marine Corps Reserve by the secretary of the Navy . Students at the United States Merchant Marine Academy ( USMMA ) are appointed as " midshipman " , United States Navy Reserve , Merchant Marine Reserve . The student body at the USNA is the Brigade of Midshipmen and the student body at the USMMA is the Regiment of Midshipmen . Generally , a nomination from a member of Congress or the is required to receive an appointment . A nomination does not guarantee an appointment and in a typical year only about 38 % of nominees receive an appointment . Currently each member of Congress and the vice president can have five appointees attending the Naval Academy at any time . Other nomination sources include the secretary of the Navy , who may appoint 170 enlisted members of the regular and reserve Navy and Marine Corps to the Naval Academy each year , and the president may nominate an unlimited number of children of career military personel for up to 100 appointments each year . Additionally , children of Medal of Honor recipients do not need a nomination but need only qualify for admission . Midshipmen at the US Naval Academy and in the NROTC wear uniforms that comply with standards established for commissioned officers of the Navy , with shoulder board and sleeve insignia varying by school year or officer rank as prescribed by Chapter 6 of Navy Uniform Regulations . Midshipmen wear gold fouled anchors as the primary insignia on caps and shoulder boards and plain anchors as collar insignia on service dress and full dress uniforms . Marine option midshipmen in the NROTC wear gold globe and anchor insignia in place of the insignia worn by other midshipmen . Midshipmen study a core curriculum plus 21 major fields of study , a wide variety of elective courses and advanced study and research opportunities . Upon graduation , midshipmen are commissioned as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps . Other Commonwealth nations . Royal Australian Navy . A midshipman in the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) holds a commission , which is usually not issued until promotion to sub - lieutenant or lieutenant . Officer candidates enter the RAN at various ranks depending on previous experience or degree qualifications ; graduates from a three - year course , non - degree qualified entrants and sailor changeovers below the rank of leading seaman enter as midshipman . On joining the RAN , midshipmen complete six months ' initial officer training ( New Entry Officer ' s Course ) at the Royal Australian Naval College . Following this all members serve six months in the fleet completing Primary Qualification ( PQ ) continuation training . Direct entry midshipmen continue their normal training and Australian Defence Force Academy ( ADFA ) entry midshipmen post to Canberra to study at the ADFA in their second year in the Navy . Midshipmen undertake an undergraduate degree over the course of three years , whilst also completing elements of their naval training . ADFA midshipmen are also undergraduate students of the University of New South Wales ( UNSW ) . When they graduate from UNSW at ADFA at the completion of their three or four year undergraduate program , they do so with a fully recognized degree from UNSW – the same degree received by graduates of UNSW ' s campus in Sydney . During Single Service Training ( SST ) at ADFA midshipmen have the opportunity to return to sea during the SST period as well as visiting shore establishment s for PQ related training . Royal New Zealand Navy . In the Royal New Zealand Navy ( RNZN ) , midshipman is the lowest commissioned officer rank , for officers under training and retained upon completion of initial training by those without a university degree . Unlike officer cadet ranks in the Army , midshipmen are treated as officers and hold a commission . The RNZN has approximately 60 midshipman commissioned at a time . Midshipman begin their career at Junior Officer Common Training , which lasts 6 months . After completing their initial training course , midshipmen serve aboard ships for a short time , followed by specialty training for about 14 weeks . After approximately two years in the Navy , midshipmen are promoted to ensign . Officers who entered the service with a university degree are promoted to sub - lieutenant after completion of Junior Officer Common Training . Officers without a degree have the option of earning a university degree while serving in the Navy . South African Navy . A midshipman in the South African Navy ( SAN ) is an officer of the lowest rank . Officer candidates are citizens between the ages of 18 and 22 , either in grade 12 or graduated from high school with an academic background in mathematics and science . Cadets initially spend a year training at the South African Naval College in Gordon ' s Bay , about 55 km southeast of Cape Town , and upon graduation are commissioned as midshipmen . Midshipmen study for three more years at the South African Military Academy , and upon graduation receive a B Mil degree from Stellenbosch University . Indian Navy . Midshipmen in the Indian Navy begin their career as cadets at the National Defence Academy or the Indian Naval Academy , where they study for approximately three years . After graduation they receive a B Tech degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University and are assigned to training ships for one year . After six months aboard the training ship , the cadets are promoted to midshipman . At the end of their training midshipmen are examined by a board and are cleared for promotion to acting sub - lieutenant . Pakistan Navy . Cadets in the Pakistan Navy undertake an initial 18 months ' training at the Pakistan Naval Academy . They study humanities , engineering , professional and technical subjects . After passing out they are appointed midshipmen , and undertake another six months of training at sea . They are assigned to Operations , Weapons Engineering , Mechanical Engineering , or Logistics . After passing the final fleet examination , they are promoted to the rank of sub - lieutenant . Other countries . Ranks equivalent to midshipman exist in other countries , especially in those whose naval officer training structures resemble that of Britain ' s Royal Navy . The Dutch navy has since the early 17th century included a midshipman rank called ' Young Gentlemen ' ( ) , and the German navy includes several ranks which roughly translates to midshipman . German officer cadets begin their training in the enlisted ranks with the qualifier officer candidate ( ) , abbreviated as OA . After about a year , they are promoted to " Seekadetten " , equivalent to the non - commissioned officer ( NCO ) rank Mate ( ) . About nine months later , they are promoted to " Fähnrich zur See " rank , equivalent to the NCO rank Boatswain ( ) . After 30 months of total training they are promoted to the final officer candidate rank , " Oberfähnrich zur See " , equivalent to the NCO rank " Hauptbootsmann " . The rank " midshipman " therefore corresponds to " Offizieranwärter " , " Seekadett " , " Fähnrich " , and " Oberfähnrich " , depending on context . In many romance languages , the literal translation of the local term for " midshipman " into English is " Navy Guard " , including the French " garde - marine " , Spanish " guardia marina " , Portuguese " guarda - marinha " , and Italian " guardiamarina " . These ranks all refer to young naval officer cadets , but the selection , training , and responsibilities of each diverge from the British tradition . The French rank of " garde de la marine " was established in 1670 , when an office of the monarchy selected young gentlemen from the nobility to serve the King in the Gardes de la Marine . The concept of the " Gardes " was borrowed from the various guards units within the Maison militaire du roi de France . In 1686 these guards were organized into companies of cadets at the ports of Brest , Rochefort and Toulon . Unlike midshipmen in the Royal Navy , the " Gardes " trained mostly on shore and focused on military drill and theory rather than practical skills in gunnery , navigation and seamanship . After the succession of the Bourbon Phillip V of Spain to the Spanish throne , the French system of naval officer education spread to Spain . The Spanish navy created the rank of " guardia marina " in 1717 , with the formation at Cadiz of the Royal Company of Midshipmen ( ) . By restricting the French officer corps to members of the nobility , there were not enough " Gardes " to man all of the ships during wartime . To fill the gaps , volunteers were temporarily recruited from the merchant service ; they were allowed to hold permanent rank in the navy starting in 1763 . These professional officers wore blue uniforms to distinguish them from the " Gardes de la Marine " who wore red uniforms . After the revolution , the royal connotations of the term " garde marine " led to its replacement with " aspirant " ( naval cadet ) , and then " élèves de la Marine " , or officer candidate . Contemporary French naval officer training still reflects this structure : students at the begin their the first year as " " , are promoted in their second year to " aspirant " , and in their third year are commissioned as . In a modern French - English dictionary , " élève officier " translates to midshipman , but both the historical term " garde - marine " and the modern term for an officer candidate , " aspirant " , are also equivalent to midshipman . In most Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries , officers begin training at the rank of naval cadet , called ' aspirante ' in both languages . They are promoted to the rank " guardia marina / guarda - marinha " during training ( in Spain and Brazil ) or after graduation ( in Portugal ) . Similarly , in Italy officer cadets are " aspirante guardiamarina " , and the lowest rank of commissioned officer is " guardiamarina " , terms which translate to candidate midshipman and midshipman respectively .