There are few milestones in the life of a student that carry the same weight as making their university application. When you consider all the sleepless nights of cramming and hours logged inside the classroom over the course of their secondary school education, it’s no wonder why the application process can be so daunting for students.
After years of commuting to school each morning and knuckling down to reach your academic potential in the A-level exams, you owe it to yourself to ensure that you meet the application deadline so that you maximise your chances of admission and justify all the sacrifices you made along the way!
The aim of this article is to guide you through the application process and ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible for you, stacking the odds in your favour!
UCAS Application Timeline for Entry
Given that your desired course will receive a high volume of applications, there is little room for error when looking to get an edge over the competition.
Given the sheer volume of work associated with completing your A-level education, you don't want to fall short on something as simple as adhering to the application timeline.
14 May 2024
2025 Entry Applications Opened
Registration and start of application in UCAS Hub
3 Sep 2024
Completed applications Can Be Sent
Completed UCAS Undergraduate applications can be sent to UCAS. All sections must be complete, the reference added, and the application fee paid.
15 October 2024
Early Deadline
Deadline for applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, as well as for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science.
29 January 2025
Main Deadline
Deadline for most undergraduate courses and most conservatoire undergraduate dance, drama, or musical theatre courses.
26 February 2025
UCAS Extra Opens
If you have used all five choices and are not holding an offer, they can add another choice using Extra.
30 June 2025
Late Application Deadline
Last date for receipt of applications with choices. Applications received after this deadline are automatically entered into clearing
5 Jul 2025
Clearing Opens
Clearing opens, and vacancies are shown in the UCAS search tool.
As you can see from the table above, the final deadline for 2025 entry application is fast approaching. So, in order to give the process the time it requires, you might want to get working on crafting yours sooner rather than later!
May: UCAS Apply Opens
If you weren’t already aware, the application has been open since 30 April. This is the point in time that courses will be available to you on ucas.com.
This means that you already have all these options available to you, with the UCAS hub having been available since 16 May.
When it comes to setting up your UCAS account and getting the ball rolling with your application, you might want to take note of the one-time fee of £28.50 that will be dedicated during the registration process, allowing you to choose five courses.
Check to find a tutor that's capable of walking you through each stage of the application process on Superprof.
October: Early Application Deadline
Make sure to check your prospective school’s website when it comes to the deadlines for each stage of the application process, as in some instances, select institutions stray away from this timeline.
While it’s not specifically mentioned, some courses, particularly at Oxford and Cambridge, have an earlier deadline, mostly falling over the month of October. So, if the course you plan on applying to is facilitated by either of these schools, then you might want to note that the deadline is fast approaching.
January: Main Application Deadline
However, for most students, the deadline that you’ll want to mark in your calendar for 2025 entry is 29 January 2025 at 18:00 UK time.
This point in the application timeline is known as the 'equal consideration' deadline, meaning course providers must consider all applications received by this time equally.
According to UCAS there have been upwards of 594,940 applications made in 2024.
So, in order to put your best foot forward and maximise your chances of being accepted to that course you’ve worked so hard for, it's crucial to submit your application by this date.
Join the discussion: what is your method for choosing a course?
February-June: Offer and Decision Period
You’re likely most excited for the latter portion of the application process, the offer and decision period!
After the process of crafting the perfect application and meeting all of the deadlines along the way, you’re going to be more than eager to hear the results of all your hard work.
If you're wondering about getting back after the universities and colleges review applications and start making offers. You'll have until 30 June 2025 at 18:00 UK time to submit any late applications.
However, keep in mind that applications received after the January deadline may not be considered by some universities, especially for popular courses.
Remember, if you're applying through your school or college, they may have earlier internal deadlines to allow time for checking and adding references.
Always check with your school and aim to submit your application as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of success.
For step-by-step instructions, you may refer to Superprof’s 'how to apply to university' guide.
Navigating the UCAS Extra Process
UCAS Extra is a resource that is more than appreciated by students who end up availing of the opportunity it presents. It’s for those whose initial application didn't go exactly as planned and who want another chance to find the right course.
If you are reading this and wondering whether or not you might be eligible to avail of this welcomes lifeline, it’s for those who have used all five choices in their initial application and haven't received any offers or if they've declined all the offers received.
So, it is also quite possible that you don’t have any need for the extra Process if you got the offer you were looking for or you didn't use all the choices that were afforded to you on your UCAS application.
If you still have a course choice remaining in your application, you can simply add another choice to your application before 30 June.
But if you have already used all the options on your application, you can use UCAS Extra, by searching for courses with vacancies using the portal’s search tool.
Once you've found a suitable course, get in touch with the university or college to check if they'll consider your application, as there is no guarantee that it will be available for you. If you don't hear back within 21 days, you can choose to wait longer or add a different choice.
The last thing you’ll want to keep in mind about this option is that you’ll only be able to apply to one course at a time in Extra, so you won't have an insurance choice.
Don’t worry too much if you aren’t successful in your attempt to get an offer in Extra, as you'll still have the option to use Clearing to find a place!
Preparing for Results Day and Clearing
Now that you’ve got all of the important dates for your desired course circled in your calendar, there you’ll want to know how to navigate the process.
Seeing as the day you’ll be receiving your results for your A-levels is set for the 14 August, you’ll have a good idea of where you stand from the moment you open the envelope.
You’ll be able to pick it your results from your school from as early as 8:00 am that morning. So make sure that you’re not turning to UCAS to find out how you did, as they can't provide your results directly.
The next thing that you’ll want to understand about the latter stages of the process is how clearing works. This is an essential step for those who maybe didn't get the grades that they had hoped to achieve or if they’ve had a change of mind in the course that they’d like to pursue.
The opportunity to make these changes will be available from 5 July 2025, but most vacancies are published around A-level results day. So, if you’re looking for a last chance to secure a suitable university place, then you’ll want to be ready to have a look at the courses available and contact universities directly to discuss potential places.
On the flip side of that coin, if, to your delight, you exceeded your expectations in the A-level exams, the Adjustment period allows you to reconsider your options and maybe opt for a more competitive course.
You might be an older student returning to school to advance your career prospects. Find out what might impact your university application.
The Best Time to Apply for University
Obviously, to have the best shot at the course of study you want, the best time to apply for university is as early as possible – meaning as soon as UCAS permits it.
To do that, you should have already looked at all your financing options, from supportive family members to tuition loans. Don’t forget to see if you qualify for any grant money; every little bit helps.
Also, you should have already written a draft personal statement, which you can get help with preparing by working with a tutor on Superprof.
The admissions office at university requires you to submit a personal essay that describes your experiences and why you want to enrol at university. The personal statement portion of the UCAS application process stymies most students.
However, if you get a very early start on it, maybe brainstorming ideas and writing a skeleton essay that can be fleshed out later, that is one less aggravation (and stressor) that you have to worry about come application time.
Even writing a few practice essays wouldn’t hurt; you could get started now if you knew the guidelines for writing a personal statement.
Unlike universities in other countries whose admittance is done on a rolling basis, our UCAS application system gives important dates for open application seasons when your application would be considered late and what you can do about that.
Small warning: you will only be able to apply for one course at a time and must wait for a decision on your application. Nevertheless, thousands of students found their place at university this way and, if all else fails, you can too.
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