It is important to remember that the UKFPO and GMC are separate organisations. The UKFPO will endeavour to ensure that the information held within this page is accurate and we will direct you towards the relevant page(s) of the GMC’s website; however, the UKFPO can bear no responsibility for the content of the GMC’s website.
Full registration with a licence to practise
You do not need to hold GMC registration at the point of application, however, you must expect to be eligible for full registration. If your application is successful and you accept an offer, you must acquire and hold full registration with a licence to practise in time for the start of the programme in August 2025.
If you are unsure which type of registration you are eligible for, we recommend using the GMC’s tool to determine which type of registration you’ll likely be eligible for.
Learn more about full registration on the GMC’s website.
What if I expect to be eligible for provisional registration? Can I still apply?
If you expect to be eligible for provisional registration, you are not eligible to apply for F2 Stand-alone programmes and your application will not progress beyond the longlisting stage. If this is the case, we recommend that you review the eligibility criteria for the 2-year Foundation Programme instead.
Registration with the General Medical Council
The GMC work to protect patient safety and improve medical education and practice across the UK by setting standards for students and doctors. The GMC work with doctors, employers, educators, and patients to achieve and exceed high standards of care and take action when they are not met.
As part of this role, the GMC decide:
• which doctors are qualified to work in the UK
• oversee UK medical education and training
• set the standards doctors need to follow throughout their careers
• where necessary, take action to prevent a doctor from putting the safety of patients, or the public’s confidence in doctors, at risk
To practise medicine in the UK you need to hold registration with a licence to practise. Holding a licence allows you to, for example, prescribe medicine and treat patients.
When you know which application is right for you, you’ll need to use GMC Online to make your application. The guidance will help to make sure you make the correct application and give the GMC all the information they need. By doing this, they will be able to process your application more efficiently.
Note: applicants should begin their application process with EPIC (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials) as early as possible and before they begin their GMC application.
Applicants cannot start their online application for registration with the GMC until they have an EPIC reference number (EPIC application does not need to be completed before starting GMC registration application).
If you would like to apply to join the UK medical register you will need to:
• check you are eligible
• complete an application
• pay a fee
• provide the required evidence
• attend an identity check
The exact requirements are different for every type of registration application. There is specific guidance depending on your personal circumstances and which type of application you are eligible for.
PLAB test (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board)
Before you obtain full registration, you may need to take the PLAB test. Find out more about the PLAB test on the GMC’s website.
What is the PLAB test and how do I know if I need to take it?
The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test, or the PLAB test, helps the GMC to make sure doctors who qualified abroad have the right knowledge and skills to practise medicine in the UK. There are two parts to the PLAB test. If you qualified from a medical school outside of the UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you’ll probably need to take the PLAB test. The PLAB test will check that you know and can do the same as a doctor starting the second year of their foundation training in the UK.
Non-urgent advice: Important
If you need to take PLAB in order to gain registration, you must have already passed PLAB 1 when you apply for F2 Stand-alone programme. This means you must have passed PLAB 1 by the date the application window closes in January 2025.
You will need to declare in your application that you have passed PLAB 1.
If you have not already passed PLAB part 1 at the point of application, you will not have enough time to take and pass both parts of the PLAB test, and apply for and gain registration by the start of the programme.
If you have not already passed PLAB 1 at the time of application, you are not eligible to apply for F2 Stand-alone programmes and your application will not progress beyond the longlisting stage.
What happens if I accept an offer but fail PLAB 2? Can I defer entry?
If you fail PLAB 2, you will no longer be eligible to apply for F2 Stand-alone programmes and your application will need to be withdrawn from the process. If you have already accepted an offer, the offer will be withdrawn. This is because you must have full registration with a licence to practise by the start of the programme in August 2025, and the UKFPO must have assurances that you will have sufficient time to gain registration.
This applies regardless of whether you choose to appeal your result with the GMC. The start date of the programme cannot be deferred in anticipation of a satisfactory appeal outcome. Deferrals are only granted for statutory reasons. Once an application or offer has been withdrawn, it cannot be reinstated for any reason, including if your appeal with the GMC is successful.