Those applying for university must submit their applications soon if they want the best chances of securing their place. Applications made before January 29 will be ‘equal opportunity applications’, meaning universities must consider every application for a place in their selected course.
People can still apply for university past this date, but universities and colleges cannot guarantee their applications will be considered. This can be due to the fact that there are no more vacancies for the selected course, but UCAS advises checking with your chosen university if you are unsure.
Some deadlines have already passed, though, with application deadlines for Oxford and Cambridge universities, as well as most medicine, veterinary and dentistry courses, on October 15. The deadline for all applications is June 30 at 6pm.
There isn’t a specific date for when you’ll receive an offer from the universities you’ve applied to. Offers come back at different times, so it’s best to check your application to see your personal deadline.
Students will be preparing to take the A-Levels but it’s important to remember application deadlines
(Image: Getty Images)
If you haven’t received any offers or have rejected the ones you did receive, UCAS Extra opens on February 26.
If you’ve received university offers before May 14, 2025, you must respond by June 4, 2025. If your offers arrive on or before July 17, 2025, the deadline for your response is July 23, 2025.
Clearing, a process that matches applicants with unfilled university places, opens on July 5, 2025, and closes on October 20, 2025.
UCAS Extra
UCAS Extra provides another opportunity to secure a university place if you haven’t received any offers after applying to five choices. Extra runs from February 26 to July 4, 2025, and allows you to apply to courses with spaces available.
You can search for these courses on the UCAS website. Once you find a course you’re interested in, check with the university to see if they’ll consider your application. After receiving the go-ahead, you can apply for the new course and expect a reply within 21 days.
There’s no specific date when a university offer will be received
(Image: PA)
If you don’t receive a response, you can choose a new course or continue waiting. You’re not obligated to accept the offer you receive through Extra – you can decline it and restart your search.
Personal statement
Last year, UCAS announced that it would no longer require students to write a personal statement for their university applications. The personal statement was a 4,000-character piece that allowed you to sell yourself to your chosen university, explaining why you’d make an excellent student and why they should send you an offer.
The personal statement will be replaced by three questions asking why applicants want to study their chosen course, how their studies or qualifications have prepared them for the course, and what experiences they’ve had outside of education that could be beneficial.
This change will take effect for 2026 applications, meaning prospective students applying this year will still need to write a personal statement.