UKFP 2026 Reserve List FAQs

The timeline for allocation to a foundation school from the reserve list has been added to the main applicant timeline for UKFP 2026.  Two rounds of allocation have been published.

Round 1 allocation will take place on 16 June 2026, followed then by group preferencing and match, and programme preferencing and match.

Round 2 allocation will take place on 01 July 2026 followed then by group preferencing and match, and programme preferencing and match.

Further rounds of allocation may take place and are dependent on whether any vacancies remain. The UKFPO will post updates on the website on a regular basis.

This is dependent on the number of programmes available which changes over time as allocated applicants withdraw from the programme. We are therefore unable to confirm how many reserve list applicants will be allocated to a Foundation Programme.

Applicants will be allocated to a foundation school on Oriel via Preference Informed Allocation using their computer-generated rank and their foundation school preferences which were submitted on Oriel earlier on in the application process. 

Preference Informed Allocation and computer-generated ranks will also be used to match to group and programme.

Applicants should direct any questions regarding local deadlines to their allocated foundation school and employing organisation.  Applicants are encouraged to confirm as soon as possible to their foundation school if they are taking up their place on the Foundation Programme, or if they wish to withdraw from the process.

Contact details for foundation schools can be found here.

Applicants are not required to accept or reject their allocation on Oriel.

Applicants should direct any questions regarding their start date to their allocated foundation school and employing organisation (and not to the UKFPO) as this is a decision for local foundation schools.

Applicants who were approved for pre-allocation could still be pre-allocated to a foundation school but only if a place is available in that foundation school in that round of allocation.

If there are no places available at your requested foundation school at the time you are allocated from the reserve list, you will be allocated elsewhere according to the places available, your PIA rank and your stated preferences.

No, applicants cannot re-preference foundation schools as part of the reserve list allocation process. The allocation process will use the foundation school preferences which all applicants submitted as part of their application earlier on in the timeline. (The deadline for applicants to have finished preferencing Foundation Schools in their order of choice on Oriel was 24 February 2026).

After allocation to a foundation school has taken place, applicants allocated to a foundation school in England or Wales will be required to preference the groups in that foundation school on Oriel. 

All applicants allocated to England, Wales and the Northern Ireland foundation schools are required to preference programmes in Oriel.

Some groups or programmes will show as “0” place available and you do not need to include these in your preferences. However, if you do include them in your preferences this will not adversely affect your allocation or match result.  

Drag and drop the groups or programmes from the “No preference” column into the “Preference” column in your order of choice.

You must save your preferences. The system will not autosave your preferences. There is no ‘submit’ button for preferences in Oriel. Make sure you remember to save your preferences if you leave your computer part way through preferencing.

The deadline for references to be submitted on Oriel was 30 April 2026 (12:00 midday BST). If you are allocated to a foundation school, once you are matched to programme and employer, your employing organisation will contact you about getting a reference submitted to them offline via their local process (and not via Oriel).  

Yes. If you are allocated to a foundation school, you will need to complete a STEP form and submit it to your allocated foundation school as soon as you can, and at the latest before you are due to start work.

You need to:

1) Download the STEP form from Who must undertake the STEP process? in the “Eligibility & UK Medical School Overseas Applicants” section
2) Fill in the Word form
3) Email it to your medical school and ask them to complete the medical school section
4) Receive the form signed by your medical school
5) Email the fully completed form to your allocated foundation school

If you passed the Clinical Assessment in November 2025, it will remain valid for both the UKFP 2026 and UKFP 2027 application processes. If you passed the Clinical Assessment in a previous recruitment cycle, you may be required to sit it again for UKFP 2027. Please refer to the Clinical Assessment guidance for more information.

Yes, if you choose to re-apply for UKFP 2027 you will need to submit a new eligibility application. Applications do not carry forwards from year to year, and you must submit a new application for the relevant recruitment year. Please refer to the eligibility applicant guidance for more information.

The eligibility application process for UKFP 2027 opens on 01 July 2026 and closes on 22 July 2026 (12:00 midday BST). Refer to the full application timeline.