To join the RAF, you will need to meet our educational, nationality and residency, age, health and fitness requirements.

However, there are also some other factors that could prevent you from joining.

Extremism

Your application will definitely not be accepted if you’ve ever been, or still are, a member of a group that stirs up racial hatred and violence.

Equal opportunities

All RAF roles are open to women, with the exception of RAF Regiment Officer and RAF Regiment Gunner. The RAF Regiment carries out duties similar to front-line infantry and, in common with the Army, only men are recruited for roles that can involve fighting the enemy face to face. This policy may be reviewed in the future.

Court appearances and convictions

If you’re waiting to appear in court (other than as a witness), you might have to wait for the outcome of your case before you can apply to join.

If you have spent or unspent convictions, you may be excluded from some branches and trades in the RAF.

If you are ex-Service and were discharged for disciplinary reasons, you can’t re-join the RAF.

Drugs

If you are a habitual drug user, you don’t qualify to join the RAF. If you’ve taken drugs in the past, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re excluded from joining, but you must have given up. There are random, compulsory drug tests for everyone in the RAF.

Tattoos or piercings

You can join the RAF if you have tattoos or piercings. However, if your tattoos are offensive or obscene, or if you have tattoos that would still be visible when wearing full uniform (for example on your wrists, neck or head), you will not be able to join.

During parts of the application process, you will have to remove any body piercing jewellery for health and safety reasons. If you join the RAF, we will advise you on the rules about wearing jewellery.