Training to be a Junior Soldier
Junior Soldier Training for 16 and 17 year olds is where your Army career begins, with the education, training and support to prepare you for what comes next.
You’ll train, live and learn alongside others your age as part of a close-knit team.
Based at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, there are two intakes each year in March and September. Depending on your chosen role, the course lasts 6 or 12 months. The Army Foundation College has an Ofsted rating of ‘Good.’
"I have dramatically changed and become a lot more mature, I feel like I have grown up a lot more."
Highlights
What you'll get
Earn over £1,500 a month
Be one of the best paid young people in the UK - with barely any expenses.
Military skills
You'll learn how to work as part of a team, solve problems under pressure and push yourself physically - from field exercises to learning how to look after yourself in challenging conditions.
Sport & Fitness
You don’t have to be super fit to begin. Training is designed to support you and build you up gradually, with everyone progressing at a pace that works for them.
Education
If school hasn’t worked for you in the past, that doesn’t mean you won’t do well here. You’ll get the support or the challenge you need.
You’ll keep working on English and Maths if you need to, as well as build digital skills that help whether you stay in the Army or choose a different path later.
My son went to AFC and it changed him as a person and made him a man, we were very proud parents. The AFC was a fantastic beginning for him.
Parents of Junior Soldier Wright
What's next?
Want to know how to apply?
Get all the info you need about the steps you'll have to take to start your Army career and become a Junior Soldier.
AFC Virtual Open Day
Want to get into the detail? Catch up on the last virtual open day event and hear from the team and some of the soldiers currently training in Harrogate.
Best experienced with headphones
Activate Sound
Listen to soldiers practicing on the ranges
