The Bottom Line
- CREST = “Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training” (CREST 2024 is the current version; 2024 versions are accepted for 2026 rounds).
- It is essential if you have not completed UK Foundation Training (or equivalent) and need to evidence foundation competencies.
- Signatory must be a Consultant or equivalent; you must have worked with them for a minimum of 3 months WTE within the relevant window.
- The most common avoidable rejection: missing required supporting evidence (especially proof of signatory registration) and/or not uploading CREST + evidence as one document.
One-shot upload logic (read this twice)
If you are required to upload evidence of competence (e.g., CREST) with your application and you do not do so correctly, you are not offered another opportunity to upload it and your application will not proceed to the next stage.
The CREST rejection checklist (high-frequency failures)
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The practical rule
If your CREST is going to be signed, make it effortless: pre-filled, evidence mapped, and upload-ready. Consultants will sign clean admin; they avoid messy uncertainty.