United States Navy SEAL selection and training The average United States Navy SEAL spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded the Special Warfare Operator Naval Rating and the Navy Enlisted Classification ( NEC ) 5326 Combatant Swimmer ( SEAL ) or , in the case of commissioned naval officers , the designation Naval Special Warfare ( SEAL ) Officer . All Navy SEALs must attend and graduate from their rating ' s 24 - week " A " School known as Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL ( BUD / S ) school , a basic parachutist course and then the 26 - week SEAL Qualification Training program . All sailors entering the SEAL training pipeline with a medical rating or those chosen by Naval Special Warfare Command must also attend the 6 - month Advanced Medical Training Course 18D and subsequently earn the NEC SO - 5392 Naval Special Warfare Medic before joining an operational Team . Once outside the formal schooling environment SEALs entering a new Team at the beginning of an operational rotation can expect 18 months of training interspersed with leave and other time off before each 6 - month deployment . Screening . Entering training to become a Navy SEAL is voluntary , and officers and enlisted men train side - by - side . To volunteer , SEAL candidates must be male , between 17 and 29 years old , and US citizens in the U . S . Navy . Occasionally , personnel from foreign armed forces allied with the United States will also be invited to take part in BUDS training . For a period of two years , of an initial seven planned , members of Coast Guard were allowed to attend SEAL training until the exchange program was suspended in 2011 . Waivers are available for 17 - year - olds with parental permission and on a case - by - case basis for 29 - and 30 - year - olds . Academically , all applicants must have the equivalent of a high school education , have a composite score of at least 220 on the ASVAB and be proficient in all aspects of the English language . Medically , all potential applicants must have at least 20 / 75 vision , correctable to 20 / 20 , be able to pass the SEAL Physical Screening Test and have no recent history of drug abuse . Lastly applicants must have " good moral character " as determined by his history of criminal convictions and civil citations . Assessment . Assignment to BUD / S is conditional on passing the SEAL Physical Screening Test ( PST ) . Prospective trainees are expected to exceed the minimums . The minimum requirements are swim using breast or combat sidestroke in under 12 : 30 with a competitive time of 9 : 00 or less , at least 50 push - ups in 2 minutes with a competitive count of 90 or more , at least 50 sit - ups in 2 minutes with a competitive count of 85 or more , at least 10 pull - ups from a dead hang ( no time limit ) with a competitive count of 18 or more , run in running shorts and boots in under 10 : 30 with a competitive time of 9 : 30 or less . Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School ( 8 weeks ) . The training curriculum begins at Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in Great Lakes , Illinois . Here , aspiring SEALs are given a crash course in the physical standards required to even attempt to become a SEAL . It starts with an initial Physical Screening Test and ends with a more demanding Physical Screening Test , one that includes a timed four - mile run and a timed 1 , 000 - meter swim . The goal is to increase the SEAL candidates physical readiness between the two tests so that they are ready to move on to Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL ( BUD / S ) Training . Those unable to pass the final test are removed from the SEAL training pipeline and reclassified into other jobs in the Navy . Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL ( BUD / S ) Training ( 24 weeks ) . BUD / S is a 24 - week training challenge that develops the SEAL candidates mental and physical stamina and leadership skills . Each BUD / S phase includes timed physical condition tests , with the time requirements becoming more demanding each week . BUD / S consists of a three - week orientation followed by three phases , covering physical conditioning ( seven weeks ) , combat diving ( seven weeks ) , and land warfare ( seven weeks ) respectively . Officer and enlisted personnel go through the same training program . It is designed to develop and test their stamina , leadership , and ability to work as a team . Orientation ( 3 weeks ) . BUD / S Orientation is a three - week course that introduces candidates to Coronado , the Naval Special Warfare Center and the BUD / S lifestyle . During Orientation , Navy SEAL instructors introduce candidates to BUD / S physical training , the obstacle course and other unique training aspects . This part of training is designed to prepare candidates for day one of the first phase . Phase 1 : Physical Conditioning ( 7 weeks ) . The first phase of BUD / S assesses SEAL candidates in physical conditioning , water competency , teamwork and mental tenacity . Physical conditioning utilizes running , swimming and calisthenics and grows harder and harder as the weeks progress . Candidates will participate in weekly four mile timed runs in boots and timed obstacle courses , swim distances up to two miles wearing fins in the ocean and learn small boat seamanship . The first two weeks of basic conditioning prepare candidates for the third week , also known as " Hell Week . " During Hell Week , candidates participate in five and a half days of continuous training , each candidate sleeps at most four hours during the entire week and runs more than 200 miles and does physical training for more than 20 hours per day . The remaining three weeks involve the acquisition of various methods of conducting hydrographic surveys and creating a hydrographic chart . Because of its particularly challenging requirements , many candidates begin questioning their decision to come to BUD / S during First Phase , with a significant number deciding to Drop on Request ( DOR ) . The tradition of DOR consists of dropping one ' s helmet liner next to a pole with a brass ship ’ s bell attached to it and ringing the bell three times . Phase 2 : Combat Diving ( 7 weeks ) . The diving phase of BUD / S trains , develops and qualifies SEAL candidates as competent basic combat swimmers . During this period , physical training continues and becomes even more intensive . This second phase concentrates on combat SCUBA . Candidates will learn two types of SCUBA : open circuit ( compressed air ) and closed circuit . Also , basic dive medicine and medical skills training is provided . Emphasis is placed on long - distance underwater dives with the goal of training students to become basic combat divers , using swimming and diving techniques as a means of transportation from their launch point to their combat objective . This is what separates SEALs from all other US special operations forces . Successful second phase candidates demonstrate a high level of comfort in the water and the ability to perform in stressful and often uncomfortable environments . Candidates who are not completely comfortable in the water often struggle to succeed . Phase 3 : Land Warfare ( 7 weeks ) . The land warfare phase teaches the class basic weapons , demolitions , land navigation , patrolling , rappelling , marksmanship and small - unit tactics . During third phase , the class is taught to gather and process information that will complete the overall mission . There is more classroom work that teaches map , compass , land navigation and basic weapon skill sets . These skill sets allow the class to transition from having novice skills to becoming more comfortable out in the field . Most of this training is new to the class , and the learning pace becomes faster and faster . For the final three and a half weeks of training , the class goes offshore , about 60 miles from Coronado to San Clemente Island . On the island , the class practices the skills they learned in third phase . The days become longer and more work intensive , set to mirror the work hours spent in the field . Parachute Jump School ( 3 weeks ) . Upon successful completion of BUD / S , SEAL candidates go on to receive both static line and free - fall training at Tactical Air Operations in San Diego , CA . The accelerated 3 - week program is highly regimented , facilitated by world - class instructors , and designed to develop safe and competent free - fall jumpers in a short period of time . To complete the course , candidates must pass through a series of jump progressions , from basic static line to accelerated free fall to combat equipment – ultimately completing night descents with combat equipment from a minimum altitude of 9 , 500 feet . SEAL Qualification Training ( SQT ) ( 26 weeks ) . SEAL Qualification Training ( SQT ) is a 26 - week course that will take the student from the basic elementary level of Naval Special Warfare to a more advanced degree of tactical training . SQT is designed to provide students with the core tactical knowledge they will need to join a SEAL platoon . The class will learn advanced weapons training , small unit tactics , land navigation , demolitions , cold weather training in Kodiak , Alaska , medical skills and maritime operations . Before graduating , students also attend Survival , Evasion , Resistance and Escape training . Graduation from SQT culminates in the awarding of the coveted Navy SEAL Trident – after which new SEALs immediately are assigned to a SEAL Team and begin advanced training for their first deployment . SEAL Troop ( TRP ) Training . Following SQT , new SEALs will receive orders to a SEAL Team and assignment to a Troop ( TRP ) and subordinate Platoon ( PLT ) . New operators will join their Platoon wherever they are in their deployment cycle . The normal workup or pre - deployment workup is a 12 - to 18 - month cycle divided into three phases . Individual Specialty Training . Phase one of a work - up is Individual Specialty Training . Individual Specialty Training is 6 months long where individual operators attend a number of formal or informal schools and courses . These schools lead to required qualifications and designations that collectively allow the platoon to perform as an operational combat team . Depending on the team ' s and platoon ' s needs , operators can expect to acquire some of the following skills ( Items in parentheses are Joint SOF Unit Course equivalent ) : Unit Level Training . Phase two of a work - up is called Unit Level Training ( ULT ) . ULT is a 6 - month block run by the respective group ( NSWG1 / NSWG2 ) training detachment , where the TRP / PLT ' s train in their core mission area skills : Small unit tactics , land warfare , close quarters combat , urban warfare , hostile maritime interdiction ( VBSS / GOPLATS ) , combat swimming , long range target interdiction , rotary and fixed wing air operations and special reconnaissance . Task Group Level Training . Phase three of a work - up is Task Group Level Training . Task Group Level Training is the last 6 - month block wherein a troop conducts advanced training with the supporting attachments / enablers of a SEAL Squadron : Special Boat Teams ( SWCC ) , Intelligence ( SI / HI / ETC ) Teams , Cryptological Support Teams , Communications ( MCT / JCSE ) Medical Teams , EOD , Interpreters / Linguist , etc . A final Certification Exercise ( CERTEX ) is conducted with the entire SEAL Squadron ( SQDN ) to synchronize Troop ( TRP ) operations under the Joint Special Operations Task Force ( JSOTF ) umbrella . Following CERTEX , a SEAL Team becomes a SEAL Squadron and is certified for deployment . Once certified , a SEAL Team / Squadron will deploy to a Joint Special Operations Task Force or Area of Responsibility to become a Special Operations Task Force ( SOTF ) , combine with a Joint Task Force ( JTF ) or Task Force ( TF ) in support of other National Objectives . Once assigned , the Troops will be given an Area of Operations ( AOR ) where they will either work as a centralized / intact Troop or task organize into decentralized elements ( PLT - 20 / SQD - 10 / TM - 5 ) to conduct operations . NSW Troops have ranged in size from 60 personnel to over 200 and can consist of SEAL ' s and any USSOCOM operational element and enablers . A SEAL Team / Squadron deployment currently is approximately 6 months , keeping the entire cycle at 12 to 24 months .