Every UCAS and Dutch application deadline for 2027 entry

The two dates that decide most applications are 15 October 2026 at 18:00 UK time for Oxbridge and medicine, and 13 January 2027 at 18:00 UK time for everything else through UCAS. If you are applying to the Netherlands, add 15 January 2027 at 23:59 CET for numerus fixus programmes.

When does UCAS open for 2027 entry?

1 September 2026. That is the first date UCAS will accept a submitted application for 2027 entry. You can register and start writing before then, but nothing is submitted until September.

There is no advantage to submitting on the first day. Everything that arrives by the deadline is considered equally.

What is the UCAS deadline for 2027 entry?

13 January 2027 at 18:00 UK time for all undergraduate courses except those with an October deadline.

This is the equal consideration deadline. Universities must weigh every application that arrives by that moment equally. They cannot prefer an earlier applicant over a later one.

Which courses have the October deadline instead?

15 October 2026 at 18:00 UK time, for Oxford, Cambridge, and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine or science.

You cannot apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same cycle. If you are applying for any of these courses, this date replaces the January one entirely. There is no second chance in the same cycle.

What happens if I apply after the January deadline?

UCAS still forwards your application until 30 June 2027, but universities only consider it if places remain on the course.

You lose equal consideration. Competitive courses are usually full by then, so a late application is a weaker one.

What is the Dutch numerus fixus deadline?

15 January 2027 at 23:59 CET. This is a hard cut-off with no late window at all. Unlike UCAS, there is no equivalent of applying after the date and hoping for spare places.

Numerus fixus programmes have a capped number of places and run their own selection procedure. Two limits are worth knowing before you plan your applications:

• You may apply to a maximum of two numerus fixus programmes per academic year.
• Studielink allows a maximum of four programme applications in total across all Dutch institutions, of which no more than two may be numerus fixus.

For medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene and physiotherapy, you may apply only once per programme.

What is the general Dutch deadline?

1 May 2027 for most bachelor's programmes without a numerus fixus, applying for the first time through Studielink.

Individual universities sometimes set earlier dates, particularly for applicants who need a visa or a housing guarantee. Check the specific programme rather than relying on the national date alone.

Does registering on Studielink mean I have applied?

No, and this is the most expensive mistake in the Dutch system. Studielink registration is not your application. Almost every Dutch institution emails a separate link afterwards asking for transcripts, a CV and a motivation letter.

Students who stop at the Studielink confirmation screen believe they have applied while the university has received nothing at all. The Dutch motivation letter guide covers what happens after Studielink and how to avoid this.

How much time should I actually leave?

Work backwards from the deadline, not forwards from today.

A personal statement that is genuinely finished takes most applicants four to six weeks of drafting, because the useful part is the rewriting rather than the first attempt. If you are applying for an October course, that means starting in early September at the latest. For January, starting after the winter break is already tight.