The Foundation Programme is the two-year bridge between medical school and specialty training. Full GMC registration is granted on satisfactory completion of Foundation Year 1 (FY1); Foundation Year 2 (FY2) follows. Places are allocated through the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO). From the 2026 application cycle, UK graduates (and graduates of the Republic of Ireland and certain other agreement countries) are prioritised for Foundation and specialty places under the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 (in force 5 March 2026; for specialty posts, prioritisation applies at the offer stage in 2026 and at both shortlisting and offer stages from 2027).
Sources & verification
- Full GMC registration is granted on satisfactory completion of Foundation Year 1 (FY1) — source, verified 2026-06-09
- From the 2026 cycle, UK graduates are prioritised for Foundation and specialty training places (Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, in force 5 March 2026) — source, verified 2026-06-12
Verified reference information — not professional, medical, legal or careers advice. Regulations change; always check the cited primary source before relying on it.