The bean counters have cut so much of the 'fun' element from the UAS world and increased the pressure on the average youngster wanting to try and get a good degree so much that anyone serious about a career as a FJ pilot would be better off waiting until after University to apply for the RAF. Well - that's what i was told by a current UAS boss!
Back in the dreaded 'Aerocrat' era, most of us were UAS APOs and were paid roughly twice what a normal student would get as a university grant. We wore 'real' uniform - no white bands or tabs - and had full officer status. Our primary task was to get a degree, the UAS was NOT to interfere with our progress. There was no formal streaming and even with PIFG and PFB we only saved the RAF about 15 hours from the excellent JP 'wings' course then in place. Plus, of course, there were many more UAS aredromes around then.
Nowadays there are virtually no financial benefits in being a UAS 'bursar' - and the cost of living at university takes a bigger chunk out of any money a student might have, so they have to find other paid work as well. But they have to travel further to their aerodrome and they have to perform sufficiently well to be streamed for FJ if that's what they want. Try doing that when you're doing something like Aero Eng at Impossible College, London!
But if you join after university, you'll do IOT and then have a good time at the DE flight at a UAS if you're lucky, otherwise JEFTS. The course is slightly shorter but the continuity is vastly better - and you wdon't have to worry about the academic work required for a degree!
I would advise anyone wanting to become involved with the military at university to join the OTC, have a good time, then apply to the RAF after Finals!
Shame - the old UAS system provided a very cost-effective stream of pilots and paid for itself easily. But the wretched bean counters have ruined it for ever.