How do I make an appeal?
To make an appeal concerning one of the national elements of the recruitment process you need to complete the relevant online appeal form. Forms will be published at the relevant time for the appeals process they relate to.
Appeals are only accepted during the relevant appeals windows, and appeals sent to the UKFPO outside of these time frames will not be considered.
The national elements of the foundation programme recruitment process include: the eligibility application process, pre-allocation application process, clinical assessment, and the inter-foundation school transfer application process.
Information about the processes and timelines for appeals are provided below.
Appeal Guidance
UKFP 2025 National Appeal Process [.pdf 179KB]
Appeal forms are submitted online and will be published at the relevant time for the appeals process they relate to.
Important:
Allocations to foundation schools are final.
Applicants are not able to appeal their allocation results.
National swaps between foundation schools and programmes are not permitted.
Eligibility application outcomes
Applicants who graduated overseas or from a UK medical school more than two years before the start of the programme to which they are applying are required to apply through the eligibility process.
Eligibility applications are considered by the UKFPO in accordance with the eligibility criteria.
10% of all eligible applications are reviewed and quality assured by an independent eligibility checking panel.
Applicants who are considered ineligible at the end of this process can submit an appeal if they believe that processes or procedures have not been followed, or there is evidence of unfairness in how the process has been implemented, and the objectivity of decisions is called into question.
Appeal submission window
UKFP 2025 Eligibility appeals: Eligibility Application Outcome Appeal Form
Submission window opens: 15 August 2024
Submission window closed: 12:00 midday (BST) 21 August 2024
Appeal results issued to applicants: 04 September 2024
Clinical Assessment outcomes
Applicants who qualified from medical school two years before the start of the programme must also undertake an assessment of their clinical skills in the UK before being granted full eligibility. The primary purpose of this assessment is to determine suitability to start the foundation programme. The assessments will be undertaken by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Applicants will sit a set of 12-station Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in approximately four hours.
Applicants who are unsuccessful and do not pass the clinical assessment can submit an appeal if they believe that processes or procedures have not been followed, or there is evidence of unfairness in how the assessment process has been implemented, and the objectivity of decisions is called into question.
Appeal submission window
UKFP 2025 Clinical Assessment appeals: Clinical Assessment Outcome Appeal Form
Submission window opens: 11:00 (GMT) 28 November 2024
Submission window closed: 12:00 midday (GMT) 05 December 2024
Appeal results issued to applicants: 17 December 2024
Pre-allocation application outcomes
Applicants have the option to apply for pre-allocation to a particular Foundation School based on their personal circumstances (refer to the UKFP pre-allocation guidance). Applications for pre-allocation are reviewed by a national panel comprising of medical school, foundation school and UKFPO representatives.
Applicants who are not approved for pre-allocation can submit an appeal if they believe that processes or procedures have not been followed, or there is evidence of unfairness in how the process has been implemented, and the objectivity of decisions is called into question.
Appeal submission window
UKFP 2025 Pre-allocation appeal form: TBC
Submission window opens: TBC
Submission window closes: TBC
Appeal results issued to applicants: TBC
Inter-foundation School Transfer (IFST) process
Applicants who are not approved for an inter-foundation school transfer can submit an appeal if they believe that processes or procedures have not been followed, or there is evidence of unfairness in how the process has been implemented, and the objectivity of decisions is called into question.
Appeal submission window
UKFP 2025 IFST appeal form: TBC
Submission window opens: TBC
Submission window closes: TBC
Appeal results issued to applicants: TBC