The RCP can help international doctors who have already found a suitable post in the UK (route A), and also frequently interviews applicants in their own country before matching successful candidates to suitable posts (route B).
Below is a summary of the eligibility criteria. Please download our full guide for more details.
All candidates need to meet the following criteria:
- Hold a primary medical qualification - recognised by the GMC and verified by Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
- Have a postgraduate medical qualification
- Have 3 years post-qualification experience, including 1 year's internship and at least 1 year in the specialty in which you intend to train while in the UK
- Engaged in medical practice for 3 out of the last 5 years including the 12 months prior to GMC registration being granted. There should be no gaps in employment during the 12 months. You must remain in medical practice throughout the application process. Please note that the GMC does not consider clinical observerships as clinical practice.
- Skills and competencies - you must possess the skills, competencies and understanding of medicine at least equivalent to a UK graduate at the end of their CMT.
- Passed International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with overall score of 7.5 and 7.0 in all categories OR Occupational English Test (OET) with minimum grade B in all categories. The tests are valid for two years and your scores must have been obtained in the same sitting.
Exemption from IELTS or OET
The GMC may consider exemption for candidates that are nationals of countries where English is the first and native language, AND were awarded their primary medical degree from one of these countries. The MTI team will advise at application, but please note the GMC will make the final decision regarding any exemption request.
The RCP cannot sponsor doctors who have failed the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test within the last three years prior to application.
If you have been offered a post by a hospital please apply via our online portal. Please make sure you have read the MTI guide which provides detailed information on the eligibility criteria and the online portal step by step guide.
If you want to attend an MTI interview, please refer to our interview schedule. Please note that applications open from six weeks before the deadline.
Visas
The MTI scheme falls under the tier 5 (Government Authorised Exchange) visa, which is specifically designed for doctors coming to the UK to train for a maximum of 24 months. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) is the official visa sponsor for the tier 5 MTI visa.
Certificate of sponsorship will be issued by the AoMRC according to the priority system below:
- DFID priority countries - five working days
- low and lower-middle income countries - two weeks
- all other countries - subject to availability.
Once your tier 5 CoS has been issued it is your responsibility to apply for the tier 5 visa via https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
We will also support candidates on tier 2, tier 4 and British ancestry, as long as they can demonstrate that they have the intention to return home on completion of their MTI training.
Resources
Please see below for relevant resources