How to become Royal Navy officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- applying directly
University
If you have a degree, you can apply through the Direct Graduate Entry route.
For some officer roles you'll need specific qualifications and experience, for example:
- a degree in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) to be an air engineering officer
- an approved degree in medicine to join as a medical officer
You can start applying before you finish your studies, as the process can take up to 6 months. If you're accepted, you'll attend Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, to begin officer training.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
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Volunteering
You can join the Royal Navy Reserve to get some experience of what life is like in the service, and to learn new skills at the same time.
You'll need to:
- be between 18 and 42
- commit to basic training which includes a 2-week course at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth
If you're between 12 and 18 years old, you can join the Sea Cadets.
Direct Application
You can apply directly for officer training.
You'll need a minimum of:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
- 2 A levels or equivalent qualifications
Age limits vary depending on which officer role you're interested in.
If your application is accepted, you'll be invited to talk to someone at your local armed forces careers office about what you want to do. You'll also have a medical and fitness check.
There will be further assessments and interviews to complete and if you're successful, you'll be offered a place on a full officer training programme.
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Career tips
You will need to pass physical fitness assessments, including swimming, to be accepted into the Royal Navy. Get fit to Join has information on how to check your current fitness and how to improve to the level required.
Further information
You'll find more details about how to become an officer from Royal Navy Careers.