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UCAS: What Are The Application Deadlines in 2024?
30/05/2024•14 minute read
Applying to universities in the UK can be an exciting yet daunting task, especially when it comes to keeping track of important deadlines. We're here to make sure you don't miss a beat in your UCAS application process.
In this blog, we'll highlight the different deadlines you should keep in mind, including UCAS application deadlines and the deadlines for accepting offers.
What Are the UCAS Deadlines?
If you're starting your course in 2024 or 2025, your exact deadline will depend on the university and program you're applying for, so it's always a good idea to double-check your target university's website.
This is especially true if you're applying through the university directly as it gives them enough time to get your application to UCAS in time.
With that said, there are general deadlines provided by UCAS that will likely apply to you, even if you're applying to multiple colleges:
UCAS Deadlines (Entry 2024)
| Deadline | Date & Time (UK time) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early Entry | 16 Oct 2023 - 18:00 | Deadline for all courses at Oxford and Cambridge, most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. |
| Normal Entry | 31 Jan 2024 - 18:00 | Deadline for majority of courses |
| UCAS Extra Opens | 28 Feb 2024 | If you received no offers (or rejected them), you can add an extra choice from this date. |
| Automatic Entry to Clearing Begins | 30 Jun 2024 - 18:00 | If you submit your application after this deadline, it will be automatically entered into Clearing |
| UCAS Extra Closes | 4 Jul 2024 | The last date to add an extra choice |
| Clearing Opens | 5 Jul 2024 | Clearing 2024 opens, allowing you to research and choose Clearing courses |
| Clearing Closes | 21 Oct 2024 | The final day to add Clearing courses |
UCAS Deadlines (Entry 2025)
| Deadline | Date & Time (UK time) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Courses Made Available | 30 Apr 2024 | Courses are made available in the UCAS search tool for 2025 entry |
| UCAS Undergraduate Applications Open | 14 May 2024 | You can start your application, but you can't submit it until September. |
| UCAS Conservatoires Applications Open | 10 Jul 2024 | You can register, pay, and submit your applications to UCAS. |
| UCAS Undergraduate Applications Can Be Submitted | 3 Sep 2024 | Completed UCAS Undergraduate applications can now be submitted. |
| Deadline for conservatoire music applications | 2 October 2024 18:00 | Applications for dance, drama, and musical theatre courses may have a different deadline – check conservatoires’ websites for information. |
| Early Application Deadline | 15 October 2024 18:00 | Deadline for applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science. |
| Normal Deadline | 29 January 2025 18:00 | Deadline for most undergraduate courses and most conservatoire undergraduate dance, drama, or musical theatre courses. |
| Extra Opens | 26 February 2025 | Now you can add extra choices if you didn't accept any offers yet |
| Automatic Entry to Clearing Begins | 30 June 2025 18:00 | Applications received after this deadline are automatically |
| Extra Closes | 4 Jul 2025 | You cannot make choices with Extra from this date onwards |
| Clearing Opens | 5 Jul 2025 | Vacancies are shown in the UCAS search tool |
How to Determine Your Deadline for Your UCAS Application
1. Identify the programs you're applying for
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Identify the programs you're applying for: You get up to 5 choices in your UCAS application. Determine the courses you're applying for and write them down.
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Use the UCAS search tool: The UCAS website has a search tool that allows you to look up all the available programs and find out what their individual deadlines are. Write down the deadline for each course you're applying for.
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Submit Your Application: You have to submit your UCAS application by your course deadline, but you can add more choices later for other programs with later deadlines.
What Happens if You Miss a Deadline?
There are a few different ways you can still apply if you've missed a deadline:
1. Make More Choices with UCAS Extra
If you've missed the main January deadline or have used all your choices and aren’t holding any offers, UCAS Extra can be a lifesaver. Extra is usually open from late February to early July each year.
UCAS Extra allows you to apply to additional universities one at a time if you didn’t get an offer from your initial choices or declined all your offers. Here’s how it works:
- Check Eligibility: You need to be eligible for Extra, meaning you’ve used all five choices and don’t hold any offers.
- Find Courses with Vacancies: Use the UCAS course search tool to find courses that are still accepting applications. Not all courses participate in Extra, so check the availability and contact the university directly.
- Apply to One Course at a Time: Unlike the initial application process, Extra allows you to apply to one course at a time. If you don’t get an offer, you can apply to another course, and so on, until 4 July.
2. Clearing
Clearing is another opportunity to secure a university place if you've missed deadlines or didn't receive any offers.
Here's how Clearing works:
- Eligibility: You can use Clearing if you didn’t receive any offers, declined all your offers, didn’t meet the conditions of your offers, or applied after 30 June.
- Search for Courses: Starting in early July, you can search for available courses through the UCAS website. The list of available courses is updated regularly, so keep checking for new opportunities.
- Contact Universities: Once you find a course you're interested in, contact the university directly. Be prepared to discuss your qualifications and why you’re interested in their course.
- Add a Clearing Choice: If a university offers you a place through Clearing, you can add this choice to your UCAS application. Make sure you get confirmation from the university before doing so.
When Do You Hear Back About Your UCAS Application?
Each university has a different decision day, and some might even have rolling admissions. With that said, there are general deadlines all universities have to get back to you by:
- If you applied by the January deadline, you'll hear back by 16 May.
- If you applied by the June deadline, you'll hear back by 17 July.
When is the UCAS deadline for accepting offers?
Your deadline for acceptance depends on when you submitted your application.
- If you receive your last decision on or before 16 May 2024, your reply date is 6 June 2024 (except if you're using Extra to find a place).
- If you receive your last decision on or before 17 July 2024, your reply date is 24 July 2024 (including Extra choices).
Make sure you check your personal profile to figure out what your deadline is!
How do you accept an offer on UCAS?
Once a university has made an offer to your for a spot, you will see it on your UCAS profile. For each offer you have three reply options:
1. Firm acceptance – your first choice
If it's an unconditional offer, the place is yours! So that course provider will expect you as their student. Or if it's conditional, the place is yours if you meet the offer conditions. So just in case you don't, you can pick a second offer as a backup – your insurance acceptance.
Learn more about conditional and unconditional offers here.
2. Insurance acceptance – the back-up choice to a conditional firm acceptance
If you're choosing an insurance, go for something with lower offer conditions, but make sure it's somewhere you'd still be happy to go to though. Remember, you can't choose between your firm and insurance when you get your results, so make sure you're happy with which is your firm and which is your insurance before you reply.
3. Decline – you'll need to decline any other offers you get
Final Thoughts
Applying to university is a daunting task, and it is important to be organised, so you don’t miss any important dates or requirements for submission. Hopefully, this blog has given you some insights into how to prepare for successful admission.
If you have any additional questions regarding the UCAS or applying to UK universities feel free to contact one of our expert admission advisors below!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to reply to all your offers at the same time?
Yes, you have to reply to all your offers at the same time.
What if I don’t want to wait for all the offers?
If you want to, you can permanently withdraw from any outstanding choices to reply to offers you’ve already received. If you decide to withdraw a choice, it will not be available to you later and the university or college will be informed you no longer wish to be considered for the course. We strongly recommend you wait for all your decisions before accepting an offer.
Can you change your replies?
You may change your replies once within fourteen days of initially making them. To do this, give UCAS a call with your Personal ID and an adviser will help you.
