The DTUS was created following the 2001 Defence Training Review. The DTR identified that the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and MOD Civil Service had difficulties in recruiting engineering officers. As a result, DTUS was created whereby sponsored students study at eleven partner universities.
Support units
DTUS students are able to choose the partner university they wish to study at and select a degree course that has been approved by their sponsoring service. Whilst at their partner university, all students belong to a support unit who are responsible for their leadership development, mentorship and administration. They also closely monitor academic progress, to that end the commanding officer of each support unit has visiting lecturer status at their university to support this. There are four support units throughout the UK:
Each support unit is commanded by the same equivalent rank from each service; Taurus and Trojan Squadrons – lieutenant colonel, Thunderer Squadron – commander and Typhoon Squadron – wing commander. There are a Royal Navy lieutenant, an Army captain and a Royal Air Forceflight lieutenant working as training officers in each squadron. Additionally at each squadron there is an SNCO and a civilian administrator. Assisting at each squadron are in-service degree officers who are commissioned officers reading for a degree at the partner university.
Students
Each military sponsored student is a member of their respective service reserve forces and holds the rank of officer cadet. All students receive an annual bursary and also receive training pay for the activities that they participate in. In return, students are expected to remain physically fit, advance each academic year and serve for a minimum of three years in the Armed Forces or MOD Civil Service after graduating from Initial Officer Training. The majority of entrants on the DTUS are graduates of the Defence Sixth Form College near Woodhouse, Leicestershire. However, students studying or scheduled to study an approved degree at either of the partner universities may also apply to join the scheme as a Direct Entrant
Closure
The scheme is to shut down over a five year transition period following the announced closure of Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College, scheduled for 2021. The wider Defence Technical Officer Engineering Entry Scheme was originally going to be replaced by the STEM Graduate Inflow Scheme, which was later renamed as the Defence STEM Undergraduate Scheme.
