All applicants must apply for a two-year Foundation programme through the national FP vacancy on Oriel, which can be accessed during the national application window.
For recruitment 2026, the UKFPO will publish all applicant guidance as web pages on their website, a summary of the key changes to the foundation programme application process for 2026 can be found here
Timeline
The application timeline and key dates for UKFPO 2026 entry have been published on the UKFPO website and can be viewed here: UKFPO website
Guidance on how to apply to the 2026 Foundation Programme
UKFPO 2026 Guidance on How to Apply to the Foundation Programme can be accessed via the UKFPO website: UKFPO website
Wessex Foundation Programme Information
The Wessex 2026 FP programmes are available to view on an excel spreadsheet Wessex 2-year rotations 2026 – 2028. The same details can also be viewed on Oriel.
It is important to note that, even after being matched to an individual programme, there are occasionally times when placements in a programme change because of service redesign, working time directive regulations or national directives (UK-wide). For this reason, all allocations are provisional and subject to change until confirmed by employing organisations.
Selecting Programme Preferences Information & Matching Process
If you are allocated to Wessex foundation school, you will be invited to first preference groups followed by the programmes in the group you have been allocated to.
Two Stage Preferencing Process
Stage 1: Matched to a group
Applicants are required to rank Wessex foundation school groups in order of preference.
Groups within Wessex Foundation School
The Wessex foundation school has 3 programme groups; Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP), Foundation Priority Programme (FPP) and Foundation Programme (FP).
Applicants who apply to Wessex will be invited to preference all 3 groups. The match to a group will follow the same process as the national allocation to foundation school. The computer generated PIA rank will be used to allocate applicants to their first choice group (SFP, FPP or FP), then a second pass to allocate remaining applicants who could not be allocated to their first choice.
Applicants will be notified via Oriel of their match to group.
Stage 2: Matched to a programme
Once matched to a group, applicants will be invited to rank the programmes within that group in order of preference. Applicants will be notified via Oriel of their match to individual programmes.
IMPORTANT: Applicants are advised to save preference choices regularly on the Oriel system. Failure to save group / programme preferences by the deadline will result in a random allocation to a group/programme with the most vacancies. Late preferences submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.
Linked Applications
National guidance on linked applications can be accessed via the: UKFPO website
Wessex honour the link up to the Allocation to Foundation School stage only. Applications are not linked past this stage of the process.
Pre-Allocation
National guidance on pre-allocation can be accessed via the: UKFPO website
Wessex Foundation School will honour pre-allocation to Programme matching level.
Applicants who have been approved for pre-allocation are still required to participate in the Match to Programme process and rank ALL programmes they are able to join.
Depending on the reason for pre-allocation, a reasonable commuting time would be considered 40 minutes from their home address. Applicants should rank all programmes within this distance.
The Foundation School will review approved applications and their preferences on Oriel and ensure applicants are matched to an appropriate programme. Prior to matching to programme, the Foundation School will run a matching process on Oriel. Pre-allocated Applicants will be matched using their PIA rank, if they are not matched to a programme that they have preferenced during this process, they will be manually matched to a preferenced programme using a random number generator. This will ensure that all Pre-allocated Applicants are matched to a suitable programme when the matching to programme process is completed and released.
Supporting Transition and Entering Practice (STEP)
All applicants to the Foundation Programme are encouraged to make full use of the process for Supporting Doctors Entering Practice by completing the Supporting Transition and Entering Practice (STEP) form. This process is intended to support the transition from undergraduate medical education to postgraduate training and employment as a doctor. This form is completed in advance of the start of the programme to allow Foundation Schools and employers time to identify suitable adjustments, if necessary, and prepare for the arrival of doctors by ensuring appropriate support mechanisms are in place.
National guidance on STEP can be accessed via the: UKFPO website
Less than Full Time Training (LTFT)
For applicants considering applying to train LTFT information can be accessed on the LTFT training webpage