What degree?

[superlukeyboy]

I really want 2 join the RAF and i have been advised by many people to go to university. The only problem is that i have absolutely no idea what to study! Im doin Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Human Biology for A-levels but i honestly dont no what to do at uni! Any suggestions? Also, does anyone know of a site with one big list of all the different degrees you can do and at what universities etc? thanks a lot!

[Neeps]

I noticed you made a couple of threads already. Have you tried using the search function as someone pointed out? Have you been in touch with your local AFCO?

You can go to http://www.ucas.co.uk which lists all the universities and courses in the country. It really depends what you're interested in as a career, and as a degree. For instance, if you want to be an Engineering Officer, you'd need to get an Engineering degree. If you want to be a Medicial Officer then a degree in Medicine.

Check out http://www.rafcareers.co.uk for minimum entry requirements to all branches.

[joe2812]

SLB - As someone who just finished college and is starting Uni in Sept i'm reasonable qualified to give you some info on the degree thingy.

However, don't pick a course just to get you into the RAF. Pick something relevant, sure, but its you who has to learn about it for 4 years, a period of time which will seem to never end if you're hating 5 out of 7 days of the week.

Your college should point you to UCAS at some point (University and Colleges Admission Service), whoc deal with all Uni applications. You send your app to them, who in turn pass it to your Unis. They then send replies to UCAS who send them back to you. They act as a 'middle-man' if you will.

http://www.ucas.ac.uk is their website. Try 'Course Search' and search for things like 'aerospace' 'engineering' etc.

Only go to Uni if you really want to be there though. If late nights, lots of drinks, embarrassing situations and living on the cheap don't sound like your cuppa, don't go. With you being hit with top-up fees (which will increase your Uni spending by about £8-9k in total), it's not something you should take on lightly if you think you'll be coming home after half a semester!

On the positive, have you thought of Aerospace Engineering? I'm off to Hertfordshire to do it in Sept and should act as a nice fall back should I find myself going for EngO. Things such as Pilot Studies, Avionics, Automotive Enginnering (all engineering is the same in the first year and the courses are similar) are all good choices. With Maths and Physics you'd be silly to go for something different such as art or history! Saying that you can always try a more general degree or HND in something such as Uniformed Services, Defence Studies, or some other nancy-named course!

See my reply on your previous post for the link to the thread (check my edit) and you'll see the last RAF link 'Degree vs Direct Entry' as being quite relevant.

One thing you'll need is initiative, be it FAA or RAF that you choose.,As people have indicated, they'll only help if you've tried to do the donkey work a bit yourself! Search the forums, google the information, ring the AFCO...if you want it as bad as you say, you'll go do it now! If it's a whim, you won't...simple! The fact you're asking now and seem to be asking the right questions is good, but don't always expect to be spoon-fed the information all of the time.

Hope that helps and feel free to message me if I can help any more.

:ok:

(Also, try to cut out the 'txt spk'.... 'to' and 'doing' won't hurt you know! Difficuly if you're used to your IM but make the effort and it'll pay off.)

[BigGrecian]

don't pick a course just to get you into the RAF

The RAF doesn't require degrees for most branches. Those which do are Engineering, Medical, Admin Trg? (List not comprehensive)

The RAF offers an in service degree scheme, and a scheme for Aircrew joining up straight after school. Details can be found on the RAF Careers website.

[Hueymeister]

Please learn to spool first...............

[PhilM]

Im doing Aerospace Engineering BSc (With JAR66 B1 license) at Glamorgan, great course, hard work though, CAA regulations state you need 95% attendance etc (yes....6days off a year! :sad: ). Great course though, and hopefully mr and mrs recruiter will also like it as I'd like to be an EngO (or Intel)....as I cant be aircrew :(.

If you want Aircrew and are sufficiently mature at 18, go DE and get in there! I wasn't at 18, but some are, and as mentioned Degrees arn't required for most branches.

I'm 21 now and I read someone (also 21) wrote they had just moved to an F3 squadron!!! Sick with jealousy I'll tell you!! :yuk: :ugh:, if you fancy aircrew, and you can at 18...DO IT! :ok:

Goodluck either way mate

[frodo_monkey]

... And I am that 21yr old F3 mate! (Well, 22 now but hey-ho). I echo PhilM's sentiments - if you can join at 18, do it. Its worked out well for all the rest of the 18yr old DE chaps who joined when I did!

There are two sides to every argument and to be fair all the graduates who I've been in training with wouldn't have chosen any other route into the RAF either!

I'm afraid its just one of those things where everybody has their own opinion! Evaluate pros and cons of either and choose what is best for you.

But you will love it when you're in!:ok:

[Bob Viking]

Trust me. Your choice of degree is entirely irrelevant for Aircrew.
I joined at 23 having qualified as a primary school teacher. I also know of several other pilots with equally random degrees.
There are also many others doing just fine without a degree. In fact those without degrees have certain advantages. They will get Combat Ready at a much earlier age than those like myself. I got CR at 28, those without degrees get it much sooner than that.
I know for a fact I wouldn't have passed OASC at 18 so uni worked for me.
If you do decide to go to university choose a course you will enjoy and have fun. It's a great laugh and, after all, you're only young once.
I'm sure the Airforce won't all be UAV's within the next few years so there's no rush!!
BV

[Flashdance9]

Do a degree that

1) You WILL enjoy and have a genuine interest for

2) You WILL do well at (ie get a FIRST)

Dont worry about any of this 'relevance' crap. You will never need a degree to become a pilot or aircrew. FACT!!!

I'm doing Aerospace Engineering, for that exact reason and I hate it and am prob gona get a 2.2 (Should of done Management :( )

Remember there's more to uni than just a degree; Air Squadrons and flying :ok:

[TurbineTooHot]

You're still a nav Frodo!

No stick and all that.

TTH

[Tigs2]

Forget the degree.
Get some really good a-level passes and get in. A mate of mine joined at 17 1/2 , he was a qualified weapons instructor on Harriers by the time he was 26(most degree holders are still in training at this point). Graduates get paid more money earlier, but what do you want to do ! If you want to make money dont come in to flying. If you want to do a job where you would gladly pay them and most ordinary folks can only ever dream of, then get into military flying. Bye the way there are loads of opportunities for people like you to do in-service degrees.

[Need for Speed!]

Apply for both! I was awarded a sixth-form scholarship but I also applied to university. When I joined the RAF after my ‘A’ levels I deferred my place and held it open for a year ‘just in case’. I now love every minute of my time in the RAF and wouldn’t change it for the world. However, I did EFT on a UAS full of students that would tell you the opposite. The decision is all yours!:ok:

NFS

[airborne_artist]

Playing Devil's Advocate here - bear in mind that you might not complete - you could get chopped/medically grounded. It might be tough applying to Uni at 22 (if you've been some way down the line), and then becoming a student when your mates are earning.

The degree will delay your start in the Services, but it will also give you flexibility. On that basis, do the degree course that takes you on to the career you would follow if you can't join the RAF. The RAF don't really care what degree you've done.

[Green Bottle 2]

If you want to get a degree before joining the RAF and don't need a specific degree for your branch choices then go for one that you will enjoy - not one that you think will help you. I know a number of people who were studying Aeronautical Engineering at Uni and they were little better off when joining compared to a stude who'd studied German. Over time the degree subject has little effect on your career.

The courses that are accredited in the RAF now that I have completed would count as half a degree. You could top the others up with OU courses or other such courses at a later date. Should you reach the heady heights of Wg Cdr, you could be selected for Staff College, with an option for an MA or for an MBA. The only consideration might be if I don't get a degree and I fail some aspect of trg, what do I have to fall back on? A degree nay be a help at this stage.

HTH
GB2

[TurbineTooHot]

Dude,

Take it from someone with bitter experience, pick a degree that you find fasinating, stimulating and that you can see yourself spending three years studying.

The RAF don't give two sh:mad: ts what degree you are doing, so long as you are doing it well. They will select you on who you are rather than what quals you have, just the rank and pay will vary slightly.

Pick a uni that suits you, preferably with plenty of booze and clacker!:E

If you get chopped from flying training and have an eng degree, recently there seems to have been pressure to re-branch folk into Eng. Seems a little underhand way of getting bums on seats, but welcome to the world of recruitment.

Anyway best of luck mate

:ok: :ok:

TTH

[DuckDodgers]

Always amazed me how the RAF recruit IntOs who have not got backgrounds in International Relations/Strategic Studies/Intel Studies etc.......Esp as some of them cover more than the branch training at Chicksands, BIZARRE.

[Neeps]

Probably the same reason they don't require pilots to have PPLs prior to entering service.

[Safeware]

DD,

As Neeps alludes to. in 'general' service it isn't about the degree (unless your branch calls for one). As an example, when I was graduating with an Eng degree, accountancy firms were recruiting Engineers rather than accountants. Why? Because it was easier for them to train someone who had the broad skills of an Engineering degree rather than the narrow teaching of accountancy degrees.

sw