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.

When allocation takes place in Oriel for each of the reserve allocation rounds, the system will run through only the same number of highest-ranking applicants in the list for that round of allocation as there are available programmes.

For example, if there are 100 programmes available across the UK for a round of allocation, the system will take the highest ranked 100 applicants and the PIA algorithm will run through only those 100 applicants using PIA rank and preference, allocating them to a foundation school, group and then 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.

Not all foundation schools will have posts available for each of the rounds of allocation from the reserve list, as this is dependent on applicants withdrawing to create vacancies, and this may not happen in every foundation school. This means that when allocation takes place in Oriel, applicants will only be allocated to one of the foundation schools that has vacancies available for that round of allocation. 

There are no available vacancies in Scotland for the reserve list, therefore applicants can only be allocated to either England, Wales or Northern Ireland foundation schools.

Our website will continue to be updated should there be any further changes.

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. You must be ranked high enough to be included 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.

Applicants who linked their applications could still have that link honoured and be allocated to the same foundation school but only if two places are available in that foundation school and during that round of allocation. The following must also be true for linking to be honoured:

1) the applicants must both be allocated to a foundation school during the same round of allocation. If both applicants are not allocated at the same time, the link will be broken and this is dependant on the computer-generated rank for each applicant. Both applicants must be ranked high enough to be included in that round of allocation.
2) both applicants must have preferenced foundation schools in the same order
3) the rank of the lower ranking applicant will be used to allocate both linked applicants to a foundation school

Refer to the website for guidance about linking applications.

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.

Oriel will not show the correct numbers of programmes available within a group or foundation school, therefore please refer to the information which will be sent to you by your allocated foundation school for details of which specific groups and programmes are available.

Applicants are only required to preference the groups/programmes which their foundation school confirm have places available. If you do also include other programmes in your preferences which aren’t available, 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.

In the event you are allocated a place on the 2026 Foundation Programme you will need to be granted Provisional Registration by the GMC with a licence to practise before you can begin your placement.

Please be aware that having GMC registration (or starting your registration application) does not guarantee that you will be allocated a place on the Foundation programme via the reserve allocation process, nor does it improve or affect your chances of being allocated.

The decision on whether to apply for registration and when to start this process rests with you, however, in the event you are allocated to a Foundation Programme you should apply for registration as quickly as possible if you have not yet started the process to ensure you can start your placement on time.

In the event you are allocated a place on the 2026 Foundation Programme, if you have indicated on your application form in Oriel that you require visa sponsorship, your details will be passed onto the national sponsorship team that same day.  You will then be emailed by the Sponsorship team about your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and they will also provide guidance about the process.

Applicants should liaise directly with the foundation school and employer (and not with the UKFPO) regarding the timeframes for securing a work visa and the right to work and any impact on their start date.
Guidance can also be found via this webpage:  https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/resources/right-to-work-visas/

Applicants who are allocated to a foundation school will be contacted by the foundation school team directly and they will provide information about the available groups and programmes in their foundation school which need to be preferenced on Oriel.  They will also be able to provide specific information about the foundation school, the training programmes and employing organisations. 
Contact details for foundation schools can be found here.

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.