2026 SFP Process will be updated early 2026.
Please see below the 2025 process.
Allocation to the Scottish Foundation School will be conducted via the standard UK Preference Information Allocation (PIA) process for August 2025 intake. Once applicants have received the confirmation of allocation to Scotland, there will be an opportunity to preference the Specialist Foundation Programme (SFP).
Those who are interested in a SFP group will be asked to complete a SFP preference form (link to the form will be included in the Welcome email). This will include ranking of the 5 SFP Groups in order of preference (this can be all or some of the groups) and three white space questions focusing on your reason for applying to SFP.
Further information regarding the SFP Preference Form will be available in the Foundation School Welcome email.
Interviews will no longer be part of the SFP allocation process.
The SFP preference form (white space questions) will be scored by clinical academics from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow universities.
Stage 1 - Applicants will be allocated to a Group (region) based on the clinical academics score for the SFP preference questions. Applicants will not know if they have been successful in receiving SFP Group until notification of Group allocation via Oriel.
Applicants are advised to that they MUST rank all other FP Groups in Scotland via Oriel.
Stage 2 - Allocation to a Programme (rotation) will be via Oriel and PIA and you must rank the programmes from your allocated group in order of preference. Applicants will not know which programme in their allocated Group they if they have been allocated to until release of allocations by the UKFPO.
SFP 2025 - Step by Step Process
- Allocation through national Oriel algorithm to UoA – the Scottish Foundation School
- All allocated to Scotland will be sent a Welcome email which will include a link to the SFP preference form (MS Form)
- Attend Scottish Foundation School Groups and Programme webinar for details of the 2-stage process to allocate to Group and Programme (link to register in Welcome email sent after notification of allocated UoA) this session also includes information on the SFP process
- Interested applicants will complete and submit SFP preference form, which includes ranking all or some of the SFP Groups. There is no option to upload any additional documents as part of this preference form submission
- Submit completed preference form by deadline (completion of 3 white space questions and group ranking)
- SFP preference form will be scored by clinical academics, anonymised white space questions only (scoring matrix will not be made available to applicants)
- Applicants reminded that they MUST rank all Groups in Scotland via Oriel
- Successful applicants allocated to 1 of 5 groups (regions - East, North, South-East and West) according to score from white space questions and applicant group preferencing
- Allocation to a specific Group (region) – notification via Oriel (see national timeline)
- Preference programmes in allocated Group via Oriel
- Allocation to programme (rotation/posts) will be via Oriel algorithm
- Notified of allocated programme (rotation/posts) on national UK allocation day
For all enquiries, please email the Scottish Foundation School: sfas@nes.scot.nhs.uk
SFP 2025 - Appeals Process
- If you feel that the process was not carried out in a fair and transparent manner you may submit an appeal.
- An appeals window will open on 10/04/2025 and 22/04/2025.
- Further information on the appeals process will be published here on 10/04/2025.
SFP Across the UK
- Please see the UKFPO website for more information on the SFP process across the UK.
This page was last updated on: 12.09.2025 at 10.22