Army officer

Army officers command, motivate and lead teams of soldiers. They work in one of a variety of specialist corps and regiments. Candidates decide which corps or regiment they want to join when they apply.

Work activities

There are 25 different roles you could go into as an officer. These span areas as diverse as human resources and legal services to medicine and veterinary services, as well as more combat-orientated roles.

The roles are:

• Armoured corps officer
• Army nurse
• Artillery officer
• Aviation support officer
• Chaplain
• Dentist
• Doctor
• Educational and training services officer
• Engineer troop officer
• Engineering officer
• Environmental health officer
• Household Cavalry officer
• HR officer
• Infantry officer
• Intelligence officer
• Legal officer
• Medical support officer
• Mental health nurse
• Officer pilot
• Pharmacist officer
• Physiotherapist officer
• Royal Logistic Corps officer
• Royal military police officer
• Royal Signals officer
• Veterinary officer

Personal qualities and skills

As an Army officer, you will need:

• A responsible attitude.
• Leadership skills.
• Administrative, organisational and management skills.
• Written and spoken communication skills.
• Stamina and endurance.
• Physical fitness.

You also need to be able to:

• Motivate.
• Make decisions.
• Lead by example.
• Impose discipline.
• Be adaptable.
• Accept responsibility.
• Work well as a member of a team.

Each specialism has specific requirements in terms of personal qualities and skills. For some trades, your colour vision and/or hearing will be tested. You may serve under combat conditions and will need to demonstrate skills of weapon handling and fieldcraft.

There is an extensive list of medical conditions that might stop (or delay) you from joining the Army – see the website for details.

Pay and opportunities

Levels of pay are set by the Government, usually following recommendations made by the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body. You will start training on just over £28,000, rising to £34,000 once you take a commission.

Hours of work for Army officers vary depending on operational requirements, but may include shifts, early starts, late finishes, weekend work and working on public holidays. As an Army officer, you may need to work at short notice, and you should expect to work longer hours during military exercises or on operational missions.

Officers are based at military locations throughout the UK. Army officers can expect to be deployed anywhere in the world, sometimes at short notice. This can mean extended periods spent away from home.

Where are vacancies advertised?

See the Army’s website for the latest recruitment information.

Entry routes and training 

To apply for a role as a regular officer, you must be between 17 years, 9 months and 28 years, 11 months. Some areas may carry other age limits.

You usually need to be a British or Irish citizen to join (sometimes the Army also accepts applications from Commonwealth citizens).

Selection is divided into two stages: Briefing and Main Board. In the briefing stage, you attend a selection centre in Westbury, where you are supported to prepare for the Main Board. Although you undertake tests at the Briefing stage, these are primarily to help assessors understand your development needs before you attend the Main Board. Main Board is a four-day residential assessment, comprising activities and exams including:

• Psychometric tests.
• A written test.
• Fitness test.
• Outdoor group tasks.
• An interview.
• A lecture, which you will deliver to a group.
• A planning exercise to assess your problem-solving skills.
• Command tests, in which you lead a group.
• Individual task.

All officers must complete military and leadership training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Once you join your regiment or corps, you’ll undertake further specialist training, relevant to your chosen area of work. You will continue to develop your skills and knowledge, throughout your time in the Army. Professionally qualified doctors, vets, lawyers, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists or chaplains who are accepted for officer training, attend a shorter induction course.

You don’t have to go to university to enter the Army as an officer. Scholarships, bursaries and cadetships are available to help potential officers complete their training. However, if you do wish to go to university, you could undertake an internship for between 6 and 18 months before, during or after you start your degree.

You can move up the ranks to higher-level jobs. There are clear progression routes and opportunities for promotion.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Some careers in the Army - working with children and vulnerable adults and working with sensitive information - are exceptions to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if asked to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

As well as meeting the age, nationality and fitness requirements, you must meet certain academic requirements to train as an Army officer:

• 35 ALIS points from seven GCSE/SNQ subjects, at least grade 4 in English language, maths and either science or a foreign language.
• 72 UCAS tariff points from up to three subjects (four for Scottish highers), excluding general studies. Other qualifications may apply.

To join as a professionally qualified officer (e.g. a doctor, vet etc), you will need a relevant degree.

Adult opportunities

Age limits apply to this occupation. You must usually be between 18-29 years of age. Higher age limits apply for specialists, e.g. doctors, and over 30s are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Financial support includes cadetships and bursaries for undergraduates in higher education.

Related careers

• Armed forces pilot
• Army soldier
• RAF officer
• Royal Marines officer
• Royal Navy officer