Ranks of the cadet forces of the United Kingdom

The following table displays the ranks of the Community Cadet Forces (Army Cadet Force, the Sea Cadet Corps, and the Air Training Corps), the Combined Cadet Force, the Volunteer Cadet Corps (RMVCC and RNVCC), and the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets. This table is based on equivalent Rank Structures within the Cadet Forces as detailed in regulations of the SCC, RMC, and the Air Cadets.

Cadet ranks
Cadet NCOs wear the issued cadet rank slides. The titles of some ranks in the ACF and CCF Army may vary as cadet detachments are affiliated to British Army regiments and adopt their terminology. More senior cadet ranks may be restricted to a set number per area.

Although promotion is based on merit rather than progression through the training syllabuses, certain criteria must be met before a cadet is eligible for promotion:

Whilst the CCF Regulations provide an equivalency table purely for the CCF, there is no official equivalency between the other cadet forces.

Welbeck DSFC
Epaulettes were worn by students whilst in the college kit, G-Kit, MTP and service uniform. It denoted their academic year and the seniority/position of authority that they held within the college. The college closed in July 2021.

NCOs / Senior ratings
From 2009 to 2019, if a person joined as a civilian instructor in the Sea Cadets or Royal Marine Cadets and wanted to be a uniformed member of staff, they would become an acting petty officer or sergeant, following a six-month probationary period.

In 2018 the role of sergeant instructor (SI) was introduced for CCF(Army) sections, this is the first occasion that adults other than SSIs have been appointed as an NCO rather than a commissioned rank in the CCF.

Officers
Formerly, officers in MOD-recognised cadet organisations (SCC, CCF, ACF, VCC) held a highest substantive rank of lieutenant, with more senior ranks being acting ranks.

Since 2017, all cadet officers are now commissioned under a bespoke Cadet Forces Commission (CFC), with all appointments now being substantive. All previous Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) (RAFVR(T)) officers of the ATC and CCF RAF had their commissions transferred to the new CFC in 2017.

Cadet forces

 * Combined Cadet Force
 * Community Cadet Forces
 * Air Training Corps
 * Army Cadet Force
 * Sea Cadet Corps
 * Royal Marines Cadets
 * Volunteer Cadet Corps
 * Royal Marines Volunteer Cadet Corps

International cadet ranks

 * Ranks of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
 * Cadet grades and insignia of the Civil Air Patrol
 * Cadets Canada Elemental Ranks
 * New Zealand Cadet Forces ranks
 * Australian Defence Force Cadets ranks
 * Royal Belgian Sea Cadet Corps ranks

Ranks of the British Armed Forces

 * Royal Navy ratings rank insignia
 * Royal Navy officer rank insignia
 * British Army other ranks rank insignia
 * British Army officer rank insignia
 * RAF other ranks
 * RAF officer ranks