F2 Stand-alone: Eligibility FAQs

All applicants to any Foundation Programme must have demonstrable skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking in English that enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues, as set out in the GMC’s Good Medical Practice (2013).

There are four acceptable forms of evidence of English Language Proficiency:

Primary medical qualification (PMQ)
A PMQ will only be accepted as evidence of English language proficiency if it was gained from a medical school / university in a country where English is the first and native language. The GMC maintains a list of countries where English is a first and native language. The UKFPO will refer to this list when making decisions about applications.
All applicants who gained their PMQ from a country where English is not the first and native language (as cited on the GMC website) must evidence their English language proficiency by either a valid IELTS certificate, a valid OET certificate, or a valid consultant testimony.

Please note:

• If you gained your PMQ from an overseas campus of a non-UK university, you will be deemed by the UKFPO as having studied in the country where the campus is located.

• If you studied at an overseas campus of a UK university, you will be deemed by the UKFPO as having studied in the UK

IELTS certificates
For F2 Stand-alone 2025 onwards, the UKFPO will only accept Academic and UKVI (Academic) versions of the IELTS test. The UKFPO will no longer accept IELTS General Training certificates.

The UKFPO’s minimum required standard and validity period for IELTS certificates has not changed. Applicants must achieve a score of 7.5 or higher in every skill (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), and the scores must be part of the same Test Report Form (TRF). To be valid for entry to F2 Stand-alone 2025, the examination must be dated no earlier than 06 August 2023 and no later than date the vacancy opens on Oriel – this is to ensure the result is available for the UKFPO to view/verify on the IELTS verification portal.

The UKFPO will accept results from applicants who have taken advantage of the IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) option.

OET certificates
Applicants must achieve a score of 400 or higher in each section (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), and the scores must be achieved in one test sitting. The examination must be dated no earlier than 06 August 2023 and no later than the date the vacancy opens on Oriel to be valid for entry to F2 Stand-alone 2025.

NHS consultant testimony
Applicants who have worked in paid employment as a doctor in the NHS for 3 months or longer, can submit a consultant testimony. This must be signed by a consultant who has supervised the applicant and can verify that they have demonstrable skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking in English.

To be valid for entry to F2 Stand-alone 2025, the consultant testimony must cover a minimum period of 3 full months between 06 August 2023 and the date the vacancy opens on Oriel.

Yes, you can now use the OET as proof of English Language Proficiency. We require a valid ‘Statement of Results’ from the OET with a minimum score of 400 in each domain (listening, reading, writing and speaking). NB: OET is valid for 2 years and the above scores must be achieved in one sitting. We do not accept OET results which are graded with a letter only, e.g. ‘Grade B’.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) measures the English Language Proficiency of people who want to study or work in a country where English is used as a language of communication.

For more information please visit the IELTS website.

The Occupational English Test (OET) measures the English Language Proficiency of people who want to work as healthcare professionals in a country where English is used as a language of communication.

For more information please visit the OET website.

At the time of application and by the application deadline. You will be asked to provide this information as part of the online application form.

Yes. You will need to provide proof that you have completed a minimum of 3 months paid employment as a doctor in the NHS. A consultant testimony should be provided as evidence of this. Consultant testimonies will be accepted for work in both general practice and hospital settings. This evidence will not be accepted if it relates to employment on an ad hoc locum basis. For the relevant information and forms concerning the consultant testimony, please see the F2 Stand-alone Applicant Guidance.

You should provide the details of your Test Report Form (TRF) number as part of your application form. The UKFPO will verify your TRF number with the online provider.

IELTS and OET certificates must be dated no earlier than two years prior to the start of the programme to which you are applying (please see the applicant handbook for the exact date, which will alter each year).

No. The requirement is for an IELTS score of 7.5 in each domain, achieved in one sitting of the exam.

No. The requirement is for an OET score of 400 in each domain, achieved in one sitting of the exam.

You do not have to attain the required score on your first attempt.

You do need to attain the required score in each domain (speaking, listening, reading and writing), and to do so in one sitting, but the successful sitting does not have to be your first sitting.

This applies equally to the academic IELTS and the OET.