We understand that many prospective applicants are eager to prepare for the upcoming recruitment round. The summary of key changes made to the application process for the 2025 F2 Stand-alone Programme can be found below.
Full, detailed guidance and forms relevant to the F2 Stand-alone 2025 application process including further details on the changes listed below are expected to be published in late autumn 2024. Please continue to check our website and social media for updates. The below is provided as an overview only and does not replace the full applicant guidance.
Changes to English language proficiency requirements
There are four ways to evidence your English language proficiency:
• Primary medical qualification (PMQ)
• IELTS certificate
• OET certificate
• NHS consultant testimony
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.
All applicants who gained their PMQ from a country where English is not the first and native language (as cited on the GMC website) must evidence their English language proficiency by either a valid IELTS certificate, a valid OET certificate, or a valid consultant testimony.
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 F2 Stand-alone 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 or higher in every skill (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), and the scores must be part of the same Test Report Form (TRF). To be valid for entry to F2 Stand-alone 2025, the examination must be dated no earlier than 06 August 2023 and no later than date the vacancy opens on Oriel – this is to ensure the result is available for the UKFPO to view/verify on the IELTS verification portal.
The UKFPO will accept results from applicants who have taken advantage of the IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) option. The initial test sitting date must be no earlier than 06 August 2023, and the OSR sitting must be dated no later than the date the vacancy opens on Oriel, in order to ensure the UKFPO can 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 or higher 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 and no later than the date the vacancy opens on Oriel to be valid for entry to F2 Stand-alone 2025.
NHS consultant testimony
Applicants who have worked in paid employment as a doctor in the NHS for 3 months or longer, can submit a consultant testimony. This must be signed by a consultant who has supervised the applicant and can verify that they have demonstrable skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking in English.
To be valid for entry to F2 Stand-alone 2025, the consultant testimony must cover a minimum period of 3 full months between 06 August 2023 and the date the vacancy opens on Oriel.
Evidence of Primary Medical Qualification
As part of the application process for F2 Stand-alone 2025 all applicants will be required to upload evidence of their primary medical qualification within the application form on Oriel.
Applicants who have already qualified from medical school must upload a scanned copy of their medical degree certificate. Applicants who have not yet qualified, or have qualified but not yet been provided with their certificate, must provide confirmation of their primary medical qualification details from their medical school, using a form provided by the UKFPO.
The F2 Stand-alone 2025 form for confirming a PMQ must be used. The form will be made available when the full applicant guidance is published.
Applicants with a degree certificate that is not in English must provide an English translation from an official organisation. The qualification and translation must be combined into one document.
Simplification of offers process
To simplify the offers process for F2 Stand-alone 2025, the option to opt in to upgrades as part of the offers process is being removed. Instead, applicants who receive an offer will be able to either accept or decline the offer.
Applicants will need to bear this in mind when preferencing the available programmes to ensure that they only preference programmes they would be happy to accept.