University applications
UCAS deadlines and timeline for 2027 entry
Every key date in the 2027 entry cycle, in order: from applications opening in May 2026 to Clearing in 2027. It also covers the deadlines that aren't set by UCAS, which are the ones applicants most often miss.
The key UCAS dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 12 May 2026 | Applications open in the UCAS Hub. You can register and start filling in your application. |
| 1 September 2026 | Completed applications can be submitted to UCAS. |
| 15 October 2026 | Deadline for the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine or science. |
| 13 January 2027 | Equal consideration deadline for most other undergraduate courses. |
| 25 February 2027 | Extra opens, for applicants who have used all five choices and hold no offers. |
| 30 June 2027 | Last date for applications to be sent to universities. After this, new applications go into Clearing. |
| 2 July 2027 | Clearing opens. |
| July to August 2027 | Exam results. Universities confirm conditional offers once they have your grades. |
| 23 September 2027 | Final date for 2027 entry applications. |
What equal consideration means
A university must consider every application that arrives by the equal consideration deadline on the same basis. Applications that arrive later can still be considered, but only if the course still has places, and popular courses often don't. For courses with a 15 October deadline, treat that date as final.
Arriving early doesn't earn you a place, because an application in September and one on the deadline are treated alike. An earlier application may simply get a decision sooner.
Deadlines UCAS doesn't set
Several of the most important dates in the cycle belong to universities and test organisers rather than to UCAS. They are not shown in the UCAS Hub, and missing one can end an application however strong the rest of it is.
| Date | Deadline | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| 14 September 2026 | Access arrangements for the ESAT, TMUA and TARA (October sitting) | Candidates who need adjustments |
| 21 September 2026 | Bursary applications for the ESAT, TMUA and TARA (October sitting) | Candidates who need help with the fee |
| 28 September 2026 | Booking closes for the ESAT, TMUA and TARA (October sitting) | Applicants to courses that require them, including most Oxford and Cambridge applicants who need a test |
| 12 to 16 October 2026 | The ESAT, TMUA and TARA are sat | As above |
| 22 October 2026 | My Cambridge Application | Most Cambridge applicants |
| 10 November 2026 | Written work | Applicants to Oxford courses that ask for it |
The UCAT (for medicine and dentistry) and the LNAT (for law at some universities) run on their own timetables, and applicants for 15 October courses need to sit them early. Details are in the admissions tests guide, and the Oxford and Cambridge dates are gathered in the Oxbridge application timeline.
Working back from your deadline
Your school's internal deadline will come before UCAS's, often by several weeks, and your referee needs your final choices before they can write. In practice that means:
- Applying by 15 October: your choices, a near-final personal statement and any test booking should be done by early September. Most of the drafting happens over the summer holiday.
- Applying by the January deadline: there is more time, but school deadlines for January applicants often fall before the Christmas holiday. Aim to submit in the autumn term.
A step-by-step list for the whole year is in the university application checklist.
Applying for deferred entry
If you want to take a gap year, you can apply in this cycle for a course starting in 2028 by selecting deferred entry on your application. The deadlines above still apply. Not every course accepts deferred applicants, and some ask you to explain your plans, so check each course page first.
Official sources
Dates, requirements and rules on this page come from these official sources, checked on . They change from year to year, so confirm anything you rely on against them. Boxes labelled “Our advice” are Whitehall Academic’s own view.
About the author
Gautam Natarajan founded Whitehall Academic and studies Economics at Trinity College, Cambridge. Gautam has tutored applicants for Oxford and Cambridge from countries including India, China, South Korea and Singapore.
Published . Last updated . Whitehall Academic is independent, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, UCAS or UAT-UK.
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