§ 6957. Selection of persons from foreign countries

(a)
(1) The Secretary of the Navy may permit not more than 60 persons at any one time from foreign countries to receive instruction at the Academy. Such persons shall be in addition to the authorized strength of the midshipmen under section 6954 of this title.
(2) The Secretary of the Navy, upon approval by the Secretary of Defense, shall determine the countries from which persons may be selected for appointment under this section and the number of persons that may be selected from each country. The Secretary of the Navy may establish entrance qualifications and methods of competition for selection among individual applicants under this section and shall select those persons who will be permitted to receive instruction at the Academy under this section.
(3) In selecting persons to receive instruction under this section from among applicants from the countries approved under paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Navy shall give a priority to persons who have a national service obligation to their countries upon graduation from the Academy.
(b)
(1) A person receiving instruction under this section is entitled to the pay, allowances, and emoluments of a midshipman appointed from the United States, and from the same appropriations.
(2) Each foreign country from which a midshipman is permitted to receive instruction at the Academy under this section shall reimburse the United States for the cost of providing such instruction, including the cost of pay, allowances, and emoluments provided under paragraph (1). The Secretary of the Navy shall prescribe the rates for reimbursement under this paragraph, except that the reimbursement rates may not be less than the cost to the United States of providing such instruction, including pay, allowances, and emoluments, to a midshipman appointed from the United States.
(3) The Secretary of Defense may waive, in whole or in part, the requirement for reimbursement of the cost of instruction for a midshipman under paragraph (2). In the case of a partial waiver, the Secretary shall establish the amount waived.
(c)
(1) Except as the Secretary of the Navy determines, a person receiving instruction under this section is subject to the same regulations governing admission, attendance, discipline, resignation, discharge, dismissal, and graduation as a midshipman at the Academy appointed from the United States. The Secretary may prescribe regulations with respect to access to classified information by a person receiving instruction under this section that differ from the regulations that apply to a midshipman at the Academy appointed from the United States.
(2) A person receiving instruction under this section is not entitled to an appointment in an armed force of the United States by reason of graduation from the Academy.
(d) A person receiving instruction under this section is not subject to section 6958 (d) of this title.