What happens After the DAA? The rest of the selection process

Sitting the Defence Aptitude Assessment is a big milestone, but it is not the finish line. Whether you are applying to the Royal Air Force or the Royal Navy, the DAA is one early step in a longer selection journey that continues with interviews, health and fitness checks, background screening and, eventually, basic training. This guide walks through the stages that usually follow the test so you know what to expect and can keep your momentum going.

ForcesReady is an independent practice resource. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the RAF, the Royal Navy or the Ministry of Defence. The exact order, names and requirements of each stage vary by service and role and change over time, so always confirm the current process on the official recruitment websites and with your careers adviser.

First, your scores decide which roles are open to you

The DAA does not have a single overall pass mark. Instead, your section scores are matched against the standards for the roles you are interested in. A strong performance keeps more doors open, because different trades and branches weight the sections differently — a technical role may lean on your mechanical and electrical results, while many roles place heavy weight on verbal and numerical reasoning.

Your careers adviser will talk you through which roles your results qualify you for. This is exactly why preparing well for the DAA matters: the better you do, the more options you tend to have when it comes to choosing a job and moving through the later stages. If you want to understand this in detail, see our guide on DAA scores and what they mean.

The interview

Once a role has been identified, you can usually expect a selection interview. This is your chance to show that you understand the job you have chosen, that you are motivated, and that you know what service life involves. Interviewers often explore why you want to join, what you know about your chosen role and the wider service, and how you have handled challenges in the past. For officer applicants, the interview stage is typically more demanding and may involve more than one board.

Preparation here is straightforward but essential: research your chosen role thoroughly, be ready to talk about your reasons for applying, and know the basics of the service you want to join. Our guides on how to join the RAF and how to join the Royal Navy are a good starting point.

The medical assessment

Every applicant must meet the medical standards for their chosen role, and a medical assessment is a standard part of selection. The nature and depth of the medical can vary depending on the branch or trade you are applying for — some specialisms, such as aircrew, have stricter requirements than others. You may be asked about your medical history and undergo checks such as eyesight, hearing and general fitness to serve.

Because the requirements are role-specific and change over time, it is worth discussing any health questions with your careers adviser early rather than assuming a condition will or will not be a problem.

The fitness test

Physical fitness is central to service life, so you will need to pass a fitness test as part of the process. The exact events and standards differ between the RAF and the Royal Navy, and between roles, and they are reviewed periodically. The important thing is to start training early and build up gradually so that you arrive comfortably able to meet the standard rather than scraping through. Our overview of the Royal Navy fitness test gives a sense of what this stage can involve, but always check the current requirements for your service and role.

References and security checks

Joining the Armed Forces means holding a position of trust, so applicants go through background screening. This typically includes references and security checks, and the level of clearance required can depend on the role. These checks take time, so it helps to have your paperwork and referees ready when asked, and to be honest and accurate throughout your application.

RAF officer and aircrew selection at OASC

If you are applying to be an RAF officer or aircrew, there is an additional stage: selection at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC). This brings together interviews, group exercises and planning tasks alongside the medical and fitness elements, all designed to assess your leadership potential and suitability for training. The Royal Navy has its own equivalent for officer candidates, including the Admiralty Interview Board. These centres are demanding, and applicants for these routes should prepare specifically for them.

Then basic training

Once you have cleared the relevant stages and been offered a place, the next step is basic training — the start of your service career, where you learn the foundations of military life. From there, most people go on to further, role-specific training for their chosen trade or branch.

Keep the bigger picture in mind

The path from the DAA to basic training has several steps, and the precise sequence depends on your service and role. Treat the stages above as a general map rather than a fixed timetable, and rely on the official RAF and Royal Navy websites and your careers adviser for the current detail. The single best thing you can do to open up options at every stage is to perform well on the aptitude test itself. Work through a full set of DAA practice tests, review your mistakes, and go in prepared.