UCAS application 2027: every deadline and what to do each month

The main UCAS application deadline for 2027 entry is 18:00 UK time on 13 January 2027. It covers most undergraduate courses. Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses had an earlier deadline of 15 October 2026. If your application reaches UCAS by 13 January, universities must give it equal consideration with every other on-time application. Below you'll find every key date in the 2027 cycle, how predicted grades are set, and what to do each month in Year 12 and Year 13.

When is the UCAS deadline for 2027 entry?

UCAS says applications for all 2027 entry courses, apart from those with a 15 October deadline, "should arrive at UCAS by 18:00 (UK time) on 13 January 2027". You can check the wording on the UCAS deadline page.

"Arrive at UCAS" is the important part. Your school or college has to add your reference and predicted grades before the application goes to UCAS, so most sixth forms set their own internal deadline earlier than 13 January. Ask your tutor for that date and treat it as your real deadline.

You can still apply after 13 January. Universities just don't have to consider late applications equally, and popular courses may already be full.

UCAS key dates for 2027 entry

Here is the full 2027 cycle in one place, with what each date means for you.

Source: UCAS key dates, University of Bath and JCQ key dates. Last checked: 12 November 2026.

The reply deadline that applies to you depends on when your last university decision arrives. If you don't reply by your deadline, UCAS declines your offers for you, so put the date in your calendar as soon as your final decision comes in.

What goes into a UCAS application?

You apply online through UCAS Hub. If you're applying through your school or college, they'll give you a buzzword that links your application to them. A UCAS application has a few parts: your personal details, up to five course choices, your qualifications, a personal statement, a reference from your school, and your predicted grades.

For 2027 entry the application fee is £34.50, which covers up to five choices.

The personal statement is no longer one long essay. You answer three questions, with at least 350 characters for each and 4,000 characters in total, as set out in Imperial's guidance:

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2. How have your qualifications and studies prepared you for this course?
3. What experiences outside of education have helped you prepare, and why are they valuable?

Question 2 is where your A-Level work shows. A specific topic you enjoyed, a practical you ran or an extended project gives you something real to write about.

How are predicted grades set?

Predicted grades are the grades your school thinks you're likely to get. UCAS's adviser guidance describes them as the grades a student is likely to achieve "in positive circumstances". It also says they should be based on evidence and set without regard to which universities you're applying to.

UCAS suggests schools look at past performance, internal assessments and current student work. In practice, that usually means:

• your end of Year 12 exams and any mock exams
• coursework or NEA marks
• class tests and homework
• your teacher's view of how you're progressing

Predictions should be finalised by the time your application is submitted. After that, they usually stay as they are. So the exams and assessments that matter most for your predictions are the ones before your teachers set them. Each school has its own timetable, and many finalise predictions in the summer of Year 12 or early in Year 13. Ask your teachers when yours are set and what evidence they'll use.

If you want to show progress before that point, regular exam-style practice helps most. Medly AI covers A-Level for AQA, Edexcel, OCR and other boards, and marks your answers so you can see where the next mark is. The free plan includes 5 marked questions, 20 AI tutor messages and 1 uploaded paper a day.

What to do each month in Year 13

If you're in Year 13 now, you're applying for 2027 entry. Here is what each month looks like from here.

1. November 2026: finish your personal statement answers and check your course choices against the entry requirements. Make sure you know your school's internal deadline.
2. December 2026: send your application to your school in good time for your reference and predicted grades to be added. Plan your revision for any January mocks.
3. January 2027: your application must reach UCAS by 18:00 on 13 January. Many sixth forms run Year 13 mocks around now, and these show you where to focus before the summer.
4. February to April 2027: offers and interview invitations arrive. If you have no offers, you can use Extra from 25 February.
5. May 2027: reply to your offers if your deadline is 5 May, and start your A-Level exams.
6. June 2027: reply by 2 June if your last decision arrived by 12 May. Finish your exams.
7. July 2027: Clearing opens on 2 July for anyone eligible.
8. August 2027: results day is 12 August. UCAS Hub shows whether your firm or insurance place is confirmed.

For a short, focused revision plan before mocks, try this two-week plan.

What to do each month in Year 12

If you're in Year 12, you'll apply in the next cycle, for 2028 entry. UCAS hasn't published the 2028 dates yet, so check its website before relying on any of them. For 2027 entry, applications opened in May of Year 12 and could be submitted from September of Year 13, and the next cycle is likely to follow a similar shape.

• November to February: look at courses and the A-Level subjects and grades they ask for. Start reading around the subject you're most interested in.
• March to April: build experience you can write about, such as wider reading, an extended project, volunteering or a part-time job.
• May to June: your end of Year 12 exams often feed into predicted grades, so revise for them as you would for the real thing. Visit open days if you can.
• July to August: draft rough answers to the three personal statement questions.
• September to October of Year 13: finish your application. If you're applying for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, the deadline is mid-October.

After you apply: offers, Extra and Clearing

Universities reply to each choice with an offer or an unsuccessful decision. Most offers are conditional, meaning you need to get certain grades. An unconditional offer means the place is yours if you accept.

When all your decisions are in, you choose one firm choice and, if you want, one insurance choice. Your insurance should usually ask for lower grades than your firm, so it works as a backup.

Extra is for you if all five of your choices ended without an offer, or if you turned down every offer you received. From 25 February to 1 July 2027 you can add one course at a time through Extra.

Clearing opens on 2 July 2027. It's for students without a place, including anyone who misses the conditions of their offers on results day. Our results day guide explains how Clearing works on the day and what to do if your grades are different from what you expected.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply to UCAS after 13 January 2027?

Yes. You can apply until 30 June 2027 in the main scheme, but universities don't have to give late applications equal consideration. After 30 June, new applications go straight into Clearing, up to the final deadline of 23 September 2027.

How much does a UCAS application cost for 2027 entry?

The fee is £34.50, which covers up to five university or college choices. You may be able to get the fee waived if you received free school meals at any point in secondary school or if you're a care leaver, so ask your school how to apply.

Can my predicted grades change after I apply?

Usually not. UCAS says predictions should be finalised by the time your application is submitted, so talk to your teachers before then if you think a prediction is too low.

Does UCAS still do personal statements?

Yes. For 2027 entry you answer three questions, with at least 350 characters each and a 4,000-character total across all three.

How many universities can I apply to through UCAS?

Up to five. If you have no offers after using all five, you can add more choices one at a time through Extra, and later through Clearing.

When will I hear back from universities?

It varies by university and course. Some reply within weeks, while others take until spring. Your reply deadline depends on when your last decision arrives: 5 May 2027 if it comes by 31 March, or 2 June 2027 if it comes by 12 May.

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