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When you find an armed forces recruitment post online, it can be difficult to know whether it is current and what it asks you to do. Use this short checklist before you share information or begin an application.
1. Find the original notice
Start at the official recruitment portal for the service. A newspaper clipping or social post can help you discover a new entry, but locate the original advertisement and application page before relying on it.
2. Confirm the entry name and dates
Read the exact course, term, trade or branch name. Record the registration opening and closing dates. Watch for the age calculation date; it may not be the day you apply.
3. Read every eligibility condition
Check age, qualification, subject combinations, required marks, gender or marital requirements where applicable, physical and medical conditions, and any equivalence rules. An applicant may meet one condition but not another.
4. Follow the application instructions
Use the portal linked by the official notice. Check what details and documents you need to enter. Save the confirmation and find out how and when to download a test slip.
5. Keep the right copy
Save a copy or screenshot of the official notice and your registration confirmation for personal reference. Do not send original identity or education documents to an unofficial page or contact.
Use contact details listed on the service's official website rather than a number forwarded in an not checked message.
Get organized with the document checklist and read our option selection guide.
Sources checked 11 November 2026. Information can change. Check the official source for current dates, rules and instructions.