General Requirements
Age Requirement
Applicants must be aged between 17 and 60 years of age inclusive on entry.
Applicants will not normally be allowed to enter the ADF until they achieve a minimum of 17 years of age, however they may be able to initiate the application process from 16 years and six months of age, depending upon the capacity of their local recruiting centre.
Citizenship Requirement
Only Australian citizens are permitted to serve in the ADF.
If you are a Permanent Resident of Australia, the ADF may consider a temporary waiver of the citizenship requirement if the position for which you are applying cannot be filled by an applicant who meets all the citizenship requirements, and then only in exceptional circumstances. You will be required to obtain Australian citizenship as early as possible following enlistment or appointment.
More information on citizenship requirements and the citizenship waiver process is available from the DefenceJobs Recruitment Centre and your local Defence Force Recruiting Centre.
Security Requirement
The Department of Defence requires ADF entrants to attain a security clearance appropriate to their avenue of entry.
A process of background checks, collection of relevant information and, as required, interviews enables the Regional Security Office to make an informed assessment of an applicant's suitability for a security clearance
Current policy requires applicants for this particular avenue of entry to have lived in Australia for the preceding 5 years, or have a checkable background for this period.
Aptitude Requirement
The application process to join the Australian Defence Force requires you to complete a series of aptitude tests including verbal, spatial and numerical ability and a general maths test. Some jobs may also need additional testing at a later date.
Psychology support staff will explain what is involved with each test.
The aptitude tests provide information about your suitability for the Defence Force and for particular jobs. Defence Force Recruiting can then help you identify jobs that match your abilities.
Further information on the aptitude testing requirements can be found here.
Gender Restriction
Other Ranks (Non Technical) (Reserve)
Consistent with an exemption provided for Defence under the Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination Act, women may not be employed in direct combat roles.
The Direct Combat exclusion applies to all Armour, Artillery, Infantry and Combat Engineer Squadrons and precludes women from being employed in direct combat roles within these units. However, female personnel are capable of serving within Direct Combat Units (except Combat Engineer Squadrons) in combat support positions.