GMC Registration and PLAB

Before starting work as a foundation doctor, applicants must have provisional registration with a licence to practise from the GMC. To obtain provisional registration, many applicants qualifying outside the UK are required to pass the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) examinations; PLAB 1 and PLAB 2. These applicants must follow the GMC requirements for PLAB as this is regulated by the GMC. 

Applicants should be familiar with the applying for registration guidance on the GMC website. It is strongly recommended that applicants make an application with the GMC at least three months before the start of the programme in case further evidence is required. The GMC recommends that applicants get evidence ready ahead of time and start the process of verifying qualifications. This will help prevent any delays in processing applications for provisional registration.

Applicants are reminded that the programme begins at the start of August with a period of induction and shadowing with their employer in July. It is strongly recommended that applicants have their confirmed GMC registration before the start of their individual induction/shadowing period. Employers will contact applicants directly with exact details of the shadowing and induction dates. Please note these dates can vary between employers.

Applicants who already have provisional registration during the eligibility application window should upload their evidence to Oriel.

Applicants who do not have provisional registration with the GMC at the start of programme will not be able to commence work and will subsequently be withdrawn. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure applications for provisional registration are submitted in good time. Deferrals are not permitted for not completing PLAB on time and/or not receiving provisional registration.

To be considered for any of the two-year Foundation programmes, including Foundation Priority Programmes (FPP), applicants must be eligible for provisional registration with the GMC. Applicants who already hold or expect to obtain full registration with the GMC are not eligible to apply for two-year programmes and are advised to consider the guidance for F2 Stand-alone programmes.

Applicants will be asked to provide details of any postgraduate experience on their application form. The UKFPO will use these details to assess the applicant’s likelihood of obtaining provisional registration (not full registration) with the GMC.

Please include details of all past and future activity, including from both before and after the point of application, up to the start of the foundation programme (if known). This is so that the UKFPO can make an accurate assessment of the applicant’s eligibility for the 2-year Foundation programme. This assessment is separate to the GMC’s registration application process, and does not have any bearing on the outcome of a GMC registration application.

Applicants who have postgraduate experience of working in a clinical setting are advised to liaise with the GMC about their registration status.

Applicants who have completed an internship are advised to query the level of registration they will be eligible to apply for. The definition of an internship is a period of pre-graduate or post-graduate clinical experience prior to having a licence to practise medicine unsupervised.

If applicants have undertaken a 12-month internship, they may be eligible for full registration with the GMC, making them ineligible to apply for the two-year foundation programme. It is recommended that applicants use the GMC’s online applicant registration tool.

For further information about clinical experience and the requirements for registration in the UK, please visit the GMC website.

For general information about PLAB exams please refer to the GMC website.

Please note that the medical school country provided on your application form may be used to determine whether you would be required to undertake the PLAB examinations. Please ensure you have checked this with the GMC.

Please see the PLAB step-by-step guide below, along with the Timeline and Deadlines page for all deadlines relating to PLAB. It is applicants’ responsibility to ensure all deadlines are met. Failure to meet deadlines will result in applications being withdrawn.

Applicants who need to take PLAB must have qualified from medical school by 31 August 2024. This is to ensure that there is enough time to fulfil PLAB 1 and 2 requirements and gain registration by the start of the programme. If applicants expect to qualify from medical school on or after 31 August 2024 and are required to take PLAB, their eligibility application will be deemed ineligible.

Applicants must send evidence that they have met the required standard for part 1 and part 2 of the PLAB test by the relevant deadlines to helpdesk@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk. The UKFPO will only accept copies of email confirmations sent from plab@gmc-uk.org. The UKFPO will not accept screenshots, photographs, results statements or evidence in any other format.

Applicants who do not provide the UKFPO with satisfactory evidence that they have met the required standard for part 1 and part 2 of the PLAB test by the relevant deadlines will be withdrawn from the application process.

Applicants who fail PLAB and choose to appeal their result with the GMC must be aware that the start date of the programme cannot be deferred in anticipation of a satisfactory appeal outcome. Deferrals will only be granted for statutory reasons. Provisional registration must be in place by the start of the programme.

Withdrawn applicants will not be reinstated if they choose to appeal their PLAB result with the GMC (regardless of the appeal outcome).

Applicants who are withdrawn due to failure to provide satisfactory evidence that they have met the required standard for part 1 of the PLAB test will not be reinstated, even if they are subsequently able to meet the required standard for part 2 of the PLAB test by the relevant deadline.

Below is a Step-by-Step Guide to the PLAB pathway for UKFP. Some applicants may have already started the PLAB process. If so please follow the guide at the relevant step.

Step 1: Set up GMC online account

As soon as the eligibility application window opens, applicants should also set up their GMC Online account. Applicants must meet the GMC’s eligibility criteria to book PLAB 1, including submitting their English language evidence for the GMC to verify. Applicants are encouraged to do this as soon as possible in order to avoid delays in booking their PLAB exams.

Step 2: Submit eligibility application for UKFP 2025

Applicants who are required to take PLAB must upload evidence to support their eligibility application.

Step 3: Book PLAB 1 examination date

Applicants who have not booked PLAB 1 at the point of application, must email plab@gmc-uk.org to ask for priority access to available PLAB 1 places. Applicants must attach the email confirmation from Oriel to their PLAB booking request, to show they have submitted their eligibility application to the UKFPO.

The deadline to request a priority PLAB 1 test booking with the GMC is 31 August 2024. The GMC will no longer give priority to UKFP applicants who request a PLAB 1 booking after this date.

The latest PLAB 1 exam date applicants who are given priority will be offered by the GMC is 07 November 2024. Applicants are not required to send evidence of their PLAB 1 booking to the UKFPO.

The UKFPO will not provide the GMC with a list of applicant names for ‘priority booking’. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the GMC directly to book a place.

Step 4: Sit PLAB 1 exam

Step 5: Send UKFPO evidence of PLAB 1 pass

Applicants must forward the email confirmation they receive from plab@gmc-uk.org stating that they have met the required standard for part 1 of the PLAB test, by no later than 12:00 midday (GMT) on 24 December 2024. Evidence must be sent to helpdesk@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk, quoting the Oriel PIN number associated with their application. The UKFPO will only accept copies of email confirmations sent from plab@gmc-uk.org. The UKFPO will not accept screenshots, photographs, results statements or evidence in any other format.

Applicants who do not provide satisfactory evidence that they have passed part 1 of the PLAB test by 12:00 midday (GMT) on 24 December 2024 will be withdrawn from the application process.

Step 6: Book PLAB 2

Any applicant who has passed PLAB 1 and does not yet have a PLAB 2 exam sitting booked must request one directly from the GMC. Applicants must provide a screenshot from Oriel showing their application is still active, and they are required to pass PLAB for it. Applicants should contact the GMC at plab@gmc-uk.org.

The deadline to request a priority PLAB 2 test booking with the GMC is 16 January 2025. The GMC will no longer give priority to UKFP applicants who request a PLAB 2 booking after this date.

The latest PLAB 2 exam date applicants who are given priority will be offered by the GMC is 09 May 2025. Applicants are not required to send evidence of their PLAB 2 booking to the UKFPO.

The UKFPO will not provide the GMC with a list of applicant names for ‘priority booking’. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the GMC directly to book a place.

Step 7: Sit PLAB 2 exam

Step 8: Send UKFPO evidence of PLAB 2 pass

Applicants must forward the email confirmation they receive from plab@gmc-uk.org stating that they have met the required standard for part 2 of the PLAB test, by no later than 12:00 midday (GMT) on 09 June 2025. Evidence must be sent to helpdesk@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk, quoting the Oriel PIN number associated with their application. The UKFPO will only accept copies of email confirmations sent from plab@gmc-uk.org. The UKFPO will not accept screenshots, photographs, results statements or evidence in any other format.

Applicants who do not provide satisfactory evidence that they have passed part 2 of the PLAB test by 12:00 midday (GMT) on 09 June 2025 will be withdrawn from the application process.

A valid PMQ confirmation letter will be required to show that the applicant will qualify from medical school by the relevant deadline. This is to assure the UKFPO that the applicant will have sufficient time to sit both parts of PLAB and gain registration in time for the start of the programme.

Applicants who hold any one of the following pieces of evidence must upload it as part of their application.

– Evidence of having successfully passed PLAB 1 or PLAB 2.

– Evidence of a PLAB 1 or 2 booking.

If you do not have any of the above pieces of evidence and require a PLAB 1 booking, please choose the corresponding option from the drop-down list on Oriel.