Placeholders

Hundreds of final year students have been given foundation programme placeholder allocations. Those of you with placeholder allocations will not know the group you have been allocated or the specific programme details. If you are a placeholder, you are still guaranteed a foundation programme job. 

Your foundation school should be touch with details for how they will allocate you a job. If your foundation school is not giving you sufficient detail, you can reach out to the BMA for advice. 

We will continue to lobby the key stakeholders to solve this issue as quickly as possible for all finalists. We have previously called upon the statutory education bodies and government to ensure all finalists should get at least 12 weeks’ notice of their allocation. We have been clear that they must NOT breach the 8 weeks’ notice required by the resident doctor contract.

UKFP 2025 application dates

• 27 Feb – Foundation programme deanery allocations

• 13 March 12:00 midday GMT – Group preferencing deadline (England/Scotland/Wales) 

• 20 March  - Group allocations released (England/Scotland/Wales)  

• 31 March 12:00 midday GMT - Programme preferencing deadline (UK Wide)  

• 10 April  – Programme match released (UK wide)   

The application window for the 2026 Foundation Programme will open in autumn 2025.

Visit the UKFP website for further information.

UKFP 2025 - Key changes

Please see the UKFP website for a list of key changes to the application process for UKFP 2025.