The Student Room Group

RAF 6th form scholarship

Hey there!

First post - hopefully first of many.

A small question - when was / is the closing date for 6th form scholarship application, for direct entry as a pilot to the RAF?

I've read it's May - but am not positive, since I can't access the RAF site at the moment. Else, I'd check it out there. Initially, I thought I was going in as an officer after university, and was all set for that - hence, I'm not too sure about direct entry now.

Just hoping the closing date hasn't passed, but something tells me its a vain hope.

Thanks in advance for any and all information,

I'm currently in lower sixth at the moment - which is why I'm worrying, since direct entry seems to be the way for me.

Andy.
Reply 1
There is no real deadline for direct entry after A-Levels, but for a 6th Form Sponsorship I fear you may have missed the boat (there were a few people from this board going to OASC on 9th March).

You're still eligible to apply for direct entry after your A-Levels though, you'll just have to manage without the bursary.
Reply 2
Ah! JS_ATCO, can't tell you how happy I am right now :smile:

I was under the impression that the you needed a scholarship for direct entry. It's great news that I don't - I shouldn't have a problem managing without a bursary, since I have a part-time job, and parents have kindly offered to help me :smile:

So you think I can still go for direct entry? I'm going to see my careers teacher about it in school today, but I doubt she'll have specifics regarding the RAF. And I still can't access the RAFcareers.com website, for some reason?
If my careers teacher can't help - is contacting my local AFCO and requesting the presentation et al my first step?

Thanks for the info, js_atco.

Andy

Oh, and one other thing - the lack of a bursary means that I'll have to pay stuff myself - but what, exactly? Book and stuff? Cheers!
Reply 3
_pb_boi
Ah! JS_ATCO, can't tell you how happy I am right now :smile:

I was under the impression that the you needed a scholarship for direct entry. It's great news that I don't - I shouldn't have a problem managing without a bursary, since I have a part-time job, and parents have kindly offered to help me :smile:

So you think I can still go for direct entry? I'm going to see my careers teacher about it in school today, but I doubt she'll have specifics regarding the RAF. And I still can't access the RAFcareers.com website, for some reason?
If my careers teacher can't help - is contacting my local AFCO and requesting the presentation et al my first step?

Thanks for the info, js_atco.

Andy

Oh, and one other thing - the lack of a bursary means that I'll have to pay stuff myself - but what, exactly? Book and stuff? Cheers!


The lack of a 6th form scholarship only means you have to pay your way through 6th form; nothing else. Previously, it was a lump sum given effectively to your parents to help you pay for things necessary to study, and to free up time with no need for a part time job. It also gives you a virtually guaranteed slot at officer training immediately after school.

Hence you can apply for direct entry any time. If you're successful, you'll be offerred a place on the next available IOT course after you finish school. Apply for DE and the 6FS are two separate things really; if I remember, you're probably eligible for the second half of the 6FS but it's been a while since I handled anyone going in that way.

What do you need your careers teacher for? If you want to join the RAF, call your AFCO, tell them you're in lower sixth and are interested in joining either DE or through a 6FS as an officer in whatever branch. They'll pencil you in for the next presentation; go along, and if you want to, fill out the paperwork and sit at home waiting for them to invite you for an interview. Pass that, get sent to OASC, pass that, wait to be told what IOT. Easy.
Reply 4
I was kind of hoping Wzz would come and help with the answer!

_pb_boi: You should not hesitate to contact the AFCO. You should visit them in the same way you'd visit your school careers office. They are there to help you make the right decision, and the only way you can do this is by asking questions, and getting the information you need.
It also seems that you probably could still get some form of sponsorship for your upper 6th. Get down to your AFCO and start asking them these questions!

Without a bursary, you're going to have to buy a few books (not that many though). You're also going to have to fund your social life through a part-time job, which will give you less time to study. I'd suggest you persue a bursary unless you discover you aren't eligible... The RAF clearly prefer you to concentrate on your studies.
Reply 5
Guys,

Truly appreciate your help! As soon as I get home from school today, I'm going to call up the AFCO and start asking questions. Thanks!

Hopefully, the fact I'm giving up physics this year, and will be doing: history; computer science; and english lit. at A-level won't count against me. I'm feeling nervous already :smile:

I'm building up my extra-curricular interests - not only because they want you to account for spare time, but because its giving me the inclination to do stuff I really wanna do - like get really fit, for example.

Thanks for the bursary info, Wzz and js_atco - much appreciated. I'll try for part of the 6th form scholarship; if I can't get it, I guess I can fund my way through, though as you say, that kinda requires a part time job. I'm in one at the minute, 4 hours a week - I guess that would at least help :smile:

Thanks again!

If you guys, or anyone else, have any more information, ever, and don't mind sharing it, feel free to e-mail me; [email protected]
Reply 6
4 hours a week shouldn't have a detrimental affect on your studies. When I was a 6th former, I worked around 12 hours per week, often more in the holidays.

What's the reason why you're dropping physics? Just remember that you may be asked this at interview, so a good answer would definitely be worth preparing.
Reply 7
I'm dropping physics because, although I enjoy it, I do less well at it than the other subjects. And yep - I'm truly bricking it about that particular question, because I think they'll disregard me for that alone.

Some reassurance! My other 3 subjects are excellent - phsyics isn't too bad... I'm hoping for a B at AS-level.

Andy
Reply 8
_pb_boi
I'm dropping physics because, although I enjoy it, I do less well at it than the other subjects. And yep - I'm truly bricking it about that particular question, because I think they'll disregard me for that alone.

Some reassurance! My other 3 subjects are excellent - phsyics isn't too bad... I'm hoping for a B at AS-level.

Andy


The RAF are only interested in your grades, not your subjects. If you did three basket weaving subjects then there'd be some questions, but don't worry about not doing one specific thing.
Reply 9
Thanks again!

You're really reassuring me here, seriously :smile: I thought they'd recognise grades over subject choice, but I thought that not having physics at A-level would really hurt.

Thanks again :smile:

Also, one other question - in your opinion, would you recommend university and THEN entry over direct entry? I really want to go in direct though - the officers are paid more, but they have much more to do, to earn their money (from what I've heard, obviously I've got no real experience here). Also, my primary interest is the flying, as opposed to the pay - though that would be nice.

Cheers!

Andy

Oh, and I phoned the AFCO at 4.33pm yesterday - what did I hear the recorded message saying? "0800 to 1630 hours". Phoning this afternoon!
Reply 10
Personally I'd do the uni thing. You develop a higher level of maturity, and you go in on an enhanced rank/pay.

When you apply, make sure you don't tell them that all you're interested in doing is flying, as they probably won't be too impressed. Imagine how many people they get at OASC saying "Since I was 3 all I've ever wanted to be is a pilot." - They're gonna be p1ss-bored of that, and toss you straight into the pile of Top Gun wannabes.

RAF Officers are an officer first, branch second. So for you, you're an Officer first, Pilot second. This is how you should be preparing for your interview.
Reply 11
js_atco,

The latter part of what you said though only applies if you go in as an officer, of course :smile:

I phoned the AFCO today, spoke to a really sound guy there. I asked him for some advice, he said if I was to go in to university, it wouldn't matter so much what degree I take, it's the grade that matters - just as you guys said.

I asked him which I should do; direct entry or university. He said that I should at least try for direct entry, since I won't lose anything if I fail, and if I get in, well, that's all well and good :smile:
He said if I wanted to go that way, I should phone them when I recieve my AS-level grades, then I'm called to the barracks for presentation and interview, then on to Cranwell if I pass the preliminaries.

Just not sure if the officer thing is for me, yet - since, cliched as it may be, my primary interest IS flying.

Andy
Reply 12
You can only be a Pilot in the RAF if you're an Officer. NO non-commissioned aircrew fly aircraft.

So, if you want to be a Pilot, and fly planes, you're going to have to be an Officer.

If you want to be a Pilot Officer, you're going to have to impress the board that you are serious about being an Officer in the RAF, and everything this entails. After you have convinced them of your wish to be an Officer, you should explain why you want to be a Pilot.

If you walk into any AFCO or OASC interview and tell them that you're only bothered about being a Pilot, and you're not bothered about much else, I guarantee that you'll get to part 1 in selection, and no further.

You should definitely try for Direct Entry, but don't rule out university. Degrees are a good back-up if things don't work-out with the RAF.
Reply 13
js_atco,

If I was to enter as a pilot through direct entry, a degree would still have been a high priority. As it is, I'm going to university first - phoned today, and confirmed the process.

I'll most likely be doing a computer science degree, with a bursary from the RAF if I'm successful in my application for it. Just have to give them my AS-level grades as soon as I recieve them in August, with the deadline being November 30th.

As for only wanting to be a pilot - it's not that I only want to be a pilot, it's that it's a main interest of mine. That said, I realise university will give me the maturity and some of the life experience needed to be an Officer - and of course, I'm interested in being an officer too. Not only will the job be challenging, the rank, career opportunities and the pay will be much better.

Also, going to an interview, I would never say "I'm only interested in being a pilot" - because that's not my only interest, far from it :smile: As well as wanting to be a pilot, I've now seen that I *could* handle officer rank, and am excited about going in that way, on that rank. The opportunities for subsidised courses for sports and things were really cool, too - any information on those, by the way?

Apologies for the post length - just want you to know that I'm now going for pilot officer (as I was up until 2 days ago, until I basically thought I couldn't do it. I guess I tend to sell myself short on occasion).

Regards,

Andy

Edit: I read a reply of yours in another post, js_atco; you listed discipline as a con in the RAF. How much discipline is there, in actuality? I understand the discipline to be more intense during training, with drills et al. Would appreciate any advise on this. Sorry for the grilling!

Also (I know, I'm a pain in the butt) - how heavily weighted are the aptitude tests towards maths? What kind of maths? Simple arithmatic, equation manipulation, or what?

Cheers!