//
© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the Federal Register of Legislation for authoritative text.
Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
The 1934 regulations set out how the Royal Military College, Duntroon, selects, trains, disciplines and commissions officer cadets. They define eligible Commonwealth and New Zealand applicants, strict medical and academic selection, and the four‑year cadet course combining military and academic instruction.
They also govern cadet life, conduct, allowances, resignation or expulsion, and commissioning into the Australian Staff Corps — essentially the rulebook for creating and managing Australia’s professional junior officers.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Royal Military College of Australia Regulations.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
STATUTORY RULES.
1934. No. 90.
_______
REGULATIONS UNDER THE DEFENCE ACT 1903-1932.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Defence Act 1903-1932.
Dated this twenty-fifth day of July, 1934.
ISAAC A. ISAACS
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
G. F. PEARCE
Minister of State for Defence.
_________
REGULATIONS FOR THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF AUSTRALIA.
Part I.—Introductory.
Short title.
Subdivision.
Regulations.
Part I.—Introductory ...................................1—4
Part II.—Eligibility and selection of candidates ...............5—11
Part III.—Admission of candidates .......................12—15
Part IV.—Command, organization and establishment ......... 16—21
Part V.—Staff ...................................... 22—27
Part VI.—Course of instruction ......................... 28—31
Part VII.—Expulsion, removal, resignation and discharge ......32—35
Part VIII.—Discipline ................................... 36—48
Part IX.—Leave ......................................49
Part X.—Allowances and contributions ....................50—57
Part XI.—Miscellaneous ..............................58—63
Appendices.
Appendix I.—Form of Attestation Paper.
Appendix II.—Form of Entry (New Zealand Candidates).
Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 26th July, 1934.
16937.—Price 1s. 6d.
Appendix III.—Request and undertaking by the parent or guardian of a Commonwealth candidate under the age of twenty-one years.
Appendix IV.—Educational qualifications required of Commonwealth candidates under the age of nineteen years.
Appendix V.—Examination of Commonwealth candidates over the age of nineteen years.
Appendix VI.— Instructions for the physical and medical examination.
Definitions.
“Cadet” means a member of the Corps of Staff Cadets.
“College” means Royal Military College of Australia.
“Commandant” means Commandant of the College and includes the officer for the time being performing the duties of the Commandant.
“Commonwealth Cadet” means a Cadet who was a Commonwealth candidate.
“Commonwealth candidate” means a candidate for admission as a student who is not a New Zealand candidate.
“Formation, &c. Commander” means commander of a cavalry division, or of an infantry division, or of a mixed brigade, or of the field troops in a military district, or District Base Commandant.
“Instructional Staff” means Instructional Staff of the College and includes military and civil members.
“Military Board” means the Military Board, or, if the Military Board is not in existence, the officer appointed to command the Military Forces in time of war.
“Military Forces” means Military Forces of the Commonwealth.
“New Zealand candidate” means a member of the Permanent Military Forces of New Zealand who, being a British subject, is a candidate for admission as a student.
“New Zealand Cadet” means a cadet who was a New Zealand candidate.
“Student” means a student at the College.
“The Defence Act” means the Defence Act 1903 and all relevant amendments thereof.
(2) The appendices to these Regulations shall be deemed to form part of these Regulations.
(3) In these Regulations the word “regulation” followed by a number, or a number and letter, shall be read as a reference to the regulation, sub-regulation, paragraph or sub-paragraph bearing that number, or that number and letter, in these Regulations.
Repeal.
Part II.—Eligibility and Selection of Candidates.
Conditions of eligibility (Commonwealth candidates).
(a) physically fit, in accordance with the standards set forth in Appendix VI. to these Regulations, when examined by the medical board as prescribed in that appendix and when he joins the College; and
(b) unmarried; and
(c) a natural-born British subject who has, or one of whose parents or whose guardian has, resided in the Commonwealth for one year immediately preceding the date on which he is interviewed by the Selection Board as prescribed by regulation 9 (3); and
(d) of British origin or descent (of which the Minister shall be the judge) and owe no allegiance under any law, whether British or foreign, to a foreign power; and
(e) on the first day of March in the year in which he joins the College, under the age of nineteen years and over the age of sixteen years; and
(f) recommended by the Selection Board as prescribed by regulation 9 (3); and
(g) approved by the Minister:
Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this regulation, a member of the Defence Force who passes the examination prescribed by Appendix V. to these Regulations, and is approved by the Governor-General, shall be admitted as a student.
Method of application (Commonwealth candidates).
(2) Every Commonwealth candidate over the age of nineteen years shall submit his application for admission as a student to his commanding officer, who shall forward it, together with his recommendation and a confidential report on the candidate, to the District Base Commandant.
New Zealand candidates.
Documents to be furnished by Commonwealth candidates.
(a) a copy of the entry of registration of his birth certified by the proper official, if reasonably procurable, or, if not reasonably procurable, such other evidence of his parentage and place and date of birth as shall satisfy the prescribed Selection Board; and
(b) a certificate of good moral character signed, if the candidate is under the age of nineteen years, by the clergyman of the place of worship which the candidate usually attends, or by the Headmaster or Principal of the school or college which he attended during the last two years of his attendance at school or college, or, if the candidate is a member of the Defence Force, by his commanding officer; and
1637.—2
(c) if the candidate is under the age of twenty-one years, a request and undertaking in the form contained in Appendix III. to these Regulations, signed by the parent or guardian of the candidate, or a statutory declaration of facts which prevent the submission of such a request and undertaking.
(2) An application that is not accompanied by the request and undertaking mentioned in sub-regulation (1) of this regulation shall not be entertained unless the Minister dispenses with such request and undertaking.
(3) In addition to the documents required by sub-regulation (1) of this regulation—
(a) a Commonwealth candidate, who belonged to a class of whom service was, or belongs to a class of whom service is being demanded under Part XII. of the Defence Act, shall submit with his application for admission as a student a certificate by his Formation, &c., Commander that the candidate has rendered the service demanded of him or has been exempted therefrom; and
(b) a Commonwealth candidate who is an applicant for a vacancy reserved under regulation 9 (2) shall submit with his application for admission as a student a certificate that a parent of the applicant has been on such active service as is mentioned in regulation 9 (2).
The certificate of the performance of active service required by this sub-regulation shall be signed by the parent by whom the active service was performed, if available, or if not available, by some person having knowledge of the fact, and should state the unit in which, and the place at which, and the time during which, the active service was performed, and should be accompanied by such corroborative documentary evidence as is available.
Selection of Commonwealth candidates (under 19)
(2) One-fifth of the vacancies allotted annually for Commonwealth candidates under the age of nineteen years shall be reserved for the sons of persons who have been on active service abroad in the Royal Australian Navy, or in an expeditionary force raised by the Commonwealth or by a Colony that became a State of the Commonwealth;
Provided that—
(a) no candidate shall be admitted who is not eligible under regulation 5; and
(b) if the number of candidates who are eligible under this sub-regulation is less than the number of reserved vacancies, the remaining reserved vacancies shall be allotted to other qualified candidates; and
(c) where a candidate for a reserved vacancy under this sub-regulation is not selected for such vacancy, he shall be eligible for selection for one of the other vacancies.
(3) (a) A Selection Board consisting of three officers appointed by the Military Board shall, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this sub-regulation, interview all Commonwealth candidates under the age of nineteen years who have been found physically fit by a Medical Board in accordance with Appendix VI. to these Regulations, and who have either qualified at a prescribed examination, or were candidates at, or are candidates for, the prescribed examination immediately preceding the next pending date for entry to the College.
(b) The Selection Board appointed under paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation shall sit at such places as are determined by the Military Board.
(c) A candidate from a State or Territory which is not included in the itinerary of the Selection Board appointed under paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation may be required to undergo a provisional interview in that State or Territory before a Provisional Committee, appointed by the Military Board, which shall make a recommendation to the Military Board as to the suitability or otherwise of the candidate to appear before that Selection Board. The Military Board shall then determine whether or not the candidate shall be interviewed by that Selection Board.
(d) The Selection Board appointed under paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation shall present to the Chief of the General Staff for submission to the Minister the names of candidates, arranged in order of merit, whom they recommend for admission as students. In determining the order of merit the Selection Board shall take into consideration the certificates obtained at prescribed examinations, records submitted by schoolmasters or by the candidates, and the personal qualities revealed at the interviews.
Selection of Commonwealth candidates (over 19).
(2) (a) A Selection Board consisting of three officers appointed by the Military Board shall, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this sub-regulation, interview all Commonwealth candidates over the age of nineteen years who have been found physically fit by a Medical Board in accordance with Appendix VI. to these Regulations, and who have qualified at the examination prescribed by Appendix V. to these Regulations.
(b) The Selection Board appointed under paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation shall sit at such places as are determined by the Military Board.
(c) A candidate from a State or Territory which is not included in the itinerary of the Selection Board appointed under paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation may be required to undergo a provisional interview in that State or Territory before a Provisional Committee, appointed by the Military Board, which shall make a recommendation to the Military Board as to the suitability or otherwise of the candidate to appear before that Selection Board. The Military Board shall then determine whether or not the candidate shall be interviewed by that Selection Board.
(d) The Selection Board appointed under paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation shall present to the Chief of the General Staff the names of candidates, arranged in order of merit, whom they recommend for admission as students. In determining the order of merit, that Selection Board shall take into consideration the marks obtained at the prescribed examination, the confidential reports on the candidates by their commanding officers, records submitted by the candidates, and the personal qualities revealed at the interviews.
(e) The Chief of the General Staff shall present to the Minister for submission to the Governor-General the names of Commonwealth candidates whom he recommends for admission as students.
Notification in Gazette.
Part III.—Admission of Candidates.
Dates of examinations and admissions.
(2) A Commonwealth candidate under the age of nineteen years shall not be required to pass an entrance examination but must have qualified as required by Appendix IV. to these Regulations.
(3) (a) Candidates over the age of nineteen years (including those who are admitted under regulation 7) who are selected for admission as students, shall join at the beginning of the Autumn Term.
(b) Candidates under the age of nineteen years (including those who are admitted under regulation 7) who are selected for admission as students, shall join on the first day of March: provided that when the first day of March is a Sunday they shall join on the last day of February.
Enlistment of Commonwealth candidates.
(a) five years, if he joins under regulation 9; or
(b) four years, if he joins under regulation 10;
Attestation.
and for that purpose shall answer truly the questions on the Form of Attestation Paper provided in Appendix I. to these Regulations, and shall sign the declaration contained therein; the Commandant, or an officer authorized by him, shall then administer the oath or, in appropriate circumstances, the affirmation set forth on that form and thereupon the candidate shall be enrolled in the Corps of Staff Cadets, and, having been so enrolled, shall be admitted to attend as a student.
(2) A Commonwealth cadet shall not be permitted to remain at the College for a longer period than that for which he was enlisted.
Appointment on graduation.
New Zealand candidate.
Part IV.—Command, Organization, and Establ
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.