The UCAS year at a glance
UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. Almost every UK university application goes through it. These are the dates for students who want to start university in 2027.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 15 October 2026 | Deadline for all courses at Oxford or Cambridge, and for most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses. |
| 13 January 2027, 6pm UK time | Deadline for most other courses. Applications sent by this time get equal consideration. |
| 30 June 2027 | Last date to apply as a late applicant. After this, new applications can only go through Clearing. |
| 2 July 2027 | Clearing opens. Clearing is how universities fill places that are still free. |
Dates checked on 3 November 2026. Universities can set their own rules for some courses, so always confirm the date for each course on ucas.com.
The personal statement has changed
A personal statement is the part of the application where a student explains why they want to study a subject. For students applying for 2026 entry and after, UCAS replaced the single free-text box with three questions:
- Why do you want to study this course or subject?
- How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
- What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences helpful?
All three questions are required. The total length is still 4,000 characters, and the student chooses how to share those characters across the three answers.
How Curriculum Circle helps
University planning is part of our academic pathway. It starts early, because the best applications are built over two years and not in one autumn. Within our programmes, the University Pathway Navigator supports students with:
- subject choices that keep the right courses open;
- a list of target universities and the grade profile each one asks for;
- personal statement planning, so the student's own experience answers the three questions well;
- preparation for admissions tests, where a course asks for one;
- a clear plan from the current year group to the day the application is sent.
University application guidance is available as part of our longer programmes. See our programmes and the pricing and FAQ for what each one includes. Families outside the UK are welcome: all teaching is delivered online, and parents receive updates in 12 languages. Read more on our page for international families.
Questions families ask
When is the main UCAS deadline for 2027 entry?
For most courses it is 6pm UK time on 13 January 2027. For Oxford, Cambridge, and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses it is earlier: 15 October 2026.
What is the new personal statement format?
Students answer three set questions. They have 4,000 characters in total to share across the answers.
What is Clearing?
Clearing is the process universities use to fill places that are still free after the main application period. It opens on 2 July 2027 for students applying for 2027 entry.
Can you help students who live outside the UK?
Yes. Our teaching is online, and many of our families are based abroad. Parent updates are available in 12 languages.
Start the plan early
A 30-minute academic strategy consultation reviews current and target grades, university goals and the right programme.
Book a consultationSources
- UCAS, the personal statement: format for 2026 entry (three questions, 4,000 characters in total).
- University of Bath, important dates for undergraduate applicants starting in 2027 (15 October 2026, 13 January 2027 at 18:00 GMT, 30 June 2027, Clearing from 2 July 2027).
UCAS is a trademark of its owner. Curriculum Circle is not affiliated with UCAS.