First preference ratios

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 primary foundation programme allocation. 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. Applicants who withdrew prior to allocation are not included.

Ratios are shown for all applicants (i.e. those allocated via the primary allocation and who remained on the reserve list), primary allocation applicants only, and primary allocation 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.

East of England
Number of programmes: 921
First choice preference (all applicants): 760
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.83
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 656
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.71
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.69

KSS
Number of programmes: 703
First choice preference (all applicants): 630
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.90
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 600
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.85
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.84

LNR
Number of programmes: 330
First choice preference (all applicants): 275
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.83
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 249
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.75
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.74

London
Number of programmes: 1216
First choice preference (all applicants): 2553
First preference ratio (all applicants): 2.10
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 2484
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 2.04
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 2.31

North West of England
Number of programmes: 1081
First choice preference (all applicants): 1306
First preference ratio (all applicants): 1.21
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 1230
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 1.14
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 1.16

Northern
Number of programmes: 568
First choice preference (all applicants): 487
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.86
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 432
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.76
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.74

Northern Ireland
Number of programmes: 387
First choice preference (all applicants): 313
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.81
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 304
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.79
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.78

Peninsula
Number of programmes: 319
First choice preference (all applicants): 289
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.91
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 280
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.88
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.87

Scotland
Number of programmes: 1237
First choice preference (all applicants): 1398
First preference ratio (all applicants): 1.13
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 1340
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 1.08
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 1.09

Severn
Number of programmes: 421
First choice preference (all applicants): 577
First preference ratio (all applicants): 1.37
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 554
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 1.32
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 1.33

Thames Valley Oxford
Number of programmes: 342
First choice preference (all applicants): 471
First preference ratio (all applicants): 1.38
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 440
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 1.29
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 1.30

Trent
Number of programmes: 474
First choice preference (all applicants): 293
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.62
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 255
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.54
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.51

Wales
Number of programmes: 460
First choice preference (all applicants): 340
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.74
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 302
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.66
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.65

Wessex
Number of programmes: 437
First choice preference (all applicants): 275
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.63
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 256
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.59
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.58

West Midlands Central
Number of programmes: 286
First choice preference (all applicants): 410
First preference ratio (all applicants): 1.43
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 398
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 1.39
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 1.51

West Midlands North
Number of programmes: 436
First choice preference (all applicants): 238
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.55
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 175
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.40
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.39

West Midlands South
Number of programmes: 294
First choice preference (all applicants): 173
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.59
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 152
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.52
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.50

Yorkshire and Humber
Number of programmes: 898
First choice preference (all applicants): 760
First preference ratio (all applicants): 0.85
First choice preference (primary allocation only): 703
First preference ratio (primary allocation only): 0.78
First preference ratio after pre-allocation/manual matching (primary allocation only): 0.76

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

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