Dal was not permitted entry in to the Academy. He has been shoe horned in to Starfleet as a warrant officer who can never obtain substantial career advancement because he does not have Academy accreditation or training. Hopefully Dal can still get to the academy one day though, somehow, so that he can become a real Captain. Unless they want to change the rules in this toon so that warrant officers get just as equal opportunities for career advancement within Starfleet as standard cadets depending on ‘job and performance evaluation’?
The details pertaining to what Warrant officers in training can do within SF are undefined.
The show writers obviously didn't want to make things too easy on the kids so they'd be admitted into the Academy right away.
In fact, I would imagine this route makes more sense.
They are an uknown component for the most part, and require further experience/training to be seriously considered (along with maturation).
Remember that non-UFP individuals require a recommendation of a commanding officer to be admitted into the Academy (Nog needed it).
We don't know though whether the Brikar or Mellanoid Slime Worms are species part of the Federation (at least, not from canon)... they may be, but technically speaking the kids themselves (Rok and Murf) might not be.
We also know the Tellarites are members (in fact FOUNDING members), but Jankom (technically) predates the Federation and hasn't woken up from stasis until aabout a year or so prior to 2383.
Not sure what the rules are in regards to species that are part of UFP but have settlers elsewhere (I would imagine if they OFFICIALLY severed ties with the Federation, they and their offspring would not be Federation citizens, however, Jankom was born pre-Federation and lived for a bit well outside UFP space, so on a technicality, he is not a Federation citizen).
Since the kids never knew of the Federation to begin with (and have origins that suggest they weren't in colonies etc. that were part of UFP- and Dal was created outside the Federation by protege's of Soong who left the UFP to make him... plus, Gwyn as a Vau'N'A'Kat is not a UFP member (because Solum is not a member - at least, not yet)... they'd all be considered non UFP members.
There's a very high possibiltiy however that given the special circumstances, Janeway will be recommending them all (heck, she already did).
The training under her wing is an opportunity for the kids to get a real taste of what working in SF really is.
Its a period of adjustment.... but its also possible that SF may consider giving the kids official field commissions if they distinguish themselves in the field.
VA Janeway will probably keep them busy and put them through Academy training anyway under her wing... this way, they will be given the best possible opportunity to pass any requirements that SF may have in store for them in the future if they are offerred places in the Academy - which for the kids, might entail that they just remain in the field and eventually get their commissions.
Is there evidence that it was a *general* Federation ban on augmentation for all species? Or was it just a Federation ban on human augmentation? I’m referring to the most contemporary reference to this ban, though there may be more documentation further along the timeline. Was article 618 ‘grandfathered’ in to the Articles of the Federation? If so, could it be taken literally in regards to its references of human augmentation? This would mean that Dal and Number one are exempt as they are *not* human.
Strange New Worlds series indicates the ban is in effect for ALL species that are genetically modified/enhanced (not just humans).
There's a whole issue on that show right now with Illyrians, and it was established they wanted to join the UFP so much that they even tried to reverse their genetic modifications so they would be admitted... but unfortunately, it didn't work (or at least not yet),.
If I'm not mistaken, the Illiryians are part of the UFP (as of the later part of the 23rd century - aka, ST: the movie)... so either they managed to undo their genetic augmentation, or, UFP made an exception because the procedure was attempted and failed, and asked the Illiryans to keep quiet about their genetic augmentations.
It's actually quite interesting they would choose to go so far to remove genetic enhancements just to join the Federation.
What was the allure exactly?
The Illiryans could have probably become very good/close allies with the Federation and establish some kind of a 'deal' which would provide them with benefits of membership without actually being a member.