Cadets from all over the Alpha and Beta quadrants would apply and attempt to complete the four-year training program at Starfleet Academy, which would prepare them to join Starfleet.
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. The training facility consisted of a Starfleet Command School, a Starfleet Flight School, a Starflight Tactical School, and the Starfleet Medical Academy.
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.
Once admitted, some of the majors that one could choose at the Academy included:
- Advanced Theoretical Physics
- Astromycology
- Astrophysics
- Command and Control
- Engineering
- Ethnobotany
- Exoarchaeology
- Exobiology
- Probability mechanics
- Quantum Physics
- Theoretic Engineering
- Xenoanthropology
- Xenolinguistics
- Zoology
For more information on required courses and readings: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Starfleet_Academy_courses
Amongst cadets, there were elite squadrons formed based on performance in training. These elite groups could take on special, more challenging training missions and receive special commendations. Some examples were Falcon Squadron, Nova Squadron, and Red Squad.
Post-graduation, one could explore several options to further their training, including Advanced Tactical Training (a special course requiring recommendation that prepared one for elite missions), Starfleet Medical Academy for those wishing to become medical officers, Starfleet Command School and a Bridge Officer's Test for those who wished to take command on board a starship.
Apart from the path above, that was meant more for those seeking career and officer positions in Starfleet, 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.