A summary of the changes made to the eligibility application process for entry to the UK Foundation Programme in 2027.
Primary medical qualification evidence – must include date of qualification
Applies if: you have qualified from medical school and received your primary medical qualification certificate at the time of application.
Summary of changes: your primary medical qualification certificate must clearly display the date you qualified from medical school. If it does not, you must use the UKFP 2027 Form to confirm your primary medical qualification as your primary medical qualification evidence instead. This evidence must be uploaded and attached to your eligibility application form in Oriel. Your date of qualification is the exact date you passed your final exam or assessment(s) and were officially awarded your primary medical degree.
Rationale: the UKFPO must be able to establish the date you qualified from medical school.
Acceptable overseas qualifications – evidence to be provided as part of the eligibility application
Applies if: your primary medical qualification (PMQ) was (or will be) awarded by an institution on either of the following lists maintained by the GMC, and you are not already registered as a doctor with the GMC:
- Overseas medical qualifications the GMC may accept
- Overseas medical qualifications the GMC do not accept
Summary of changes: if the awarding institution of your PMQ appears on either list, and you are not already registered as a doctor with the GMC, you must provide additional evidence from the GMC that they currently deem your PMQ to be acceptable. This evidence must be uploaded and attached your eligibility application form in Oriel, and it must be dated no earlier than 3 calendar months prior to the date the eligibility application window opens. Documents emailed to the UKFPO will not be accepted at any time. There will be no opportunity to provide this evidence after you submit your eligibility application, or after the application window closes – whichever happens first.
Non-urgent advice: Important
Additional or qualifying information which appears in brackets after an institution’s name – for example, ‘for all students that graduated from 2024 onwards’ – will not be considered. You must still provide evidence as outlined in the summary of changes above.
The UKFPO strongly advises prospective applicants whose institution appears on either list to contact the GMC as soon as possible to obtain this evidence. The UKFPO will not provide extensions, exemptions or exceptions for any applicant in relation to this requirement.
Rationale: the UKFPO must be reasonably assured at the point of application that the GMC will accept your qualification if the awarding institution appears on either of the stated lists.
Re-application to foundation training form – evidence to be provided as part of the eligibility application
Applies if: you have previously been removed or have resigned from a UK two-year Foundation Programme. It does not apply if you did not start in post.
Summary of changes: if you need to complete a re-application form, this must be uploaded and attached to your eligibility application form in Oriel. Documents emailed to the UKFPO will not be accepted at any time. There will be no opportunity to provide this evidence after you submit your eligibility application, or after the application window closes – whichever happens first.
Rationale: to simplify the process by ensuring that all documents that are required at the point of application can be uploaded as part of your eligibility application form in Oriel.