How to join the British Army

There are over 220 different jobs in the British Army. Most are full-time, but some with the Territorial Army are part-time. There are army jobs for school-leavers, graduates and professionals. If you are looking for an outdoor job and want to join the army, this article will show you how to do it.

Minimum requirements

With so many different jobs, there are different entry requirements for each role. All roles within the army, however, have the following basic entry requirements.

Regular Army soldiers

You must be aged between 16 years, and 32 years and 11 months old. If you are under 18, your parents or guardians will need to give you consent to join. You must be a British citizen or a citizen of the British Commonwealth, Overseas Territories or Irish Republic. You must pass an Army medical and your GP needs to fill in a medical questionnaire. Website If you have any ongoing medical condition, you need to check the army website to see if this will prevent you from joining the army. Finally, you need to pass the Army fitness test. To help you to get army fit, the website gives you advice on how to train for the fitness test and tells you what standard you will need to be. For the Territorial Army, the only difference is the age limit which is extended up to 42 years and 11 months, or 52 years for former regular soldiers.

Regular Army officers

You must be aged between 17 years and 9 months, and 25 years and 11 months to enter the army as an officer. You must have passed at least 7 GCSE/SC subjects, with a minimum grade C/3 in English language, maths and either a science or a foreign language - plus 180 UCAS Tariff points from at least two A level passes grades A-E or SCE Higher grades A-D. Medical questionnaire Again, your GP needs to complete a medical questionnaire - you need to pass the Army medical and the Army Officers' Fitness test. Territorial Army Officers The entry requirements are the same as above but with an upper age-limit of 34 years and 11 months.

How to join

Firstly, visit the army MOD site, Army.mod.uk (join) to find out more about the various careers and jobs in the army, and to find out about the army way of life. Then, you can find out the location of your nearest careers office for a more informed chat about life in the army, send off for a brochure or apply online. If you have any previous criminal convictions, this doesn't mean that you can't join the army - talk to the staff at your local careers office for help.