Careers at Royal Navy
There are various careers on offer with the Royal Navy for school leavers, graduates, or those with vocational qualifications such as nursing or medicine.
The entry level into a Royal Navy career depends on qualifications attained; many roles have specific entry requirements.
Vacancies are offered at two levels:
Ratings level
These roles are open to those who have attained GCSE-level qualifications or gained fewer than 96 UCAS points in their A levels. Ratings level roles are akin to Apprenticeship type roles, where candidates earn while they train on the job.
There are around 60 types of ratings level roles across nine different sectors, such as:
- IT
- Medicine
- Communications
- Hands-on work (practical roles in various areas of specialism)
- Logistics & HR
- Engineering
- Food, drink, and hospitality
- Science
- Weapons
Officer level
These roles are open to those who have gained over 96 UCAS points in their A levels, or have attained a degree.
With over 21 types of roles at the Officer level, sectors that candidates can work in include:
- Medicine
- Logistics
- Warfare
- Aviation
- Engineering
Officers in the Royal Navy are deemed to be at the Manager or Leadership level. They also get involved in mentoring more junior members of the team.
Royal Navy Application Process
-
1
Online Application
-
2
Naval Service Recruiting Test (NRST)
-
3
Virtual Interview
-
4
Medical and Fitness Tests
-
5
Pre Royal Navy Course
Candidates need to be successful at each stage of the process to be offered a position.
The recruitment process assesses the various competencies and abilities required for a career in the Royal Navy.
Roles within the Royal Navy are demanding and challenging. This assessment process ensures that the right people are selected for these roles based on the behaviours required to build a successful career.
Royal Navy online application
All applications for Royal Navy positions are taken online via an application form link sent to candidates.
Before the link is sent, candidates first need to complete a short form that determines whether they meet the entry requirements.
The Royal Navy application form is a comprehensive application that takes around 45 minutes to complete.
Candidates are required to complete specific sections:
- Basic candidate details, including address and contact information
- Additional candidate details including passport details, some medical details, information on tattoos and piercings
- Information on nationality and residency
- Details on any previous armed forces experience
- Details on any previous applications to the Royal Armed Forces
- Education and employment details
The application form details guidance on the entry requirements for each section and what is permitted/not permitted concerning medical history, tattoos and piercings, and physical fitness.
Royal Navy Service Recruiting Test
The Royal Navy Services Recruiting Test (NSRT) consists of four tests, each with 30 questions and assessing a different ability:
- Reasoning: assesses a candidate’s ability to read and understand links between information and to answer questions based on these links or patterns.
- Verbal reasoning: assesses a candidate’s ability to read and understand a passage of information and then answer questions on this.
- Numerical ability: assesses a candidate’s ability to perform basic calculations.
- Mechanical reasoning: this test assesses a candidates understanding of mechanical principles and requires candidates to apply their knowledge when answering questions.
The NSRT is a timed test that puts additional time pressure on candidates. It is recommended to work quickly but accurately. The more questions you answer correctly, the higher your score will be.
Royal Navy Reasoning test
The Reasoning test evaluates a candidate’s ability to read, understand and interpret relationships between data, then answer questions based on these data relationships. Sometimes the information presented in the questions will be relevant to the relationship, sometimes the information will not.
Candidates need to use their understanding to select the correct answers.
There are 30 questions in this test and nine minutes to complete the test. Each question is given with a selection of answers to choose from. Candidates pick the answer they believe to be the correct one.
Working quickly but carefully, making sure you have read and understood the information presented is recommended. Points are only given for correct answers, so the more questions you answer, the higher your chances of attaining a good score.
Find out more about the Royal Navy Reasoning Test here.
Royal Navy verbal ability test
In the verbal ability test, candidates have 30 questions to complete in nine minutes. The questions assess how well you can work out the meanings of words and the relationship between different words.
The questions are presented as paragraphs or sentences of information. Candidates then need to answer questions around rewording a sentence, finishing off a sentence by selecting the correct word, or selecting the ‘odd one out’ word.
A series of multiple-choice answers are given. Candidates then select the answer they believe to be correct.
In the verbal ability test, it is important to take the time to read the question, so you are clear on what the question is asking, then select the correct answer.
Find out more about the Royal Navy Verbal Ability test here.
Royal Navy numeracy test
The numeracy part of the NSRT test consists of 30 questions with 16 minutes to complete all of the questions. This numerical test assesses a candidate’s basic numerical ability.
Questions are asked on basic maths calculations using multiplication and division, addition, and subtraction. Some questions require candidates to use their knowledge of fractions, percentages, and basic algebra.
If you don’t know the answer to a question, make an educated guess and then move onto the next question. This increases your chances of completing all questions in the test.
The score required to pass the test is dependent upon the branch applied to.
Find out more about the Royal Navy numeracy test here.
Royal Navy mechanical comprehension test
The mechanical comprehension test assesses a candidate’s understanding and knowledge of mechanical principles and processes.
There are 30 minutes in which to complete ten questions. The questions are both text and visual - presented as a paragraph of information with an image to describe the text visually.
Questions can be asked around pulleys, cogs, tension load, and weights.
Again it is essential to read the question and understand the information presented in the visual image before selecting the correct multiple-choice answer that you believe to be correct.
The pass mark for the mechanical reasoning test depends on the branch applied to.
Find out more about the Royal Navy mechanical comprehension test here.
