Being part of an elite amphibious fighting force can be hard to imagine. What’s the training like? How close is the bond between Commandos? How fit do you need to be? Speak to a serving Royal Marine Commando today to ask any questions you may have about life in the corps.
Being part of an elite amphibious fighting force can be hard to imagine. What’s the training like? How close is the bond between Commandos? How fit do you need to be? Speak to a serving Royal Marine Commando today to ask any questions you may have about life in the corps.
Physical fitness is central to everyday life in the Royal Marines. That’s why the joining process is packed with exacting assessments you’ll need to pass to progress. Find out what they are and how you can prepare.
Want a taste of what life in the corps will be like? Join us at the Royal Marines Experience, held in various locations around the country.
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Your first step on the recruitment journey is to complete your full application form, which you can find in our Recruitment Portal. We have emailed you a link to the Recruitment Portal. If you can't find the link, please check your spam folder or give us a call so we can send it to you again.
Once you've submitted the application form on the Recruitment Portal, you can expect to receive a call from your local Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) to arrange your next steps. Depending on your circumstances, some stages may take longer than others. We’ll make sure that you are kept involved and informed throughout the whole recruitment and training process.
We'll then arrange for you to take the Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA), which all potential recruits have to sit. It tests your general intellectual ability, and how well you do shows your capacity to cope with the technical and academic aspects of Royal Marines training.
We’ll invite you to a formal interview to assess your suitability for a career in the Royal Marines. This is much like any other job interview, so you should prepare accordingly, including asking your careers advisor for help if you need it.
The medical and eye exam are quite comprehensive, because life in the Royal Marines is very physically demanding.
Your tests must be completed by one of our Ministry of Defence-approved doctors, who are based all around the country. Your local AFCO will arrange an appointment for you at a convenient time and location.
Before you can join you'll have to pass the Royal Marines Pre-Joining Fitness Test, which involves completing two 2.4km runs on a treadmill that is set to a 2% incline. The first run must be completed in less than 12 minutes 30 seconds. You will then have a one-minute break before completing the second run in under 10 minutes. This time is the absolute minimum requirement, and the expectation is that you will record the best time possible.
If you're joining as a commando, the PRMC is your introduction to life in the Royal Marines and indicates your potential to begin Basic Training. Over the course of four days you'll complete a number of physical tests in a range of challenging environments, and learn all about our ethos. Train efficiently and keep a positive state of mind, and you’ll stand a good chance of passing.
If you're joining as a Royal Marines Officer you will need to complete the Potential Officer Course (POC) and the Admiralty Interview Board as part of the joining process.Once you’ve completed the PRMC or POC successfully you must stay in peak physical condition, as Basic Training is also extremely demanding.
Once you’ve passed all aspects of the recruiting process, including a security check, you’ll then be given a date to commence Basic Training at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) in Lympstone.
Your AFCO will buy your train ticket to help you get there, provide some joining instructions and tell you what kit you need. You’ll spend 32 weeks here and learn the skills you need to become an elite amphibious soldier. If you're joining as an officer, this is where you'll complete your Initial Royal Marines Officer Training, which lasts 16 months.