UKFP 2025 Key Changes

In line with previous recruitment years, all documents, guidance and forms relevant to the UKFP 2025 eligibility application process are expected to be published in early summer 2024. Please continue to check our website and social media for updates.

We understand that many prospective applicants are eager to prepare for the upcoming recruitment round. The summary of key changes made to the eligibility application process for the 2025 Foundation Programme can be found below.

Removal of Dean’s Statement

Eligibility route applicants for UKFP 2025 onwards will not be required to submit a Dean’s Statement as part of their application. Instead, applicants will be required to submit evidence of their primary medical qualification (PMQ) in one of the following ways:

• Qualified from medical school; have medical degree certificate: Provide a copy of medical degree certificate

• Qualified from medical school; have not yet received medical degree certificate: Provide a letter from medical school dean to confirm qualification
• Not yet qualified from medical school: Provide a letter from medical school dean to confirm future qualification

For applicants who have qualified but not yet received their medical degree certificate, and applicants who have not yet qualified from medical school, the purpose of providing a letter from their medical school dean is solely to confirm their qualification.

The UKFPO will provide a proforma template letter which must be used. This will be available on the UKFPO website in early summer 2024.

For applicants who wish to use their primary medical qualification as evidence of their English language proficiency, this will no longer be confirmed by way of the Dean’s Statement, or a letter from the medical school dean. Further details on the changes to English language proficiency are provided below.

Changes to English language proficiency requirements

There are three ways to evidence your English language proficiency:

• Primary medical qualification (PMQ)
• IELTS certificate
• OET certificate

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.

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 entry to UKFP 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 in each skill (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), and the scores must be part of the same Test Report Form (TRF). The examination must be dated no earlier than 06 August 2023 to be valid for entry to UKFP 2025.

IELTS One Skill Retake: The UKFPO is aware of the recent introduction of the IELTS One Skill Retake. Applicants who wish to take advantage of the One Skill Retake option must bear in mind that the UKFPO must be able to view/verify the final result on the IELTS verification portal.

More information about IELTS One Skill Retake can be found on the IELTS website.

OET certificates

There are no changes to the requirements for OET certificates.

Applicants must achieve a score of 400 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 to be valid for entry to UKFP 2025.

Additional condition of eligibility for applicants whose medical school / university appears on the GMC’s list of qualifications they may accept

Applicants whose primary medical qualification (PMQ) appears on the GMC’s list of overseas medical qualifications they may accept, will have an additional condition of their eligibility to fulfil. These applicants must submit evidence, please refer to the published guidance for more information. This evidence must be a letter or an email, with appropriate letterhead(s)/email address(es) clearly displayed. This evidence will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the UKFPO.

This change to the eligibility application process has been discussed with the GMC and the GMC is aware of the introduction of this condition of eligibility.

Please note, some medical schools / universities appear on both the GMC’s list of medical qualifications they may accept, and the GMC’s list of medical qualifications they do not accept. Applicants whose medical school / university appears on both lists, can submit an eligibility application and should follow the guidance provided above.

Applicants whose medical school / university appears only on the GMC’s list of medical qualifications they do not accept, will remain ineligible to apply for the UK Foundation Programme.

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