When preparing your UCAS application to apply for university, it is important to make sure you know the dates of the UCAS deadlines.
The following information is for the UCAS deadlines for entry in autumn 2021. It is information for UK students applying to UK universities using UCAS.
The first UCAS deadline is:
15 October 2020, 18:00 (UK time) – any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science and dentistry.
These deadlines should be treated as inflexible. Note that if you are applying for medicine, veterinary medicine/science and dentistry you are limited to only four choices, instead of the normal five choices which applicants can make when using UCAS.
15 January 2021, 18:00 (UK time) – for the majority of courses this is the main publicised UCAS deadline. If you miss this deadline it is still worth checking what is available, but you will have fewer choices.
Your school may give you a deadline before this date. This will be because they want to make sure that your Reference can be done and you have time to send your application. By submitting early, it can also help you refocus on your subjects and getting the best grades you can.
25 February 2021 – “Extra opens”. If you are have applied for five courses but have not received any offers by this date, you may apply for one more course.
30 June 2021, 18:00 (UK time) – this is the final UCAS deadline for late applications with course choices. After this all applications will be in entered into “Clearing”.
19 August 2021 – “Adjustment” opens. This is an option for student who have either met or exceeded the conditions for their firm choice of university course, but are now thinking they might like to choose another course. There are no guarantees that courses can be swapped though.
21 September 2021, 18:00 (UK time) – it is still okay to apply by this date, but instead of choosing courses, you’ll be entered into ‘Clearing’. That is the process universities and colleges use to fill any places they still have on their courses. Choices of courses will be very limited by this stage and finding a space in university accommodation is likely to be tough.
