F2 Stand-alone 2026 – Longlisting outcomes

Applications for the 2026 F2 Stand-alone programme will be processed in line with the national F2 Person Specification and the eligibility criteria/deadlines.

Applications that have met all of the essential criteria/deadlines will be longlisted. These applications will be progressed to the next stage of the application process.

Applications which have not met all of the essential criteria/deadlines will not be longlisted. These applications are not successful and will not progress any further.

Essential criteria not used for longlisting purposes

As outlined within the national person specification, there are two essential criteria which will be assessed by the employing organisation: right to work in the UK and ILS (or equivalent). These criteria will not be assessed by the UKFPO during longlisting or shortlisting and they are therefore not mandatory at the point of application.

Non-urgent advice: Important

The UKFPO is unable to provide individual feedback or further information about the reason(s) why an application was deemed unsuccessful at longlisting stage.

The UKFPO will unfortunately not be able to reply to emails that contain queries about this process.

There is no process by which applicants can appeal the longlisting outcome of their application.

Common reasons applications were deemed unsuccessful at longlisting stage

It is important to note that the below list is not exhaustive and does not include all possible reasons for unsuccessful longlist outcomes.

Some applications may have been longlisted out for more than one of these reasons. We advise you to review your application against the list below, the F2 Person Specification and the eligibility criteria/deadlines stated on our website.

You did not provide a copy of your PMQ certificate or complete the 2026 PMQ Confirmation Form.

The PMQ evidence you provided was not of good quality and could not be verified.

You did not use the 2026 version of the PMQ confirmation form.

You uploaded an incomplete PMQ confirmation form.

The name on your PMQ certificate does not match your application and evidence of the discrepancy was not provided.

You provided a PMQ certificate that was not in English and did not provide an English translation from an official organisation for each document.

You provided an English translation of your PMQ certificate and did not provide the original PMQ certificate.

Your PMQ is not accepted by the GMC.

Your date of qualification is after the start date of the programme.

The PMQ evidence provided is corrupted or in an unreadable format.

Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ) as evidence of English language proficiency (ELP)

PMQ was not accepted as evidence for English language proficiency (ELP), because it was not gained from a medical school/university in a country where English is a first and native language. The GMC maintains a list of countries where English is a first and native language.

You indicated that your PMQ was not gained in a country where English is a first and native language and did not provide acceptable alternative evidence of your English language.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

IELTS scores were provided and verifiable but one or more of the domain scores was below the minimum standard as required by the F2 Person Specification (7.5 is required for each domain. Overall/band scores are not considered).

IELTS scores were provided and verifiable but were out of date because the test had taken place earlier than 05 August 2024.

IELTS scores were provided and verifiable but were not accepted because the test and/or One Skill Retake had taken place after 05 January 2026.

You did not provide an IELTS TRF number.

You provided an IELTS TRF number that could not be verified on the IELTS system portal during the application window.

You did not take the Academic or the UKVI (Academic) version of the test.

OET (Occupational English Test)

You provided an OET candidate number that could not be verified because you did not share your results with the UKFPO (please note that the UKFPO and GMC are two separate organisations).

You provided an OET candidate number that could not be verified on the OET portal during the application window.

You did not provide your OET candidate number.

OET scores were provided and verifiable but one or more of the scores was below the minimum standard as required by the F2 Person Specification (400 is required for each domain. Overall/band scores are not considered).

OET scores were provided and verifiable but were out of date because the test had taken place earlier than 05 August 2024.

OET scores were provided and verifiable but were not accepted because the test had taken place after 05 January 2026.

Consultant Testimony Form

NHS Consultant Testimony Form was not completed and signed by an appropriate signatory (NHS consultant/GP).

The NHS consultant testimony evidence was not provided on the required template. You provided another form of evidence which is not accepted (for example, a letter, or other document).

Your NHS consultant testimony did not cover the minimum period of 3 full calendar months of employment between 05 August 2024 and 05 January 2026.

The required minimum 3 months’ experience incorporated (either fully or partially): employment outside the NHS; clinical attachments; agency/bank locum work; and/or posts where you were not employed in the capacity of a doctor.

You did not attach the Consultant Testimony Form to your application on Oriel.

The signatory did not fully complete the declaration boxes.

The signatory selected “NO – I have not supervised this doctor for a minimum period of 3 full months” and/or “NO – This doctor does not have a satisfactory standard of English language proficiency”.

You uploaded an incomplete document.

The NHS consultant testimony form was not the 2026 version of the form.

You need to take PLAB and had not already passed PLAB 1 at the point of the application window in January 2026.

You need to take PLAB but have not yet qualified from medical school and therefore cannot have already passed PLAB 1 at the point of the application window in January 2026.

You indicated that you have already successfully completed a UK-based F2 training year (either as part of the UK 2-year Foundation Programme or a UK F2 Stand-alone Programme) and received a Foundation Achievement of Competence Document (FACD) or Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC).

You indicated that you are currently undertaking either a UK 2-year Foundation Programme or a UK F2 Stand-alone Programme.

You indicated that you have more than 24 months postgraduate experience working as a doctor.

You submitted an incomplete Reapplication form.

The Foundation School Director had not signed your Reapplication form.

Your reapplication to foundation training was not supported by the Foundation School Director.

You did not submit a reapplication form (having previously resigned from or been released or removed from a foundation training programme).

The reapplication to foundation training form was not the 2026 version of the form.