FF
Had the same dilemma as you albeit a few years back. Basically (good basically), there are pro's and con's to each choice.
University gets you your degree - whilst living the life of a student. Most people will tell you that they had some of their best years at Uni.
You will simultaneously get your flying training on a UAS; which now happens whether or not you are DE or RAFVR (which you would become as a Bursar). Again there is great fun to be had.
As a DE you start IOT straight away before moving onto your training - which is now all based on the UAS system since they got rid of JEFTS last year.
Pro's of UNI:
You still have your own life to be daft, drunk, dye your hair and be generally immature - living in the same clothes, eating nothing but pot noodles and burger king etc
You walk away with a degree and finish EFT
You generally get promoted to Flt Lt faster because of your Uni Degree
Cons:
DEBT - sponsored or not you'll spend it all and then some at Uni.
I've also heard from a few of the guys coming through the system now that the DE guys tend to get first priority on the flying because they're being paid by the RAF to get through ASAP.
Pros of DE
You're comissioned and being paid to do EFT without the added pressure of having to complete a degree at the same time.
Cons:
While the UAS Studes are getting p*ssed up of an evening you still have your responsibilities as a Junior Officer e.g Orderly Officer, Station and Sqn Secondary duties.
Generally a UAS EFT Student will be promoted to Flt Lt 3yrs from starting IOT, however a DE guy will be looking at Plt Off for a year and then about another 4yrs as a Fg Off (I admit I'm not too certain of that figure but it is around that ball park). Please remember though that a DE guy will not be carrying any Uni debt and it generally works out about even.
At the moment, as you know the Airforce is having a bit of a mare within the flying training system.
I reckon you could either got to uni, work your hardest and get a good EFT score and hope that the system calms down over the three years it will take you to get your degree. At least by that time the RAF will have some measure of your abilities as a pilot.
You could also go DE but you risk going through IOT and EFT through this turbulent time and I honestly dont think the RAF even knows what the outcome is going to be yet.
At the end of it all, as a UAS Bursar, you start Initial Officer Training with a degree and something to fall back on should it all go to rat. As a DE you haven't.
For your info I decided on the Bursary simply because I wasn't ready to grow up yet and I had a whale of a time. Word of warning though - I ended up failing my first year at Uni. Not only did that delay my entry to the RAF a year but it also proved to be the most expensive financial mistake I ever made.
However I'm here now doing the job that i always wanted to do. Whichever method you decide stick to it with determination and remember - its the getting in that's the hard bit, not how you go about getting in.
