UCAS explained for international students
UCAS is the central admissions service for undergraduate courses in the UK. You apply once, list up to five courses, and each university decides separately.
Dates for 2027 entry
UCAS publishes dates for each cycle. For courses starting in 2027:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 12 May 2026 | Applications open for students to start filling in |
| 1 September 2026 | Completed applications can be submitted |
| 15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time | Deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses |
| 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time | Equal consideration deadline for most other courses |
| 25 February 2027 | Extra opens for applicants with no offers |
| 30 June 2027 | Last date to apply before applications go to Clearing |
| 2 July 2027 | Clearing opens |
Applications after 13 January are still accepted by many courses, but universities are not obliged to give them equal consideration. Check the UCAS website for the current year's details, since dates are set annually.
Five choices
You can list up to five courses. For medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, no more than four may be in those subjects. You cannot apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year. Each university sees only its own choice, not the others on your list.
The personal statement
From 2026 entry, UCAS replaced the old free-form statement with three questions, each needing at least 350 characters, and a combined limit of 4,000 characters including spaces. The questions ask why you want to study the course, how your studies have prepared you, and what you have done outside education that is relevant. One statement goes to all five choices, so it should be about the subject rather than a particular university. See our guide to personal statements.
The reference
A teacher or counsellor writes your reference, and the school adds predicted grades. If you are applying independently (for example after leaving school), you will need to find a referee who knows your academic work. International schools that send many students to the UK are familiar with the process; others may need you to explain it.
Admissions tests and interviews
Some courses require an admissions test, and some universities interview, especially for medicine and at Oxford and Cambridge. Test requirements change from year to year, so check each course page early. Registration deadlines can fall before the UCAS deadline.
Offers
Universities reply through UCAS. An offer is either unconditional or conditional on your final results. Once all decisions are in, you choose a firm choice and, if you wish, an insurance choice with lower conditions. If you have no offers, or decline them all, Extra lets you add one course at a time from late February.
Results day and Clearing
If you meet your firm offer conditions, your place is confirmed. If not, the university may still accept you, or you may fall back to your insurance choice. Clearing matches applicants without places to courses with vacancies, and runs from early July to the autumn.
For international applicants
Check whether your qualifications are accepted (most international qualifications are), what English test score is required and what the tuition fee is for international students, which is usually higher than the home fee. Our step-by-step overview covers the visa stage.