2022 UK Foundation Programme (FP) Application Statement

At the close of the national application period on Wednesday 22 September 2021, the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) had received 9,275 applications, which is 1,508 applications more than the number of Foundation places normally available. This means that the FP is over-subscribed this year, as it has been for several years.

Whilst the four UK nations welcome the opportunity to increase the number of doctors entering foundation training, we know that this information may be a concern for some applicants. We wanted to provide reassurance that additional posts are being created for the primary allocation process to reduce the number of applicants who will be placed on a reserve list in March 2022. 

It is anticipated that any applicants on a reserve list would be told by April 2022 which Foundation School their programme will be in. Their exact rotation details (including the hospitals at which they will work) would not be known until later in the process, but all relevant applicants would be notified of this detail as soon as possible. We are working to minimise the impact of this over-subscription on applicants. 

The historical trend is for 7% of applicants to withdraw between applying for and the start of the FP, and we expect to see a similar figure again this year. We will be using the experience and learning gained from previous years to do the very best we can for applicants, including those on the reserve list.

We will provide regular updates and information for applicants on the options that are available to them.