diff --git a/GPy/testing/fitc.py b/GPy/testing/fitc.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..58f009d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GPy/testing/fitc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2014, James Hensman
+# Licensed under the BSD 3-clause license (see LICENSE.txt)
+
+import unittest
+import numpy as np
+import GPy
+
+class FITCtest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        ######################################
+        # # 1 dimensional example
+
+        N = 20
+        # sample inputs and outputs
+        self.X1D = np.random.uniform(-3., 3., (N, 1))
+        self.Y1D = np.sin(self.X1D) + np.random.randn(N, 1) * 0.05
+
+        ######################################
+        # # 2 dimensional example
+
+        # sample inputs and outputs
+        self.X2D = np.random.uniform(-3., 3., (N, 2))
+        self.Y2D = np.sin(self.X2D[:, 0:1]) * np.sin(self.X2D[:, 1:2]) + np.random.randn(N, 1) * 0.05
+
+    def test_fitc_1d(self):
+        m = GPy.models.SparseGPRegression(self.X1D, self.Y1D)
+        m.inference_method=GPy.inference.latent_function_inference.FITC()
+        self.assertTrue(m.checkgrad())
+
+    def test_fitc_2d(self):
+        m = GPy.models.SparseGPRegression(self.X2D, self.Y2D)
+        m.inference_method=GPy.inference.latent_function_inference.FITC()
+        self.assertTrue(m.checkgrad())
+