See the UKFPO website for more information on linking your application to another applicant.
Your link will be broken if either applicant:
- is approved for pre-allocation to a foundation school
- does not rank foundation schools in the same order of preference as the other applicant
- the link could also be broken if there are not two places available in any foundation school at the point that the allocation algorithm attempts to place the linked applicants in the same foundation school
- To maintain a link at Group matching, both applicants must list their Group preferences in exactly the same order, and there must be enough vacancies available for both applicants in the relevant Group.
- Where a link is maintained, the national allocation algorithm will match the linked pair using the lower PIA score of the two applicants.
- Programme matching is carried out separately. All applicants are matched to individual Programmes, for example E01004, independently and on the basis of their own PIA score.
- If a link cannot be maintained, the link will be broken and each applicant will be allocated independently based on their own PIA score.
- Regional allocation (e.g. to the East region) is not part of the allocation process therefore it is not possible to link two applications to the level of region only.
- If linked applicants rank their Group preferences differently the link will be broken, and they will be allocated independently. This may result in being allocated to different region.
Yes. the Scotland Foundation School allows matching to group level as long as both applicants rank groups in the same order.
This page was last updated on: 17.07.2026 at 13.01