International Students at the National Academy

Virtually every day a law enforcement or security officer overseas runs down a lead or shares information that helps solve or support an FBI case in the U.S.

One vital way that we build the international partnerships needed to gain that assistance is through the FBI National Academy. This program gathers law enforcement leaders from around the world to learn and train together for 10 weeks, not only elevating levels of expertise but also building bonds of friendship that last for years.

In the beginning… The National Academy was launched in 1935 as the “Police Training School.” China, Canada, and Great Britain were among the first countries to send representatives in the late 1930s, but usually only a few officers per session. The number of international students began to rise in August 1962, when President Kennedy signed National Security Action Memorandum No. 177 to enhance the training of overseas officers in the United States. As a result, the FBI began accepting up to 20 international law enforcement executives in each National Academy session.

Today… Each session usually includes between 27 and 30 international students, about 10 percent of each class. Nearly 3,500 international leaders from over 170 countries have graduated from the National Academy. As global crime and terror continue to mount—requiring ever deepening levels of international cooperation and expertise—the FBI continues to put a priority on offering and coordinating international training opportunities for its partners around the world.

For more information: FBI National Academy