Missing a UCAS deadline can rule out a course entirely, even if your grades would have met the offer. These are the dates that matter for anyone applying for courses starting in September 2027.
The Oxbridge and most competitive-course deadline
Applications to Oxford, Cambridge, and most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science close in mid-October, a full three months before the general deadline. If any of these apply to you, this is the date that actually matters — not the one everyone else is working towards.
The main UCAS deadline
Most other courses close in late January. Universities are not obliged to consider applications submitted after this date, though many still do if places remain — it is a real risk, not just a guideline.
Extra, Clearing and late applications
If you are not holding any offers after the main deadline, UCAS Extra opens in the spring, letting you apply to one course at a time. Clearing opens in July for anyone without a confirmed place, including through results day in August. We track all of these dates for you rather than leaving you to work them out from the UCAS site.
