Year 13: A-level calendar - key dates

Autumn term: what to expect, and when

There’s a lot to get through this term and you'll have big decisions to make. As well as getting to grips with your year 13 work, it's time to get that university application sorted.

2 September 2025

You can submit your completed Ucas application for 2026 university entry any time from this date. Don't worry though - you have plenty of time. The main deadline for most courses isn't until January.

September - November 2025

You can use this time to research universities and decide what you want to study (and where). Our A-level explorer can help with inspiration, by showing degree subjects that might suit your combination of qualifiations.

We also have subject guides and university profiles packed with useful information. On The Student Room, you can visit specific university forums to see what current students are saying about their uni.

September - November 2025

Alongside your desk research, it's a good idea to get to some university open days for a better feel of the universities you're considering. Our open day hub has loads of advice for making the most of these visits, while our university profiles will help you find out what's happening when.

15 October 2025

If you're applying to Oxford, Cambridge and/or most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses, this is your application deadline. You'll need to have everything submitted to Ucas by 6pm on this day.

September - December 2025

Throughout the autumn term, you'll need to be working on your personal statement for your Ucas application. You can find lots of help with this in our personal statement section

November - December 2025

Don't forget those mocks! The timing of these will depend on your school or college, but many will be taking place at the end of the autumn term.

Spring term: what to expect, and when

It’s the second term of year 13, and the Ucas deadline is looming early on in the year. But what should you be thinking about after January?

14 January 2026

This is the deadline for submitting your Ucas application. Worried you might miss it? These are your options if you don't get your application in by then.

January - April 2026

Research scholarships and bursaries to find out what extra funding might be available to you.

January - April 2026

Once your application is submitted, you'll hopefully soon be receiving university offers or invitations to interviews. Once all your offers are in, it's time to decide which unis will be your firm and insurance choices.

26 February 2026

Ucas Extra opens from now until 4 July – use it to pick an extra Ucas choice if you haven't received any offers.

March 2026

Applications for student finance usually open in March. Here's how the whole thing works. On The Student Room, you can find official information from Student Finance England.

March 2026

Create a revision timetable for your exams and get some revision tips from top students.

March - April 2026

Browse university accommodation. Once you've made your decision on your firm choice university, you can apply for your preferred halls.