The UK application timeline can be similar but very different compared to the US. The UK does not have Early Action or Early Decision. Instead, UK universities have set deadlines depending on the university and courses. To better prepare you in your application journey, below are the timelines and deadlines when applying to UK universities for your bachelor’s degree!
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Deadlines
The UCAS Application is the centralized application system for all UK universities for undergraduate courses.
Applications for Oxbridge or Medicine/Veterinary/Dentistry courses must be submitted by 15 October.
For the majority of all other courses and universities, applications should be submitted to UCAS between:
September to January (final deadline varies each year) to be guaranteed equal consideration with other applicants.
Disclaimer: Many top ranked universities will require this as their final application deadline. Please check the university’s application page.For 2025 entry, the equal consideration deadline is January 29th.
End of January (equal consideration deadline) to 30 June – the majority of universities will offer rolling admissions for international students. Students can still apply until 30 June, but places on courses may vary.
After 30 June – Students can use Clearing (more information on this below).
Admissions Test
Most universities do not require an additional admissions test, but the universities that do require it are the competitive universities (Oxbridge) or competitive courses (Business, Medicine, Law, etc.). Universities will list on their course page, admissions page, or on our university page if you will need to take an additional exam and their procedure. Or you can also check the UCAS admissions test page on the UCAS website.
University Decisions
Each university and college will make their decisions at different times depending when you have applied. Once you have applied, they have to make a decision on a student’s application:
If you send your application by the January deadline, you will hear back from the Universities before or by May. The usual response time for universities to respond back to an application is 2-6 weeks.
If you send your application by the June deadline, you will hear back by July.
Replying to Offers
Once you receive all of your offers, you will have deadlines to respond by. Don’t worry – these deadlines will be presented on your UCAS portal and you will be notified. These are varied deadlines based on when you get the last decision from your university or college:
If you receive your last decision on or before the May deadline, your reply date is typically in June.
If you receive your last decision on or before the July deadline, your reply date is typically at the end of July.
The actual dates and deadlines will be listed on your UCAS Application Portal. It’s important to check and make a note in your calendar so you don’t forget.
Clearing
All applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing. Clearing is how universities and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses.
From July – October, you can apply for a course using Clearing if you’re not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has places.
If you have questions about deadlines or the processes and wish to speak to a UK university representative who assists with US students, you can contact a representative directly on our university webpages. Click the “contact university” on the red button on the university page and your message will be sent directly to them.
Toni Dolby is the International Recruitment Manager for the Americas at the University of Sheffield. The University of Sheffield is a World Top 100 University located in the heart of the UK offering undergraduate and graduate study. The University is truly international as we are home to over 29,000 from 150 countries and have been voted one of the top 50 most international universities in the world!
