Practice medicine in the UK (International applicant)
Study medicine in the UK and stay to practice? This guide walks you through Foundation training, the UKMLA, visas, and what comes next.
For students who completed MBBS / MBChB in the UK and wish to remain in the UK to practice medicine after graduation, the process is largely the same as for domestic UK graduates:
Foundation Programme Training:
All UK medical graduates must complete a two-year Foundation Programme (FY1 and FY2) as the first stage of postgraduate training. Upon graduation, you receive provisional registration with the UK General Medical Council (GMC), which allows you to work only in an approved Foundation Year 1 post. After successfully completing FY1 (12 months of supervised practice), you gain full GMC registration (a full license to practice) and then complete FY2. This Foundation training is mandatory for licensure in the UK.
UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA):
Starting from 2024, all UK medical students (including international students) must pass the UK Medical Licensing Assessment as part of their final exams. If you graduate from a UK medical school in 2024 or later, you will have taken the UKMLA as part of your degree, which fulfills the exam requirement for GMC registration.
Visa and Work Authorization:
As an international graduate, you need a work visa to stay for training. From 2022 onwards, UK Foundation trainees must apply for a Health and Care Worker visa (sponsored by the NHS training body) – Tier 4 student visas can no longer be used for working as a doctor. Health Education England (or the devolved nation equivalents) will sponsor your visa once you have a place in the Foundation Programme. You can apply for this visa as soon as you receive your foundation placement offer. After the 2-year Foundation Programme, if you continue into specialty training or General Practice training, you will extend or reapply for your work visa under the skilled worker route.
Registration:
With full GMC registration (typically attained after FY1), you can enter specialty training or general practice training in the UK. No additional licensing exams are required beyond the UKMLA; progression depends on applying for training posts and completing the relevant postgraduate exams for specialization. The UK actively recruits and retains doctors, and being a UK graduate puts you in a good position to continue working in the NHS.