The Armed Forces have the following units affiliated to the University of London:

• Royal Navy (University of London Royal Naval Unit)
• Army (University of London Officer Training Corps)
• Royal Air Force (University of London Air Squadron)

All are Reserved Forces units staffed by regular and reserve officers and service men and women. They are exclusively organised and run to provide full-time students with practical training and experience in soldiering, flying and seamanship respectively. The training is broad based and varied, and includes adventure training, sport, formal and informal, traditional and up-to-the-minute social events. It is training, within the culture and ethos of the three Services, that complements, yet contrasts with, pure academic studies.

Students selected by the units receive honorary officer rank or status and have the opportunity to earn money for training done, plus, if they have completed sufficient relevant training, to receive a small annual bounty. No postgraduate commitment to the Regular or Reserve Forces need be mad by joining these units. Many ex-members do go on to Regular and Reserve Forces careers but most leave having benefited from, and thoroughly enjoyed, their experience with their affiliated Force unit and the Service it represents.

The activities of the three service units are monitored by the University of London Military Education Committee (MEC).