Naval Submarine Academy Enrolls Female Students for First Time in 72 Years

CHINA - For the first time in its 72-year history, the Naval Submarine Academy, the top training institution for China's submarine force, has enrolled 10 female students for its 2025 undergraduate program.

According to an announcement posted on the Academy’s official social media account on Thursday (July 24), the 10 female students were all high-scoring candidates in this year’s college entrance exam, a historic milestone for one of China’s most secretive military academies.

Among the female students admitted was Wang Shenyue, from Qianhe Village, Zhejiang Province (eastern China). She scored 647/750 points in the exam and shared a long-standing passion for the military, especially the navy.

Another female student, Yang Jingyue, from Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, scored 652 points. She expressed her desire to contribute to the country's defense cause.

Yang Jingyue, from Jiangsu province, is one of 10 female students who will enter the Chinese Navy Submarine Academy in 2025. Photo: SCMP

The Chinese Navy Submarine Academy was founded in 1953, and began undergraduate training in 1956, later expanding to master's (1987) and doctoral (2003) programs. The main training areas include navigation technology, underwater target recognition, weapon systems, and ship and marine engineering.

Located in Qingdao, Shandong Province, the academy specializes in training personnel for submarine forces, rescue missions, and developing new-generation underwater combat capabilities. According to China Central Television (CCTV), this place is considered “China’s most mysterious military academy” because it rarely appears in the media, despite its important role in national defense strategy.

Students at the academy undergo rigorous training. For example, sonar operators must accurately distinguish the sounds of different types of vessels moving at different speeds and in different seasonal hydrographic conditions. Submarine crews must also master troubleshooting and emergency escape skills—including crawling through a torpedo tube connected to a deep-diving tank to simulate real-life underwater pressure situations.

According to SCMP, globally, the number of women serving in the navy, especially submarines, is still very modest compared to men.

In the US, only about 5% of the submarine force - equivalent to 712 people - are women, out of a total of more than 15,000 service members, according to the Military Times . However, the US Navy hopes to have its first female submarine commander by 2028.

In China, the navy appointed its first female commander of a warship in 2022. A year later, it began recruiting female pilots for its aircraft carriers, further expanding opportunities for women in the military.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hoc-vien-tau-ngam-hai-quan-lan-dau-tuyen-nu-sinh-sau-72-nam-2426173.html