What we know so far about UK graduate prioritisation
The aim is to restore competition ratios for specialty training programmes to more reasonable levels. The Bill seeks to make progress on this by prioritising UK graduates and other groups, as listed below. The Bill also introduces prioritisation for the foundation programme, which the government expects will result in significantly fewer ‘placeholder’ offers than in previous years. The Bill is UK-wide and has been drafted in consultation with the governments of the devolved nations. The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England presented their plans to the BMA’s UK resident doctors committee, and we have provided feedback on the difference between the proposals and the BMA’s own policy. Through the legislative process, we will advocate for the BMA’s own positions (as agreed at the 2025 annual representative meeting) to be adopted. The Department of Health and NHS England have produced their own FAQs here. It’s important to note that the legislation still needs to make progress through Parliament, so some of this detail may change through the legislative process. However, the expectation is that the form of prioritisation, and prioritised groups, will remain the same.
Which groups of applicants will be prioritised?
For foundation programme places starting in 2026, the prioritised group will include:
Those with a primary medical qualification from medical schools in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
Those with a primary medical qualification from medical schools in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (as the UK holds trade agreements with these countries).
For specialty training places (core and higher) starting in 2026, the prioritised group will include:
Those with a primary medical qualification from medical schools in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
Those with a primary medical qualification from medical schools in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Any doctor who has completed or are currently on the relevant qualifying UK training programme (for example, foundation doctors applying for core training or doctors who are completing or have competed core training applying for higher training).
Those within specific priority groups based on immigration status.
This includes:
British citizens
Commonwealth citizens who have the right of abode in the United Kingdom under section 2 of the Immigration Act 1971
Irish citizens who do not require leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom under that Act
People with indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom
People who have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom by virtue of residence scheme immigration rules within the meaning given by section 17 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.
Is the UK Government enacting the BMA’s policy on UK graduate prioritisation?
The BMA has called for UK graduate prioritisation to address soaring competition for places on specialty training, and to make allocation to the foundation programme a smoother experience for final year medical students (reducing the possible impact of being assigned a ‘placeholder’ job).
There are, however, several differences between the government’s proposals and the BMA’s policy.
The BMA policy calls for specialty training prioritisation for all international medical graduates who were GMC registered and practicing in the NHS/HSC by 5th March 2025 and who had (or who would go on to have) two years of NHS experience.
This Bill prioritises for specialty training all British and Irish citizens, graduates of UK medical schools, those with PMQs from the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, international medical graduates who have completed the foundation programme or core training (as long as their core training is linked to their application for higher training) and international medical graduates who hold certain immigration statuses (as set out above).
This means there may be some international medical graduates who have two years’ experience (as per the BMA’s policy) who may not fall into the prioritised group set out in the Bill.
The UK Government has set out an intention to further explore what should constitute ‘significant experience’ for 2027 recruitment and beyond, including through engagement with BMA and other key stakeholders. We will continue to advocate for our democratically determined position.
You can read more about the BMA’s own positions on UK graduate prioritisation in specialty training here, and on foundation programme recruitment here.
When will these changes happen?
The UK Government’s ambition is that regulations will be in place for the 2026 application cycle for both specialty training and foundation programme allocation.
However, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England have been clear that the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill must go through the full parliamentary process, including debate, scrutiny, and approval by both Houses, before it becomes an Act.
Even after that, the law does not take effect immediately; it must be formally ‘commenced’ by the UK Government. This means the changes to how training applications are prioritised will only apply once the Bill has completed this process and commencement regulations are in place.
What does this mean for the 2026 recruitment rounds?
For specialty posts starting in 2026
It is the UK Government’s intention that prioritisation will be applied at the offer stage for specialty training, as shortlisting is already underway.
For training posts starting from 2027 onwards, prioritisation will apply at both the shortlisting and offer stage.
For foundation programme in 2026
Prioritisation will be applied at allocation to the foundation school.
It’s important to note that the timeline is dependent on the passage of the legislation through Parliament. We will continue to update this FAQs as and when we learn more about the possible timeline for implementation.
What does this mean for doctors who hold a degree from or students who are studying at a UK medical school’s international campus?
It depends on whether the majority of a medical degree was completed abroad or in the UK. If the majority of a medical degree was completed in the UK, then yes, that student or doctor would be prioritised.
For example, if a medical student attended an international campus for the first two years of their degree and then completes three clinical years in the UK, they would be prioritised. However, students who complete the majority or all of their degree abroad would not be prioritised. If you are a doctor with a medical degree from an international campus applying to specialty training, you may still be prioritised if you fall into one of the relevant priority groups (for example, if you completed the foundation programme).
Does this mean that UK citizens with an international medical degree would be prioritised?
For specialty training
Yes, as a British citizen, someone with an international medical degree holds the relevant immigration status and right to work so as to be included in the prioritised group.
For the foundation programme
UK citizens with international medical degrees will not be prioritised.
