How it works:
applying to a UK university or college
Find courses in the UCAS search tool. Check entry
requirements and application deadlines:
• 15 October – all courses at Oxford, Cambridge
and most courses in medicine, veterinary
science / medicine and dentistry.
• 15 January – the majority of courses.
• 24 March – some art and design courses.
Once all the decisions are in, you have to reply to
your offers by a specific deadline.
• Select a firm choice – this is your first choice.
• If your firm choice is conditional, select an
insurance choice too, if you want – this is
a back-up choice in case you don’t meet the
conditions for your firm choice.
• Decline any other offers.
If you’re not accepted by all five universities or
colleges, or you decline the offers you receive,
you can use Extra to apply for more choices,
one at a time.
If you do better than expected, and meet and
exceed the conditions of your firm choice, you can
look for an alternative course using Adjustment,
if you want to.
The universities or colleges will decide whether to
make you an offer. It’ll be
• either unconditional if you’ve already met the
entry requirements.
• or conditional if the offer’s based on your
exam results.
You’ll see in Track if your place is confirmed.
• If your firm choice is unconditional – the place
is yours!
• If your place is conditional, the university or
college will update your status when they have
your exam results or other evidence that you’ve
met the conditions.
• You may be unsuccessful if you don’t meet the
conditions – in this case you can use Clearing
to apply for more courses.
1
Apply online.
2
Wait to
hear back.
3
Reply to
your offers.
4
Find out if
you’ve got
your place.
