Royal Marine Commandos: The joining process

Once you've reviewed the Royal Marines Commando role information, you need to fill in a simple form to register your interest. If you're ready to apply please indicate this and we will send you an online application form. Alternatively, if you need more information, we'll be in touch to discuss your options. 

Remember:
Registering your interest or returning your application
DOES NOT commit you to joining.

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 adviser for help if you need it.

The medical and eye examinations 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. Capita Medical will arrange an appointment for you at a convenient time and location.

Before you can join the Royal Marines you'll have to pass the Pre-Joining Fitness Test Plus (PJFT+). This is a more challenging test than the one taken by candidates joining other branches of the Royal Navy, and will require you to be at the very peak of fitness and in prime physical condition.

The PJFT+ is a circuit assessment. You have to complete the circuit three times, with each requiring the completion of 20 x burpees, 30 x sit ups, 20 x press ups and a one minute plank. On completion of the three circuits you will have to perform a set of five pull ups.

You will have a total of three attempts at passing the Pre-Joining Fitness Test Plus.

The Candidate Preparation Course (CPC) is a three-day course at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), Lympstone. This is your introduction to life in the Royal Marines and indicates your potential to begin Royal Marines Initial Training.

Over the course of the three 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.

The course includes a Beep test, press up, sit up and pull up assessments and a swimming assessment. Confidence and determination assessments are also conducted over the endurance, high obstacle and bottom field assault courses.

Once you’ve completed the CPC successfully, it's important to stay in peak physical condition, as Initial Training is also extremely demanding. To do so, you can follow the Royal Marines Fitness programme.

Once you’ve passed all aspects of the recruiting process, including a security check, you’ll then be given a date to commence Initial Training at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), Lympstone. Your AFCO will buy your train ticket to help you get there, provide some joining instructions and tell you what kit you need.

If successful through the entire course, you’ll spend 36 weeks at CTCRM and learn the skills you need to become an elite amphibious soldier. The course is made up of four sections: Individual Skills (weeks 1 to 10), Team and Section Skills (weeks 11 to 15), Troop and Urban Skills with Skills Consolidation and Test Exercise (weeks 16 to 23) and the Commando Phase (weeks 24 to 32).