The tables below show the first preference ratios for the last three years based on the number of places available in each foundation school and the number of applicants who preferenced that foundation school first.
These figures are for the main foundation programme. They are taken from the number of Foundation Programme (FP) places at the time of the national allocation to foundation schools and the number of applicants remaining in the process at that point in time. FPP programmes, and the applicants who accepted FPP offers, are not included. Applicants who withdrew prior to allocation are also not included.
Ratios are shown both before and after completion of the pre-allocation scheme and manual matching (SFP pathway 1 and the ‘new medical school’ local allocation pilot in England).
This page is also available to download as a PDF [.pdf 145 KB] with the data displayed in tables rather than list format.
UKFP 2025
East of England
Number of programmes: 898
First choice preference: 580
First preference ratio: 0.65
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.60
KSS
Number of programmes: 696
First choice preference: 665
First preference ratio: 0.96
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.95
LNR
Number of programmes: 317
First choice preference: 227
First preference ratio: 0.72
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.68
London
Number of programmes: 1238
First choice preference: 2200
First preference ratio: 1.78
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 2.07
North West of England
Number of programmes: 1062
First choice preference: 1437
First preference ratio: 1.35
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.42
Northern
Number of programmes: 520
First choice preference: 490
First preference ratio: 0.94
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.94
Northern Ireland
Number of programmes: 412
First choice preference: 349
First preference ratio: 0.85
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.84
Peninsula
Number of programmes: 313
First choice preference: 271
First preference ratio: 0.87
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.86
Scotland
Number of programmes: 1109
First choice preference: 1117
First preference ratio: 1.01
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.01
Severn
Number of programmes: 405
First choice preference: 496
First preference ratio: 1.22
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.24
Thames Valley Oxford
Number of programmes: 364
First choice preference: 596
First preference ratio: 1.64
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.69
Trent
Number of programmes: 505
First choice preference: 237
First preference ratio: 0.47
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.43
Wales
Number of programmes: 463
First choice preference: 303
First preference ratio: 0.65
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.64
Wessex
Number of programmes: 417
First choice preference: 252
First preference ratio: 0.60
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.58
West Midlands Central
Number of programmes: 297
First choice preference: 330
First preference ratio: 1.11
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.16
West Midlands North
Number of programmes: 446
First choice preference: 171
First preference ratio: 0.38
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.35
West Midlands South
Number of programmes: 294
First choice preference: 159
First preference ratio: 0.54
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.52
Yorkshire and Humber
Number of programmes: 878
First choice preference: 758
First preference ratio: 0.86
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.84
UKFP 2024
East of England
Number of programmes: 802
First choice preference: 375
First preference ratio: 0.47
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.44
KSS
Number of programmes: 643
First choice preference: 407
First preference ratio: 0.63
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.62
LNR
Number of programmes: 278
First choice preference: 146
First preference ratio: 0.53
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.51
London
Number of programmes: 1080
First choice preference: 2610
First preference ratio: 2.42
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 2.89
North West of England
Number of programmes: 1001
First choice preference: 1354
First preference ratio: 1.35
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.39
Northern
Number of programmes: 493
First choice preference: 402
First preference ratio: 0.82
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.80
Northern Ireland
Number of programmes: 340
First choice preference: 223
First preference ratio: 0.66
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.65
Peninsula
Number of programmes: 302
First choice preference: 197
First preference ratio: 0.65
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.64
Scotland
Number of programmes: 934
First choice preference: 933
First preference ratio: 1.00
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.00
Severn
Number of programmes: 397
First choice preference: 667
First preference ratio: 1.68
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.71
Thames Valley Oxford
Number of programmes: 334
First choice preference: 474
First preference ratio: 1.42
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.45
Trent
Number of programmes: 453
First choice preference: 225
First preference ratio: 0.50
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.47
Wales
Number of programmes: 485
First choice preference: 277
First preference ratio: 0.57
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.56
Wessex
Number of programmes: 413
First choice preference: 209
First preference ratio: 0.51
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.49
West Midlands Central
Number of programmes: 262
First choice preference: 354
First preference ratio: 1.35
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.47
West Midlands North
Number of programmes: 429
First choice preference: 169
First preference ratio: 0.39
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.37
West Midlands South
Number of programmes: 278
First choice preference: 125
First preference ratio: 0.45
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.44
Yorkshire and Humber
Number of programmes: 778
First choice preference: 555
First preference ratio: 0.71
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.68
UKFP 2023
East Anglia
Number of programmes: 335
First choice preference: 134
First preference ratio: 0.40
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.39
EBH
Number of programmes: 369
First choice preference: 210
First preference ratio: 0.57
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.55
KSS
Number of programmes: 581
First choice preference: 290
First preference ratio: 0.50
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.48
LNR
Number of programmes: 238
First choice preference: 155
First preference ratio: 0.65
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.63
London
Number of programmes: 989
First choice preference: 2387
First preference ratio: 2.41
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 2.74
North West of England
Number of programmes: 901
First choice preference: 1112
First preference ratio: 1.23
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.26
Northern
Number of programmes: 443
First choice preference: 422
First preference ratio: 0.95
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.95
Northern Ireland
Number of programmes: 284
First choice preference: 266
First preference ratio: 0.94
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.94
Peninsula
Number of programmes: 253
First choice preference: 162
First preference ratio: 0.64
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.63
Scotland
Number of programmes: 879
First choice preference: 831
First preference ratio: 0.95
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.94
Severn
Number of programmes: 352
First choice preference: 478
First preference ratio: 1.36
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.37
Thames Valley Oxford
Number of programmes: 286
First choice preference: 357
First preference ratio: 1.25
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.27
Trent
Number of programmes: 397
First choice preference: 211
First preference ratio: 0.53
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.52
Wales
Number of programmes: 459
First choice preference: 277
First preference ratio: 0.60
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.59
Wessex
Number of programmes: 367
First choice preference: 249
First preference ratio: 0.68
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.67
West Midlands Central
Number of programmes: 224
First choice preference: 307
First preference ratio: 1.37
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 1.47
West Midlands North
Number of programmes: 366
First choice preference: 130
First preference ratio: 0.36
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.33
West Midlands South
Number of programmes: 232
First choice preference: 119
First preference ratio: 0.51
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.49
Yorkshire and Humber
Number of programmes: 700
First choice preference: 558
First preference ratio: 0.80
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching: 0.78