British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens may join the Royal Navy Reserves. Certain career paths,however, are only available to UK nationals.You need to be 16 years old or more, physically fit and able to meet the same entry standards as the Royal Navy.
For information about this, take a look at www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers. The normal upper age limit is 40 (45 for ex-Service personnel).
Interest, potential and commitment are more important than anything else and we value every individual’s contribution, irrespective of their race, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation or social background.
Joining up
The recruitment process for joining the Reserves is exactly the same as if you were joining the full-time Royal Navy, although we try to complete several of the mandatory processes on one day or evening in order to minimise the time you will need to take off work, college or from any other commitments.
If you want to be a Rating
The selection process takes place at your local Armed Forces Careers Office. You will fill in a questionnaire and be given a test covering reasoning, English language, numeracy
and mechanical comprehension. You will also be given the dates for a recruiting evening at your local Royal Navy Reserve Unit. At a later date, you will have an interview with a Careers Adviser. We will give you a medical examination and optician eye test, before assessing your fitness. All successful candidates must complete a security questionnaire.
If you want to be an Officer
When you contact us about a career as an Officer in the Royal Navy Reserves, we will arrange a meeting between you and one of our Area Careers Liaison Officers. Your Careers Liaison Officer will help you find out more about the Royal Navy Reserves and the jobs that could be right for you. They will also help you apply to the Admiralty Interview Board, and help you prepare so you can succeed there. During this process, you will also be invited to visit your local Royal Navy Reserves Unit.
All prospective Royal Navy Officers attend the two-day Admiralty Interview Board at HMS Sultan in Hampshire, so we can find out if you have got what it takes. Over the two days, we will test you mentally and physically. You will sit a maths test, spatial orientation tests and tests for speed and accuracy. We will examine how much you know about the Royal Navy and you will have to write an essay to show us how well you can communicate in writing.
As well as a fitness assessment, you will do leadership tests in the gym, where you will have to work with a team to solve practical problems. And you will do a theoretical problem-solving exercise in the classroom too.
Contact Us
If you are interested in joining the RNR as a new recruit or an ex-RN service man or woman and would like further information, please complete and submit this online form. Applicants must be resident in the United Kingdom at the time of application. Read More...
About to finish your time with the Royal Navy? Want to keep up the contacts - then the RNR may be for you.
We have a requirement for:-
Medical Officers (Surg Cdr and below), Nursing Officers (Lieutenant-Commander QARNNS and below) up to age 45. X(PWO) and X(SM) officers up to age 45 (Lieutenant-Commander and below).
Officers up to age 45 with experience of media operations, operational logistics or intelligence, or with advanced foreign language skills. Warfare Branch - especially MCD, Minewarfare, Communications, EW - junior rates and SES. Naval Nurses, Medical Assistants.
Fleet Air Arm personnel - contact Staff Officer reserves at RNAS Yeovilton Tel:- 019 3545 5680 dsor@yeovilton.mod.uk .
Chaplains - contact Director General Naval Chaplaincy Service Tel:- 02392 625208.
Medical Branch - All medical branch personnel contact the RNR Medical Branch Recruiting Officer. Tel 07795 238616 for Doctors or 07795 238617 for QARNNs and Medical Technicians.