UCAS deadline 2026: dates, exceptions and what to do if you miss one

UCAS deadlines are fixed to the minute, and missing one puts you in a much weaker position. The 2026 entry cycle has now closed to new applications, so the cycle that matters for students currently in Year 13 is 2027 entry. Its first deadline is 15 October 2026 at 18:00 UK time, for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses.

This guide lists every date for both cycles, explains what equal consideration means, and sets out your options if you miss a date. All dates are taken from the UCAS dates and deadlines page as checked on 4 October 2026. UCAS can change them, so confirm on ucas.com before you rely on one.

UCAS deadlines: key facts at a glance

For 2027 entry (courses starting in autumn 2027):

• Next deadline: Thursday 15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time — Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses
• Main deadline: Wednesday 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time — the equal consideration date for most undergraduate courses
• UCAS Extra opens: Thursday 25 February 2027
• Last date before Clearing: Wednesday 30 June 2027, 18:00 UK time
• Clearing opens: Friday 2 July 2027
• Final deadline for 2027 entry applications: Thursday 23 September 2027, 18:00 UK time

UCAS deadlines for 2027 entry: the full timeline

If you are in Year 13 now, or applying after a gap year, these are your dates:

• Tuesday 28 April 2026 — the UCAS search tool starts showing 2027 entry courses
• Tuesday 12 May 2026 — undergraduate applications open for 2027 entry
• Tuesday 1 September 2026 — completed applications can be submitted to UCAS
• Thursday 15 October 2026 (18:00) — equal consideration date for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses
• Wednesday 13 January 2027 (18:00) — equal consideration date for most undergraduate courses
• Thursday 25 February 2027 — UCAS Extra opens
• Wednesday 30 June 2027 (18:00) — applications received by this time are sent to universities and colleges; later applications go into Clearing
• Thursday 1 July 2027 — last day to add an Extra choice
• Friday 2 July 2027 — Clearing opens
• Thursday 23 September 2027 (18:00) — final deadline for 2027 entry applications
• Monday 18 October 2027 — last date to add a Clearing choice

UCAS deadlines 2026 entry: what the dates were

For students who applied to start university in autumn 2026, the cycle ran one year earlier. Almost all of it is now in the past:

• Tuesday 13 May 2025 — undergraduate applications opened for 2026 entry
• Tuesday 2 September 2025 — completed applications could be submitted
• Wednesday 15 October 2025 (18:00) — Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses
• Wednesday 14 January 2026 (18:00) — equal consideration date for most undergraduate courses
• Thursday 26 February 2026 — UCAS Extra opened
• Tuesday 30 June 2026 (18:00) — last date before applications went into Clearing
• Wednesday 1 July 2026 — last day to add an Extra choice
• Thursday 2 July 2026 — Clearing opened
• Thursday 24 September 2026 (18:00) — final deadline for 2026 entry applications
• Monday 19 October 2026 — last date to add a 2026 entry Clearing choice

What equal consideration means

UCAS calls the October and January deadlines equal consideration dates. If your application arrives by 18:00 UK time on that day, the universities you have chosen must consider it alongside every other on-time application, whether it arrived in September or with an hour to spare. Applying early does not give you a formal advantage, although some universities do start sending decisions before the deadline.

After the equal consideration date the guarantee ends. Universities can still look at your application, but only if they choose to and only if the course has places left.

If you miss the January deadline

Missing 13 January 2027 is not the end of the road. You can still apply through UCAS until 18:00 on 30 June 2027, and many universities keep considering late applications for courses that are not full. What you lose is the guarantee: the most competitive courses often have no space left, and a late application is considered at the university's discretion.

If you are going to be late, contact the admissions teams for your chosen courses first and ask whether they are still accepting applications. Anything received after 30 June 2027 is not sent to your choices in the usual way and goes into Clearing instead.

Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary deadlines

The 15 October deadline is the one with the least flexibility. Missing it for Oxford, Cambridge or medicine usually means waiting a full year and applying in the next cycle. Exceptions for genuine extenuating circumstances are very limited, so contact the university directly if something serious has gone wrong.

Because this deadline falls only six weeks into Year 13, the work has to start in Year 12. Our Oxbridge applications timeline sets out what to do and when, and our guide to the best A-Level subjects for medicine covers the subject choices that medical schools expect.

UCAS Extra

Extra is for applicants who have used all five choices and are not holding any offers, either because they received none or because they declined them. For 2027 entry it opens on 25 February 2027, and the last day to add an Extra choice is 1 July 2027. You apply to one course at a time through your UCAS account, so check with the university that the course still has places before you add it.

Clearing

Clearing matches applicants without a place to courses that still have vacancies. It is not only for students who miss their grades: anyone who applies after 30 June, or who holds no offers, uses it too. For 2027 entry Clearing opens on 2 July 2027, and the last date to add a Clearing choice is 18 October 2027.

Most Clearing activity happens in August, once exam results are out. Our A-Level results day guide walks through what to do on the day if your grades are not what you needed.

Year 13 checklist for the January deadline

Do not leave the application to December. Most schools want a complete draft by October half-term so that there is time to write your reference and check the form. Work backwards from your school's internal deadline, not from the UCAS one.

• September — shortlist courses and check the entry requirements for each one
• By October half-term — finish a full draft of your personal statement and confirm who is writing your reference
• November — respond to feedback, finalise your five choices and fill in every section of the form
• Early December — hand the finished application to your school or college so the reference and predicted grades can be added
• Before the Christmas break — aim to have the application sent to UCAS, leaving January as a safety margin only
• On deadline day — do not rely on submitting in the final hour; the cut-off is 18:00 UK time, not midnight

Getting the application itself right

The personal statement alone takes three to six weeks to refine well. See our UCAS personal statement guide for the framework. If you are completing an Extended Project, our EPQ guide explains how to use it as evidence of independent study.

Offers are only useful if you meet them. If a predicted grade is holding back your choices, our A-Level tutoring is built around the exam board specification for each subject, and you can book a tutor at any point in the year.

When is the UCAS deadline for 2027 entry?

For most undergraduate courses the deadline is Wednesday 13 January 2027 at 18:00 UK time. For Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses it is Thursday 15 October 2026 at 18:00 UK time.

What time is the UCAS deadline?

UCAS deadlines fall at 18:00 UK time on the day, not at midnight. Your school or college also needs time to add your reference before the application can be sent, so its internal deadline will be earlier.

Can I still apply to university after the January deadline?

Yes. For 2027 entry you can apply until 18:00 on 30 June 2027, but universities do not have to consider applications received after 13 January 2027 and popular courses may already be full. After 30 June, applications go into Clearing.

When does UCAS Clearing open in 2027?

Clearing for 2027 entry opens on Friday 2 July 2027. The final deadline for 2027 entry applications is 18:00 on Thursday 23 September 2027, and the last date to add a Clearing choice is Monday 18 October 2027.

Has the UCAS deadline for 2026 entry passed?

Yes. The final deadline for 2026 entry applications was 18:00 on Thursday 24 September 2026. The last date to add a 2026 entry Clearing choice is Monday 19 October 2026. New applicants should now apply for 2027 entry.