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Royal Air Force Questions

Step 4: Meet the recruiter

Royal Air Force Questions

Here are a selection of FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) from people who are interested in joining the RAF.

What is the RAF?
What is the cut off age for joining the RAF?
What qualifications do I need?
Does the RAF take people with prior service?
What if I am not a UK citizen?
Can the RAF help me obtain UK citizenship?
What about if I live overseas?
How long is Basic Military Training?
What is BMT like?
Should I prepare for BMT?
How do I become an officer?
Do the RAF provide education grants for potential officers?
What if I am already professionally qualified?
Does the RAF promote airmen/women to the officer ranks?
How do I become a pilot?
Does the RAF have Reserve opportunities?
What are the qualifications to join the RAuxAF?v How much time am I committed to?
What training will I receive?
What if I have a problem getting time off from my employer?
s Trade Training like the Basic Recruit Course?
Will I be paid while in training?
What should I ask my recruiter?
Can I talk to someone in the RAF now?

What is the RAF? The RAF’s mission is to defend the nation and her interests through the control and exploitation of air space. Although obviously tasked with flying missions, most personnel work on the ground in various construction, support, and technical capacities.

What is the cut-off age for joining the RAF? The cut off age for joining varies from 23 for pilots to 55 for medical officers, although most job roles have a cut off between 29 and 36. Be sure to ask your recruiter if you are worried you may be too old for any roles. People with prior Service experience can often join at later ages.

What qualifications do I need? This depends on the job role. There are some roles that don’t require any formal qualifications as the RAF will train you up themselves, while other roles require degrees and further technical training after joining. However, you will need to pass the entrance test that covers basic reasoning, literary and mathematical abilities.

Does the RAF take people with prior service? Yes. The RAF accepts people who have previously served in the Armed Forces.

What if I am not a UK citizen? You must be a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen, or have dual nationality with Britain and another country and you need to be a UK citizen for some job roles. However, some exceptions are made. Ask your recruiter for more information.

Can the RAF help me obtain UK citizenship? No. The Armed Forces cannot assist foreign nationals in obtaining admittance into the United Kingdom.

What if I live overseas? You must have lived in the UK for at least the three years before you apply to join.

How long is Basic Military Training? There are different forms of Basic Training in the RAF depending on your career role. Gunners have a five months training course at RAF Honington in Suffolk to prepare you for life in the RAF Regiment. Non-Commissioned Aircrew complete nine weeks of military training at RAF Halton, in Buckinghamshire, followed by ten weeks of leadership and personal development training at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

What is BMT like? The gunners training course involves boosting your fitness levels, the use of weapons, fighting and survival tactics, navigation and driving. You will be pushed to the limit to enable you to develop character, determination and to work under pressure. After you complete the training you will go to your first posting.

The Non-Commissioned Aircrew course involves learning self-discipline, understanding how the RAF works, substantially improving your fitness and learning how to handle a rifle. The next step is ten weeks of leadership and personal development training at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. This includes training in communication, organisation and administration as well as a field training exercise. After this course you will move on to specialist training for your job role, including hands on training at an Operational Conversion Unit.

Should I prepare for BMT? Yes! It will really help you to improve your fitness before you go to BMT. See our fitness section (add link) for more information and to find out what fitness tests you will need to pass for each Service.

How do I become an officer? To enter training to become a RAF Officer you need to pass the aptitude tests and a selection interview at the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC), based at the RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire. This can take up to four days and you are assessed on your leadership potential, personality, fitness, initiative and aptitude. This includes interpreting information in two dimensions and devising a three-dimensional solution, completing several tasks simultaneously, eye-hand and eye-foot co-ordination and metal agility. You will also have to pass a fitness test and a medical which includes hearing and eyesight tests.

After passing the selection test the next stage is the 30 week long Initial Officer Training at the RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire where you will be taught all the qualities that an officer needs. These include communications skills, leadership and management under pressure.

The final stage is training for your specialist skills in the RAF. This varies according to your role but normally lasts for a minimum of two months.

Do the RAF provide education grants for potential officers? Yes. The RAF runs a number of schemes to assist with further education after school. See the Money for Education Prior to Joining section for more information.

What if I am already professionally qualified? If you are joining as an officer with professional qualifications, such as a doctor, you have a three month training course at RAF Cranwell. Although this course is shorter you still need to show the same levels of fitness and learn a range of military skills such as weapon handling.

Does the service promote airmen/airwomen to the officer ranks? Yes. You can apply to be an officer at any time, if you have at least five GCSEs/SCEs at Grade C/3 or above, including English language and maths. If you don’t have these qualifications you can take them while working for the RAF.

How do I become a pilot? You will need excellent eyesight and be a good all round candidate as there is strong competition for places. As a pilot is an officer role you need to have the correct minimum qualifications which are 5 GCSEs/SCEs and 2 A-levels or 3 Highers or equivalent. GCSEs/SCEs at Grade C/3 minimum to include English language and maths. You can then do an Open University degree while working for the RAF or join with a degree.

You need to complete the 30 weeks Officer Training Course at RAF Cranwell, followed by Elementary Flying Training (EFT) followed by training on the type of aircraft you have been chosen for.

Does the RAF have Reserve opportunities? Yes. For more information see the Reserves section.

What are the qualifications to join the RAuxAF?
You must:
• Be between 17½ and 50 (Parental consent needed if under 18 and ex-RAF can apply up to 55)
• Pass the RAuxAF fitness and medical test
• There are no formal qualifications needed except for technical roles
• Have been a citizen of the UK, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland since birth and were born in the UK or what is, or was at the time, a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland. Also, you should have lived in the UK for the five years immediately before your application. Candidates, whether or not they are of UK origin, should normally have resided in the UK for the five years immediately preceding their application. Some exceptions may apply and some trades have tighter nationality rules.

How much time am I committed to?

You will be required to give up a portion of your spare time, the minimum amount being 27 days of training each year. You initially sign up for five years, but you can apply to leave at any time. However, if mobilisation is underway it is unlikely that you will be able to leave. It is important to remember that by joining the RAuxAF you are committing to take part in active service, whatever its nature. Of course, the good news is that you get paid for your time!

What training will I receive? The basic training at the RAuxAF is known as the Basic Recruit Course (BRC) and it is both physically and mentally demanding. It is designed to ensure you can successfully work as part of a fighting team and is normally taken over evenings and weekends, and a residential period.

It covers fitness, general service life and discipline, first aid, fire fighting, weapon handling, field craft and nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.

Your Trade Training is down to the requirements of your squadron and your own skills and preferences. This might be something that utilises your existing skills or you might decide to learn completely new skills and the training time will depend on the particular trade.

You will also get Adventurous Training such as canoeing, climbing, sailing, skiing and trekking, which can take place either in the UK or abroad.

What if I have a problem getting time off from my employer to fulfill my military service obligations? You need to find out about any policies your employer may have about the Volunteer Reserve Forces (VRF), for example you may not be able to take annual leave at set times for VRF training sessions. Some employers give you extra time off for your training.

You must inform your employer as soon as possible if you are mobilised and when you return from mobilisation you have a right to be re-employed in the type of job in which you were last employed, on terms and conditions no less favourable than you had before. Or if this is not reasonable and practicable, to be re-employed in the most favourable job and on the most favourable terms and conditions which are reasonable and practicable in your case.

Is Trade Training like the BRC? No. This is training for a specialty you have chosen. It may involve work details and duty, but the main focus is on technical and professional training.

Will I be paid while in training? Yes, you will be paid for every day you serve according to published pay schedules for your pay grade, in addition to any Temporary Duty or travel allowances.

What should I ask my recruiter? Recruiters must present an accurate picture of service. You should be aware of all aspects of the military. Be sure you fully understand the contract. You should ask about:

• Details and qualifications for each specialty
• Films or videos about training and duties
• Basic training
• Length and location of training
• Joining incentives
• Overseas assignments, remote and long duty
• Haircut and grooming standards
• Educational benefits
• Guaranteed training programs

Can I talk to someone in the RAF now? Absolutely. Visit the HMForces forum.

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