Accept Cookies

Cookies: How we use information on our website:

We use cookies on our website to make it clear, useful and reliable. In order to achieve this and to provide certain personalised features we store a small amount of data about you. Find our more here. By navigating from the front page to other sections of our website, you are consenting to information being stored.

Prioritisation for specialty training recruitment

Regulations laid on 14 September 2026 will direct how prioritisation is applied for specialty recruitment from 2027.

These regulations are being made under the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, which became law on 6 March 2026 and apply to all specialty recruitment processes apart from ST1 Public Health.

The Medical Training (Prioritisation for Specialty Training Programmes) Regulations 2026

These regulations specify persons who must be prioritised for interviews and offers for places on UK specialty training programmes from 2027 onwards, in addition to those individuals already prioritised under the Act.  The categories of persons described in the regulations are:

  • a British citizen, 
  • a Commonwealth citizen who has the right of abode in the United Kingdom under section 2 of the Immigration Act 1971(a),
  • an Irish citizen who does not require leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom under that Act,
  • a person with indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or
  • a person who has leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom which was granted by virtue of residence scheme immigration rules within the meaning given by section 17 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020(b)

The regulations do not amend the other categories of person already prioritised for specialty training places under the Act which can be found here: Prioritisation for Specialty Recruitment | Medical Hub

 

Eligibility for prioritisation

For all 2026 recruitment rounds, applicants will be prioritised for specialty training offers based on the following criteria. This includes 2026 Round 3, which appoints for posts with a commencement date in 2027:

  • Country of Primary Medical Qualification
  • Immigration Status
  • Relevant qualifying UK programme

Further information on eligibility criteria and the provisions of The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 is available here:  Prioritisation for Specialty Recruitment | Medical Hub

 

Notification of Prioritisation Status for Round 3, February 2027

Applicants will be notified of their prioritisation status following the closure of the application window.

Applicants will have the opportunity to request a review through an appeals process. 

 

Appeals Process

The appeal window for requesting a review of prioritisation status is detailed below:

Recruitment Round Application Window Closes Appeal Window for requesting review of prioritisation status
Round 3 (NI Local Recruitment only) Thursday 10 September 2026, 4pm (UK time) Opens Monday 14th September 2026, 9am UK time. Closes Friday 18th September 2026, 5pm (UK time)

 

Important Information

Applicants are strongly advised to review their allocated prioritisation status promptly upon notification. Requests for a review of prioritisation status received after the published appeal deadline will not be considered.

Once the appeal window has closed, prioritisation decisions for that recruitment round will be regarded as final.

Full details on prioritisation and information from 2027 recruitment can be found here: Prioritisation for Specialty Recruitment | Medical Hub