FPP programme preferencing and offers

Non-urgent advice: Important update about 2026 Foundation Priority Programmes (FPP)

The separate recruitment process for 2026 Foundation Priority Programmes will no longer take place.  This is due to the timing of the introduction of the proposed Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill which has just been announced.  

This means that the FPP offers which were due on 21,26,28 January 2026 and 02 February 2026 will not take place.

FPP programmes will be added into the main FP allocation process and vacancy on Oriel and applicants will be allocated to these via Preference Informed Allocation (PIA) after allocation to a foundation school has taken place.

FPP guidance will remain on the website for information only. Any FPP specific recruitment processes and deadlines no longer apply for 2026.

Foundation schools have identified programmes that are located in typically hard to fill geographies or that include less popular specialties. An overview of the Foundation Priority Programme and the types of incentives offered can be found on this page: Foundation Priority Programmes

Programmes in the FPP are offered before the national allocation process, with the intention of increasing accessibility for those applicants who preference them higher. As part of this process, applicants will have the opportunity to preference individual priority programmes by specific location rather than by foundation schools like in the FP vacancy.

Application for FPP is via the main Foundation Programme vacancy on Oriel. All applicants are required to apply for FP in the first instance, and then choose to also apply for FPP if they wish to .

Applicants should refer to individual foundation school websites from August 2025 to view details on incentives and specific programme information.

You should preference individual programmes in the FPP after you have submitted your FP application on Oriel and ideally as soon as possible.

FPP programme preferences can be amended on Oriel up until the date specified in the application timeline.

Refer to the How to Apply on Oriel guide for full details about the preferencing process in Oriel.

Applicants are not required to preference all the available programmes for FPP. You should look at the details of the available programmes carefully before deciding whether to preference them, and should preference only the programmes you are prepared to accept an offer for.

The FPP offers process will use a computer-generated rank for applicants. This is a different rank from the one generated for the main Foundation Programme allocation process.

Offers will be made based on the rank and FPP programme preferences. The highest ranked applicant will be matched to their highest programme preference choice available. Oriel will work through each applicant in rank order and attempt to match applicants to their highest available programme choice.

The rank that is generated for applicants for the Foundation Priority Programme offer process will not be used during the main Foundation Programme allocation process.

There are four offer rounds. Refer to the application timeline for all FPP offer dates.

Successful applicants will receive one FPP offer only. If this offer is rejected, the applicant will not receive any further FPP offers.

If you decide to accept an offer, you will be automatically withdrawn from the main FP allocation process

Not everyone who applies for the Foundation Priority Programme will receive an offer. Applicants who do not receive an FPP offer, or decline the offer they receive will be automatically included in the main FP allocation process.

During the application period (and before FPP offers take place) if you decide that you no longer want to apply for FPP programmes, you can withdraw your FPP application by the national deadline.

Refer to the How to Apply on Oriel for instructions about how to withdraw your FPP application on Oriel.

If you choose to withdraw your application once you have accepted an FPP offer, you will be withdrawn from the entire 2026 application process, including FPP and FP.

Applicants who do withdraw after accepting an offer, will NOT be able to re-enter the current application round, and will need to re-apply to the Foundation Programme the following year.