PEP vs FSP for IMG GPs: Which RACGP Program Leads to FRACGP?

Head-to-head of the RACGP Practice Experience Program (PEP) and Fellowship Support Program (FSP): who each is for, entry, structure, assessment, location rules, and why both end in the same FRACGP.

What is the difference between the RACGP PEP and FSP?

PEP Specialist (Practice Experience Program) is the assessed pathway to FRACGP for IMGs holding a recognised overseas GP or family-medicine specialist qualification. FSP (Fellowship Support Program) is the structured, self-funded pathway to FRACGP for non-VR doctors without one — the successor to the PEP Standard stream, which is no longer taking applications and has been replaced by the Fellowship Support Program.

Do PEP and FSP lead to the same qualification?

Yes. Both lead to the same FRACGP. There is no junior, associate, or non-vocational grade — an FRACGP earned via PEP or FSP is the same Fellowship awarded through the AGPT registrar program.

Which RACGP program should an IMG already working in general practice choose?

An IMG holding a recognised overseas GP or family-medicine specialist qualification (MRCGP, MICGP or equivalent) is generally in PEP Specialist territory. A non-VR doctor in community general practice without such a qualification uses the FSP — the current RACGP route to Fellowship outside AGPT.

Does PEP have different streams?

PEP broadly runs a Specialist stream for doctors with a recognised overseas GP or family-medicine specialist qualification (such as MRCGP or MICGP), and a Standard stream for non-specialist IMGs building toward Fellowship.

Where are PEP in-practice placements located?

PEP in-practice experience is normally completed at RACGP-recognised training practices, with location subject to the Modified Monash distribution rules — commonly MM2 to MM7 areas.

PEP vs FSP: Which RACGP Program for IMGs

Which registration pathway applies depends on where you qualified, your qualification and your timing. Confirm your exact eligibility in 2 minutes with the free checker at doctorpathways.com.au/eligibility — no account needed.

International medical graduates working toward Australian GP Fellowship outside the AGPT registrar program usually do so through one of two RACGP routes: the Practice Experience Program (PEP) Specialist stream or the Fellowship Support Program (FSP). The simplest way to tell them apart: PEP Specialist is for IMGs who already hold a recognised overseas GP or family-medicine specialist qualification, while FSP is the structured, self-funded pathway to Fellowship for non-vocationally-registered doctors without one — the former PEP Standard stream is no longer taking applications and has been replaced by the Fellowship Support Program. Both end in the same FRACGP.

PEP vs FSP at a glance

	PEP Specialist stream	Fellowship Support Program (FSP)
What it is	A self-directed, assessed pathway to FRACGP	A structured, self-funded pathway to FRACGP
Who it's for	IMGs holding a recognised overseas GP / family-medicine specialist qualification (e.g. MRCGP, MICGP)	Non-VR doctors in community general practice without a recognised specialist qualification
Core purpose	Recognise comparable overseas specialist training and assess it against the FRACGP standard	Provide the structured education and supervision non-specialist IMGs need to reach Fellowship
Structure	Self-directed practice + education + assessment	From the 2027.1 intake: a 2-2.5 year full-time equivalent (FTE) program (Standard entry: a six-month Fundamentals term and GPT 1 – 4; Advanced entry: GPT 1 – 4 six-month terms). Cohorts up to 2026.2: a 24-month program (four terms of 26 weeks), then a consolidation phase of up to 36 months for the exams
End point	FRACGP	FRACGP

For the detail of each, see the RACGP Practice Experience Program guide and the Fellowship Support Program guide.

What the two programs actually do

Practice Experience Program (PEP)

PEP today means the PEP Specialist stream: it is for IMGs who hold a recognised overseas GP or family-medicine specialist qualification (for example MRCGP or MICGP) and are working in a recognised community general practice. It recognises your comparable overseas specialist training, pairs it with self-directed education, and assesses you against the RACGP Fellowship standard.

The former PEP Standard stream — the old route for non-specialist IMGs — is no longer taking applications and has been replaced by the Fellowship Support Program (RACGP — Practice Experience Program ↗). Doctors who would previously have used PEP Standard now apply to the FSP instead.

Fellowship Support Program (FSP)

FSP is the RACGP's current pathway to FRACGP for non-vocationally-registered doctors who are working in community general practice but do not hold a recognised overseas specialist qualification. It is self-funded and structured. From the 2027.1 intake it is a 2-2.5 year full-time equivalent (FTE) training program: Standard entry is a six-month Fundamentals term and GPT 1 – 4, Advanced entry (for doctors with general registration who meet the paediatric competency requirement) is GPT 1 – 4 six-month terms, and the Fellowship exams can be sat from GPT3, after completing GPT 1 and 2 and all training requirements (RACGP — Fellowship Support Program 2027 ↗). Cohorts up to 2026.2 follow the earlier structure: an education and training phase of a 24-month program (four terms of 26 weeks), then a consolidation phase of up to 36 months in which candidates sit the Fellowship exams (AKT, KFP, CCE) (RACGP — Fellowship Support Program 2026 ↗). It is the successor to PEP Standard, not a remediation add-on.

Which one applies to you?

If you hold a recognised overseas GP / family-medicine specialist qualification (MRCGP, MICGP, or equivalent) — you are generally in PEP Specialist territory.
If you are a non-VR doctor in community general practice without such a qualification — the FSP is the current RACGP route to Fellowship outside AGPT.

Confirm the current eligibility rules directly with the RACGP, as program structures are updated over time.

What both have in common

They lead to the same FRACGP. There is no junior, associate, or "non-vocational" grade of Fellowship — an FRACGP earned via PEP or FSP is the same Fellowship awarded through the AGPT registrar program.
They sit after registration. Both assume you already hold AHPRA registration; they are about reaching Fellowship, not initial registration. For the registration step, see Competent Authority vs Standard AMC.
Location rules still apply. In-practice experience is normally completed at RACGP-recognised training practices, with location subject to the Modified Monash distribution settings (commonly MM2–MM7). See DWS, DPA and the Modified Monash Model.

Why Fellowship matters: the billing link

Reaching FRACGP is not just a title. Under section 19AA, access to the higher (vocationally registered) Medicare rebates is tied to Fellowship or an approved training/placement program — so Fellowship directly affects what you can bill. See Section 19AA explained.

Note a common misunderstanding: completing PEP or FSP does not end the separate section 19AB 10-year location restriction. That clock runs from your first medical registration in Australia and is independent of when Fellowship is awarded — see Section 19AB explained.

The Rural Generalist alternative (ACRRM)

PEP and FSP are RACGP programs. Doctors aiming for rural generalist practice may instead pursue Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM), which runs its own IMG pathways. If rural and remote practice is your goal, compare both colleges at ACRRM ↗.

Where to confirm the current rules

Program structures, streams, and eligibility are set by the RACGP and change periodically. Confirm your specific situation against the official sources: