How To Join The Royal Marines | Eligibility Requirements And More

Life in the Royal Marines is a roller coaster of bitter-sweet experiences but as long as dreams are achieved, then you should have nothing to lose. You’ll be exposed to lots of activities you wouldn’t imagine but these programs will definitely build a better warrior out of you.

Eligibility Requirements

Before proceeding with the application, you should check the eligibility requirement in order to know if you meet up with the designated requirements.

1. Age

• You must be aged 16 to 32. To be an officer, you’ll need A levels or above and must be aged 18 to 25. However, for the Royal Marines you have to be:
• At least 15 years old and 9 months when you apply
• Over 16 years old on entry
• Under 33 years old when you begin basic training

2. Medical

This is an important requirement considering the degree of vigorous activity you might be subjected to. Conditions like the following might mar your chances;

• Asthma within the last four years (not including a single chest infection)
• A break or joint strain that caused you to seek medical help
• Any medical condition that requires regular prescription medication or review by your GP.

3. Minimum Height And Weight

• Minimum height of 145cm
• Minimum weight of 65kg

4. Nationality And Residency

Nationality requirement includes;

• A national of the United Kingdom or Ireland
• A Commonwealth citizen applying from inside your country and aged 18 or over. If a resident of the UK, you can apply at 16, however, you must hold a current in date passport and it’s your responsibility to ensure that you have permission to be in the UK and that this permission is valid for the entirety of the recruitment process up to the point entry. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland, Malta, and the Republic of Cyprus are exempted.
• A dual Commonwealth or British national who is not required to complete national service (written evidence is required)
• A British national living abroad

5. Criminal Convictions

Zero criminal records is an advantage but if you do or you were convicted of a crime, you may have to;

• Complete a full Security Check
• Declare all previous convictions, both spent and unspent

6. Tattoos And Piercings

The following kinds of tattoos and piercings won’t prevent you from joining the Royal Marines;

• Tattoos are not visible on a front-view passport-like those which aren’t on your face, throat area, or in front of your ears.
• Tattoos are not offensive or obscene (see our policy for full details)
• Any piercings can be removed
• Tattoos on your hands are acceptable if they follow the guidelines outlined above. Flesh tunnels are a barrier to entry. If you have any questions about your tattoos and/or piercings, please contact a Careers Adviser.
• You will need to complete a form describing your tattoos and must also show them during the selection process. You’ll also be required to remove certain body jewelry before taking part in any physical activity.

How To Join

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility

1. Register Your Interest

You need to fill in a simple form to register your interest. However, registering your interest or returning your application DOES NOT commit you to join.

2. Take The Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)

The defence aptitude test 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.

3. Interview

You’ll need to attend a formal interview to assess your suitability for a career in the Royal Marines.

4. Medical, Eye Tests, And Fitness Tests

This test will be scheduled at a time most convenient to you by your local AFCO.

The pre-joining fitness test plus (PJFT+) is one of the most important and challenging tests for most candidates where your highest strength and youthfulness will be tested.

This is a circuit test that you can only attempt twice. 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.

5. Candidate Preparation Course

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

6. The Training Proper

You’ll be given a date to commence an Initial Training at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), Lympstone once you’ve passed all aspects of the recruiting process, including a security check.

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 a duration of 32 weeks at CTCRM and learn the skills you need to become an elite amphibious soldier if you are successful through the entire course, you’ll spend 32 weeks at CTCRM. The course includes 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).

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