Participants in the new Armed Forces Foundation Year will serve at entry-level ranks across all three Services, with the pilot scheme set to launch in 2026 at a cost of £13 million.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that participants in its new Armed Forces Foundation Year Scheme, often described as a military “gap year”, will enter service at standard enlisted recruit ranks across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
In written answers to Parliament, defence minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the scheme is intended to widen access to military service by offering shorter, more flexible entry routes, in line with recommendations set out in the Strategic Defence Review 2025.
“The Armed Forces Foundation Year Scheme (‘Gap Year’) helps deliver on the Strategic Defence Review 2025’s recommendation that Defence must offer novel ways of entry into the Armed Forces that attract more people from a wider range of backgrounds,” she said.
According to the minister, participants will undertake their Foundation Year on enlisted terms of engagement, receiving pay and allowances equivalent to Regular personnel, with pension arrangements to be finalised ahead of implementation. Upon completion of initial training, Royal Navy participants will be classed as Able Seaman Class 2, Army participants as Private soldiers or capbadge equivalents, and RAF participants as Air Specialist 2.
The scheme will begin as a pilot in 2026, initially involving around 150 entrants. The total cost of delivering the pilot is expected to be £13 million, drawn from existing defence training and workforce budgets. No firm costings have yet been set for later cohorts, with future funding decisions expected to be informed by the results of the pilot.
“The schemes will start as a pilot during 2026, to understand the impact and measure success,” Sandher-Jones said, adding that capacity could be expanded if the approach proves effective.
Each Service is developing its own version of the Foundation Year. The Royal Navy’s one-year scheme is expected to place participants on operational surface ships in non-technical roles, with recruits living and working alongside regular sailors at sea. The Army is planning a longer, 18-month programme, with roles spread across selected trades in the Infantry, Royal Artillery and Royal Logistic Corps. The RAF, meanwhile, is developing a one-year programme allowing participants to work alongside regular personnel across its twelve professional groupings, giving exposure to a wide range of roles and career pathways.
Details of Phase 2 training and formal qualifications are still being finalised, with the MOD emphasising that Services will have flexibility to tailor training, employment and skills development to balance participant experience with operational value.
My son is in GCSE year, pretty settled on a military career but unsure what role or even which service. This would be perfect. To make it more perfect, allow them to sample the different services as well. Sometimes having 3/4 different silos of personnel can stop sensible things from happening
Pretty unambitious to only aim for 150 entrants. How about 1000. It will give more of an insight if its a valid recruitment method.