Your university application timeline, with key dates for 2025
Are you about to embark on your university applications for entry in 2025?
If so, this timeline is exactly what you need to help you get your head around the process.
I’ll give you all the key dates and deadlines, suggestions about what you should be considering and when, plus links to loads more advice and support for each stage of the process.
If you know anyone who will be applying to university over the next year, anyone who is a parent of someone about to apply, or any teachers and advisers who are new to the role, why not forward this on to them?
They won’t find anything quite like this on UCAS, or (for that matter) anywhere else!
🌱 Spring 2024
OK, so spring is very much on its way out now, but if you haven’t got to grips with some of your initial research, now would be a great time to start.
Right now, you see, is all about laying the groundwork for a great decision. Now is the time to explore your options, check out courses, check out universities and start the process of drawing up a long list of options.
I’ve written a whole bunch of stuff that could be really helpful to you at this stage, so depending on where you are in your decision-making process, below are a few articles that you might like to have a look at.
Why university?
If you are still working out whether university is for you, have a look at these:
Choosing a course
If, on the other hand, you have lots of different options in mind, and are trying to work out which course might be the one for you, have a look here:
Choosing a university
And if you are at the stage of choosing between different universities, and want some ideas on how to do this, have a look at these:
“I just liked the logo”: How university branding can help you make your university choice
University rankings and league tables: Just how useful are they?
UCAS Discovery exhibitions
UCAS Discovery exhibitions are a great opportunity to speak to staff at universities about their campus and their courses. They run from March to July at venues across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. If you are in year 12, your school will probably organise a trip for you to visit your nearest event.
Open Days
Meanwhile most universities offer Open Days in June and early July. You’ll get the chance to see the campus, meet current students and hear directly from the departments you are thinking of applying to.
Set up your UCAS Application
UCAS opened its new application portal in May, so you can start to prepare your application right now. If you already have an account on the UCAS Hub, you can do it from there. If you don’t have an account already, then registering for this is the first step.
☀️ Summer 2024
Create your course longlist
Over the summer you’ll want to create a longlist of universities and courses; perhaps 10 to 15 or so courses that you’ll be considering. Start to write down everything you need to know about them, and get to know the location, the course structure, the entry grades and the admissions process.
At this stage you don’t need to worry about what your final choices are, let alone your first choice. Just do a little bit of research so that you have a wide range of options that you know a bit about.
Super-curricular activities
You might also want to consider doing some ‘super-curricular’ activities. These are activities that you do to explore your subject further, like taster lectures, on-line courses, Podcasts, reading etc.
They can help you with your final course decision and look great on your Personal Statement.
Draft your UCAS Personal Statement
OK, so this is a big task.
Your school may well kick off the process at a university day, or next steps event at the end of term, but whether they do or not, you really want to have a first draft complete by the end of summer. This way you have plenty of time to refine and improve it in the autumn.
I’ve prepared a bunch of videos and handouts to help with this: in just one hour you will know everything you need to write an amazing statement.
Admissions tests
You should also check whether any of the universities you are considering require you to take an admissions test. If so, there may well be deadlines over summer, and preparation that you can do.
See my definitive guide:
🍂 Autumn 2024
Open Days and UCAS Discovery exhibitions
First up, note that there will be a whole load more Open Days in September and October, plus all the Scottish UCAS Discovery exhibitions are in Autumn, and a handful more English events.
Applications Open: 3rd September
This is the earliest date on which you can submit your application to UCAS.
But don’t worry, only a tiny handful of students actually submit this early, and most universities won’t start looking at applications until later in September or even October, once their 2024 intake is all wrapped up.
Refine choices to your final five
Over the autumn you should also reduce your longlist to a shortlist of five choices. These should include stretch choices, realistic choices and safety choices.
For a full run-down of everything to consider, check this out:
Finalise your UCAS Personal Statement
Take on all the feedback you have had from family, teachers and advisers. Make sure the statement is fully relevant to your final choices. And confidently paste it into your application.
You really will feel great once it is done!
And if you are ready… apply
If you have made some good choices, have a great application, and you are ready, then go ahead and apply. There is no need to wait until the deadline! An earlier application gives you more time to prepare for any interviews or tests, and to visit the university in order to make your final choices.
Application Deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science: 16th October
This is the final deadline for these specific applications. However, your school will set an earlier deadline as they need to complete their checks and add the reference sections before submitting.
Do not be late with your application, if you and your school cannot meet the UCAS deadline, your application will not be considered.
Note that you do not have to complete all five choices at once; you can enter just the courses with the early deadline at this time, and then add other choices later.
Prepare for admissions tests, interviews, auditions and portfolios
If your course contains any of these elements, you’ll want to start preparing for these.
For loads of help and tips on interviews see:
University admissions interviews: What they’re for, what they’ll include and how to prepare for them
And if you need to submit a portfolio, you might like to have a look at this:
❄️ Winter 2024/2025
Equal consideration deadline: 30th January
For all courses other than Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science, your application needs to be submitted by 30th January to guarantee equal treatment by every university.
Your school will set earlier deadlines, and I always recommend applying as soon as you have made your final choices, rather than leaving it to deadline day.
🌱 Spring 2025
Explore and make final Firm and Insurance choices
Late winter through to spring is the time to do your final exploration and make your final choices. You’ll need to make one course your Firm choice, and one your Insurance.
The deadline may not be until June (see below), but there are plenty of reasons to have a decision made much earlier than that.
For further ideas on how to do this, have a look at:
Applicant visit days
Universities will typically invite you to a special visit day, just for applicants. These are a great way to confirm whether a university is really the place for you.
To find out all about these, and how they differ from Open Days, have a look at:
UCAS Extra Opens: 26th February
If you don’t get any offers, or have a complete change of mind, UCAS Extra offers a failsafe through which you can apply again, one course at a time.
Check it out here:
Apply for accommodation
Once you have made your final choices, you will normally receive information about applying for accommodation at your Firm choice.
For more information about this, see:
Prepare for your exams
One of the reasons to get your UCAS decisions made as early as possible is that it will give you more time and more headspace to start preparing for your exams.
For some super-helpful revision hints and tips, see:
Student Finance application: opens mid-May
They will announce the exact deadline nearer the time, but you can normally start your student finance application from sometime in May.
You don’t need to have made your final choice of university to do this, and you are advised to do it as early as you can to avoid any delay in getting your loans by the start of term.
For an overview, see:
University decision deadline: 14th May
This is the deadline by which all universities must make their decisions, provided you applied on time.
Most universities will make their offers well before these, but if you have applied for a highly competitive course where they have thousands of applications and have to manage numbers closely, this is the latest they are allowed to keep you waiting until.
Applicant decision deadline: 4th June
If you received all of your offers by 14th May, then 4th June is the date by which you have to make your final choices. If you miss the deadline, your offers will automatically be withdrawn.
☀️ Summer 2025
UCAS Clearing opens: 5th July
Essentially, this is the last chance for you to apply, and works whether you are brand new to UCAS, having not applied before, or if you find out on results-day that you didn’t make it into your first choice.
For an overview see:
Prepare for university
Even though you won’t be 100% sure about where you are going quite yet, you can still start to make some useful preparations. For example, I’ve written all about budgeting here:
You might also want to check out some great resources at:
Results Day: July/August
The exact results day for you will depend on whether you are studying A-levels (mid-August), IB (early July) or Scottish qualifications (early August).
On results day, the university will receive your results and determine whether you have got your place. If you meet the conditions of your offer, you are guaranteed your place. If you don’t, but are fairly close, you may still get your place.
If you get your place, the university will generally send you an email and registration pack within a day or two, but if not, you could find yourself either going to your Insurance choice or in Clearing.
Universities may offer places in Clearing as early as 5th July, but will very often reserve places right up until A-level results day, as this is when most students will have their grades.
Once again see:
🍂 Autumn 2025
Start at Uni!
And that’s it! Most universities start sometime in September or early October. If you’ve made some good decisions along the way, then you are in for an amazing time.
Just remember, university itself is not a destination, it’s a journey.
Don’t think you have made it, just because you got in. The challenge is only just beginning.
But be assured, it's a wonderful challenge, so get stuck in, and enjoy every minute!
A final thought…
During this whole process, it's really easy to get swept along by deadlines, by your parents and teachers, and even by your friends. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and just allow your fate to be set by others. It's easy, sometimes, to forget that this really is your next step.
These are important decisions, and it's important that you are the one who drives them.
So for a bit of a challenge, have a look here for some thoughts on how to make sure you stay in the driver’s seat at all times:
