Joining the Navy with a degree?

If you get selected to attend the Admiralty Interview board, and
If you pass the AIB, and
If there are enough vacancies for officers that you get selected from those who pass, and
If the MoD vets your application, and
If you pass extensive training including potentially almost a year at HMRC Britannia in Dartmouth, and
If we still have a bloody navy left by the time you come around to apply,

Then yes, you can enter as a Sub-Lieutenant (OF-1) as a graduate, whilst non-graduate officer candidates enter as a Midshipman (OF(D)) and enlisted personnel join as ratings.

Say somebody graduated with a 2.1 in English from a UK University, i've heard that you can enter the military [Navy] to an advanced position rather than starting off as a private, is this true and what rank if so?

1. The grade awarded for a degree is of little significance compared to other attributes the Navy looks for.

2. The Navy does not have Privates, the equivalent is an AB (Able Rating), the NCO's are known as ratings.

3. If you have at least 180 UCAS points (level may have gone up slightly since I joined) and have the necessary attributes, it maybe possible to join as a officer (exception being Engineering Officer positions, which require an engineering degree). graduates pass out of BRNC as Sub Lt, undergrads as Midshipman, masters students as Sub Lt with 6 months seniority (if memory serves me correctly).

4. Joining the RN as an officer has always been highly competitive, however it is true to say that competition has increased in recent times. The main issue is the wait to get through the AFCO based process (RT, Medical, Fitness and Sift Interview) to AIB.

5. Whilst the RN currently finds itself in very difficult circumstances it is not a bad time to think about joining. By the time you join, complete training and get some reasonable level of experience under your belt it will be heading towards 2020. By this time the RN will look very different to how it does now and will once again be building up to having carrier strike capability.

6. 1SL has recently said that continued recruitment is essential to the long term effectiveness of the RN. The RN is currently going through the process of working out where and at what level job losses need to occur. As part of this levels of recruitment for certain branches will also be decided.