Non-UK residents barred from RAF application?

[Alexrey]

Hi guys, I'm hoping to apply to join the RAF as a pilot in 2013 but I've been reading some posts that are starting to worry me a ton. I've just finished my second year at university and will be starting my third year in about 3 weeks time. I've been working my arse off for the past two years and have managed to get a 1st for mathematics in years 1 and 2 and will hopefully be able to repeat that for my final undergrad year as well.
I live in South Africa but have a British passport (my mum was British), and besides the never ending squadron cuts I've been reading about, this is what concerns me the most since I've heard that even with a British passport, if you're not a resident the door to the RAF is closed to you.
The only reason I'm taking maths is for the RAF, but with the latest news I'm wondering if it was such a clever idea to have focused my degree choice on the presumption that entering the RAF would have been hunky dory once I had graduated.

I'll still try my luck at applying once I've finished honours (I'll be at the end of 23 so will have just over 2 years to spare) and was wondering if this "entrance barring" is only due to the current economic circumstances that the UK is facing. If it is not and is considered normal practice, is there any way that I can bypass this wall because right now the thought of standing in a dusty room writing equations on a black board for the rest of my life doesn't exactly spell exciting to me.

Cheers, Alexrey.

[Sand4Gold]

Alexrey,

Welcome to PPRuNe - this has been discussed before, if you have not already done so, pickup the Sticky OASC Thread from reply 88 to its natural conclusion.

Hopefully, OneFifty will reply to you when he next logs on.

S4G

[Alexrey]

Awesome, thanks a lot, I'll check that out.

[Mr C Hinecap]

The only reason I'm taking maths is for the RAF

I'm sure you have reasons to make that statement, but the RAF doesn't need you to have a maths degree and never has had.

[Fareastdriver]

Once upon a time; 1964, 30% of the active aircrew in the Royal Air force were Dominion, Colonial or Overseas.

[Jig Peter]

FWIW: some years after exercising my 38/16 option "way back when", I accepted a good job offered not far from Düsseldorf in Germany, and as I was still on the "Active Reserve" List, I informed MoD of my new address. The polite reply in acknowledgement told me that until I was once again resident in UK, I would be regarded as "not available". The thinking, I suppose, being that any need for reservists would not leave time for me (and others, I assumed) to make the hour or so's flight or day-long car and boat trip back to Britain - that seemed odd at the time, but I had other things to keep me busy and my mind off the Ministry's approach to "Foreign". Some things don't change ...