Check Your Eligibility for Joining the Royal Navy Reserves

You don’t need any qualifications to become a rating in the Royal Naval Reserve.
You’ll start as a General Entry Rating Reserve either in the General Warfare branch or in the Engineering branch if you have relevant experience and skills. To join the Engineering branch you must hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a Level 3 or 4 qualification in an engineering discipline.
You’ll need to be aged 16 to 42.
You must be British, Irish, Commonwealth or dual citizenship.
You’ll need to be medically fit.

If you left school with qualifications, you can choose a rating or an officer role
If you join as an officer you will join as a General Entry Officer Reserve in the General Warfare branch or in the Engineering branch if you have relevant qualifications and experience
You’ll need to be aged 16 to 42 as a rating or 18 to 42 as an officer
To join as an officer, you’ll need a minimum of 72 UCAS points and at least 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C (9-4) (or Scottish equivalent), which must include English Language and Mathematics
You must be British, Irish, Commonwealth or dual citizenship
You’ll need to be medically fit

If you are a fully trained Royal Navy or Royal Marines officer or rating and left the service within the last two years you can apply to join the Royal Naval Reserve or Royal Marines Reserve through the Firefly Scheme.
You’ll need to be aged 16 to 56 as an ex-regular rating or 20 to 56 as an ex-regular officer.
You’ll need to be medically fit.

FIREFLY SCheme

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If you have medical, cyber or chaplaincy qualifications, you could move straight into a specialist role as soon as you join.
Each role has specific qualification requirements. Find out more below.
You’ll need to be aged 21 to 52 for most specialist roles.
You must be British, Irish, Commonwealth or dual citizenship.
You’ll need to be medically fit.

You will need to be either fully trained, part trained or untrained strength from a former service time.
To join the Royal Naval Reserve, you’ll need to be aged 16 to 42 for a rating and 17 to 42 for an officer and for the Royal Marines Reserve you’ll need to be aged 16 to 32.
You’ll need to be medically fit.

Want to start your journey?

Choose the entry option that’s right for you, based on your circumstances, qualifications and experience.

Apply as a rating

As a General Entry Rating in the Royal Naval Reserve, you’ll be taking a step out of your comfort zone. A step that will start an adventure. You don’t even need any previous Naval experience, just the commitment to complete your basic training alongside your day job.

APPLY NOW

Apply as an officer

Go beyond the everyday. Push yourself further. Become a leader. Joining the Royal Naval Reserve as a General Entry Officer is your opportunity to use your skills and interests in a wide range of specialisms and world-class training courses, from mine warfare and submarines, to media or intelligence.

APPLY NOW

Reservist specialist roles

If you have a specialist qualification you can join the Royal Naval Reserve directly into the following roles.

Adult Nurse Reserve

Provide world-class medical care to safeguard our people in challenging environments, all over the world.

You should have an Adult Nursing Diploma, ideally with a specialism
You must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Biomedical Scientist Reserve

As a qualified medical professional, you’ll already have many of the skills we need. Becoming a Biomedical Scientist (Reserve) is your opportunity to use them as part of a global effort, protecting the people who keep our nation safe.

You must have a degree in Biomedical Science
Registered as a Biomedical Scientist in Haematology, Biochemistry, Blood Transfusion or Microbiology
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Chaplain Reserve

Provide multi-faith spiritual guidance and support that’s as diverse as the people who serve as Reservists.

You must be aged between 25 and 60 when you start training
You must have a theological degree or recognised qualification from a Bible College

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Cyber Reserve

Use your cyber skills to develop truly unique ones in this ground-breaking part of our nation’s defence.

You need to be aged 16 - 50 (56 serving or ex-regular Royal Navy)
You need to use spare time and weekends in order to support defence’s cyber security mission

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Dental Nurse Reserve

As a Dental Nurse (Reserve), you’ll be a central part of a professional dental practice – one that travels the world looking after the health of our people.

A diploma in Dental Nursing
You need to be registered with the General Dental Council
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Dental Officer Reserve

Test your dentistry expertise outside your civilian practice and find out what it takes to provide first class care for Royal Navy personnel. As a Dentist (Reserve), the work you do will be vital to keeping our operations on track.

Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular
You’ll need a dentistry degree and full General Dental Council registration

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Medical Officer Reserve

Play an essential role on the frontline of the medical profession, supporting vital naval operations, all over the world.

A medical degree (MBBS or equivalent)
General Medical Council registration, with no restrictions
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Mental Health Nurse Reserve

As a Mental Health Nurse (Reserve), you’ll continue your civilian career, but for 24 days a year, you’ll also provide vital care to our people.

You need to be a registered Mental Health Nurse with the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC)
You can also apply in your last year of nurse training to be selected on a conditional offer, subject to receiving an NMC PIN
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Nursing Officer Reserve

First-class care meets challenging conditions, as you play an essential part in safeguarding our people, all over the world.

You should be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and clinically current in certain specialisations
You can apply in your last year of nurse training and will be selected on a conditional basis subject to receipt of your NMC PIN
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Operating Department Practitioner Reserve

Joining the Royal Naval Reserve as an Operating Department Practitioner is your opportunity to hone your skills on medicine’s frontline.

DipHE or BSc Operating Department Practice
Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Pharmacist Reserve

Take your skills as a Pharmacist and apply them to a completely new environment, where you can push yourself, become a leader and go beyond the everyday.

A Pharmaceutical degree
Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Physiotherapist Reserve

Physical fitness is paramount in the Royal Navy. That’s why we need a team that’s dedicated to keeping our people in peak condition and helping them recover from injury.

Up to 52 or 56 if ex-regular
You must have a Physiotherapist Degree

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Radiographer Reserve

We believe our people deserve the best possible medical care. That’s why we need professional radiographers to join our team, providing treatment when there are casualties and advancing our surgical capabilities.

BSc or MSc in Diagnostic Radiography
Health and Care Professions Council Membership

APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, the joining process is as follows

REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION

Choose from one of the roles to enter above and request your application on the role page. You will be asked a few basic questions to check you're eligible to apply.

Visit your local unit

Book a place at an informal presentation evening or live event at your local Royal Navy Reserve unit, where you’ll learn more about us and the options open to you.

Find your unit

Interview and Defence Aptitude Assessment

You will be invited to an interview, which is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform, where we will check your eligibility and outline the joining process. See how you can prepare here.

We’ll also arrange for you to take the Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA).

Practise the DAA

Join your local unit

Join your local Unit for Attestation. This involves swearing allegiance to His Majesty The King and signing the Official Secrets Act. At this point you’ll be a Phase 0 recruit, and will attend weekly drill nights, however you won’t be able to start formal training until you pass your medical and fitness test.

Medical and eye test

You’ll need to take a medical, an eye-test and the Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFT), which is a 2.4 km run on a treadmill at a fitness centre near you. Make sure you get yourself into shape, both to pass the test and prepare for your initial training.