APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION - An Information Booklet for Parents, Students and Teachers

Sep 18, 2026

Application procedures for higher education via UCAS, outlining key deadlines across 2025/26 including UCAS submission, school cut-offs for Oxford/Cambridge and specific medicine-related courses, and major clearing timelines. Explains how students apply online using the secure Apply system, how applications progress through sections, and how choice visibility works so universities only see relevant information initially. Covers limits on choices, student support for disabilities and medical conditions, and guidance for care leavers and looked-after children, plus what happens after UCAS processing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Application procedures overview

Key UCAS dates for 2025/26

How to apply online (Apply)

Number and visibility of choices

Support for disabilities, special needs and medical conditions

Care leavers and looked after children

What happens after UCAS receives an application

1 APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION An Information Booklet for Parents, Students and Teachers September 2025 2025/26 2025 30 April: UCAS Apply for 2025 available 2 September: Applications can be submitted to UCAS. 23 September: School deadline for most applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and applications for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine. 15 October: All applications to universities of Oxford and Cambridge and applications for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine must be with UCAS. Forms being sent by school on the 14 October. 12 November: School deadline for UCAS forms. 2026 14 January: Deadline for application to all courses except those listed for the 16 October. 26 February: Extra opens. 6 May Acceptance deadline if all decisions are received by 31 March 2026 3 June Acceptance deadline if all decisions are received by 13 May 2026 4 July: Final date to apply in Extra for 2024. After this date, all applications must be made through clearing. Last date for receipt of applications at UCAS. All applications received later i.e., (18 .00 UK time) are automatically entered into clearing. 5 July Clearing open 13 August: GCE A Level Advanced Diploma and Pre-U results are published, and full Clearing information service starts. All UK University places are allocated through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) . The following flowchart provides an overview of the process. At Methodist College, students will have been guided through the online UCAS application from early June 2024. How to apply Applications are made online using our secure web-based application system Apply. Its on-screen help guides users through the application. Because it is online students can use Apply anywhere that has internet access. They can rework and resave details in their application as often as necessary, before submitting the final version to their teacher, adviser, referee or UCAS, as appropriate. Students complete up to seven sections (one is for UK applicants only) in their application • Personal details • Additional information (UK applicants only) • Student finance • Choices • Education • Statement • Employment As their application progresses to completion, they can seethe status of each section. • Not started • In progress … • Completed √ Applicants who apply through a UCAS-registered centre, such as a school, college or careers centre, need the buzzword for their centre. Number of choices allowed Each student can make a maximum of five choices on their application, including: • No more than four choices in any one of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science • No more than one course at either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. It’s not compulsory to use all five choices. If they apply to fewer than five choices to begin with, they can add more later, as long as they have not replied to their offers. They should, however, remember to check the application deadline for the course. Invisibility of choices We send the application on to each of the chosen universities and colleges at the same time. Each university or college has access to the information about their choice only. They must not ask applicants to reveal their other choices. Only much later in the application cycle, when an applicant has received decisions on all their choices and replied to any offers, will each university or college be able to see details of the other choices. This ensures that each university or college decides independently whether to offer a place and what conditions, if any, to attach to an offer. Disabilities, special needs and medical conditions Universities and colleges welcome applications from people with disabilities, special needs or medical conditions, and try to provide as much support as possible. It’s a good

FAQs

How are higher education applications submitted in this booklet?

Applications are made online using the secure web-based UCAS system called Apply. Students can rework and resave details before submitting the final version to the relevant teacher, adviser, referee or UCAS, as appropriate.

What are the main choice limits and can applicants use fewer than five choices?

Each student can make a maximum of five choices, including no more than four in medicine/dentistry/veterinary-related subjects and no more than one course at Oxford or Cambridge. It is not compulsory to use all five choices; additional choices can be added later as long as offers have not been replied to.

How is information about other choices handled by universities and colleges?

Universities and colleges receive the application at the same time but can access information about their own choice only and must not ask applicants to reveal other choices. Later in the cycle, after decisions and offer replies, universities can see details of other choices so they decide independently on offers and any conditions.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Lucas Vance