As with any other important task in life, your university application has many deadlines and important dates to meet throughout the process. For applicants to the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge (Oxbridge), there are even more steps to take, which means even more dates to remember.Â
It can be difficult to find and remember all of these key dates, so we have created this timeline to ensure that all of the necessary deadlines are available for your Oxbridge application. We will be starting from the very beginning with the opening of UCAS all the way through until results day, so let’s get started:Â
The Oxford and Cambridge Application Timeline
UCAS Undergraduates Applications Open:
May 16th 2024
While you can begin preparing for your application before this date (via enrichment, work experience, etc.), the opening of the UCAS Portal is the first official milestone in the university application process.Â
From this date, you will be able to register your account with UCAS and begin filling out details on your UCAS application form (you will not be able to submit your form until later in the year).Â
It is recommended that you register and begin your application as soon as possible in order to free up time for more challenging tasks. However, there are certain parts, such as your university choices and Personal Statement, that require a lot more thought and shouldn’t be completed too quickly.Â
Oxford and Cambridge Open Days:
June/July 2024
Open days are incredibly important for prospective applicants to get a feel for the university, from the campus to the subject departments. Oxbridge open days are especially important as they offer applicants the chance to explore different colleges, a major decision for every Oxbridge applicant.Â
Dates vary from year to year, but you can typically expect the first open days to be held on a weekend during June and July, with additional dates in mid-September. Open days for Oxford and Cambridge rarely fall on the same day, and virtual events are also offered for those who cannot attend the campuses in person. More information on the Oxford Open Days and Cambridge Open Days can be found on the university websites.
UCAT Testing Dates:
July 8th 2024 - September 26th 2024
In 2024, Oxford and Cambridge no longer require applicants to complete the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT). Now, the only admissions test for undergraduate medicine in the UK is the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).
Registration is done online and is open between the 18th of June and the 19th of September. The actual testing dates run from July to September.Â
UCAS Undergraduate Application Submissions Open:
September 1st 2024
From September 1st, you will be able to submit your final UCAS application with your Personal Statement and academic reference. While it is good to get everything finished early (this allows you more time to prepare for your admissions test and interviews), you shouldn’t feel the need to rush this step. Ensure you take your time to review everything and make sure everything is to the best standard.
Cambridge Admissions Test Registration Dates:
August 1st 2024 - September 16th 2024
This is when you will need to apply for your slot to sit the two major Cambridge admissions tests. These are run by Pearson VUE, so registration is completed through their online portal. Be aware that you will have to register for the October sitting, as the January sitting is exclusive to Imperial College London applicants.
Oxford Admissions Test Registration Dates:
August 15th 2024 - October 4th 2024
During this time, you will need to register for the admissions test of your chosen Oxford course (should one be required). You will need to do this through the online registration portal, where you’ll need to follow the steps to confirm your slot.
- Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT)
- Physics Admissions Test (PAT)
- Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)
- Classics Admissions Test (CAT)
- Oxford Philosophy Test
Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) Testing Dates:
September 1st 2024 - October 15th 2024
For Law applicants at Oxford and Cambridge, you will need to sit the LNAT in order to be considered. The LNAT is run independently from any other admissions tests at Oxbridge and is required by other law schools in the UK as well.Â
The LNAT can be sat from the beginning of September all the way until mid-October, so there is plenty of time to book your slot. Registration for the test starts from August 1st through to September 15th and must be done via the LNAT website.
Your preparation time is important, so let UniAdmissions help you make the most of it to ensure success.Â
Our Premium Oxbridge Programmes are designed by experts to ensure you get the best possible support for every aspect of the Oxbridge application. Our curriculum is specially designed and can be adapted to match any needs and timescales.Â
Discover our Oxbridge Programmes by clicking the button below to enrol and triple your chances of success.
UCAS Undergraduate Application Deadline (Oxford, Cambridge, Medicine):
October 15th 2024
October 16th is the final date that Oxbridge and Medicine applicants can submit their UCAS applications. Personal Statements, references and application forms must be completed by 6 PM on this day, although it is never a good idea to leave the submission this late as you may face technical issues.Â
Standard applicants will have an additional three months to complete their application as they have a due date of January 31st 2024.
Testing Date (ESAT, TMUA):
October 15th 2024 - October 17th 2024
For each admissions test, you’ll have two days to complete your sitting (your time and date should already have been booked). For the ESAT, you need to complete the test on the 15th or 16th of October, while the TMUA is sat on the 16ht or 17th of October.Â
Testing Date (Oxford Admissions Tests):
October 21st 2024 - October 31st 2024
All of Oxford’s admissions tests are sat in between these dates. Each test is on a specific day, so you will need to ensure you’re free on the day of your exam.Â
October 21st 2024
- History Admissions Test (HAT)
October 24th 2024
October 28th 2024
October 22nd 2024
- Biomedical Science Admissions Test (BMSAT)
- Classics Admissions Test (CAT)
- Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT)
- Oxford Philosophy Test
- Ancient History & Classical Archaeology Admissions Test (AHCAAT)
October 31st 2024
My Cambridge Application and Extenuating Circumstances Form Submission Deadline:
October 22nd 2024
Applicants for Cambridge have an additional form that they will need to fill in for their application, the My Cambridge Application (formerly known as the SAQ). This form is designed to gather additional information about yourself and your application, and it becomes available to complete a few days after you submit your UCAS application form.Â
It is stated that the form takes around an hour to complete and does not need to be completed in one go. Additionally, applicants who are facing challenging circumstances may need to fill in the Extenuating Circumstances Form (SCF) in order to inform the university of anything that they should know that may affect their application or studies. These forms need to be submitted before 6 PM on the deadline day.Â
Oxford Written Work Submission Deadline:
November 10th 2024
Some courses at Oxford will not require an admissions test, instead requiring applicants to submit a piece of written work based on a brief. These can vary in style and length, but all submissions need to be submitted by this date to the relevant department or your chosen college. Submission details will be available on the entry requirements page of your chosen course.Â
Oxbridge Interview Invitations Sent Out:
Mid-Late November 2024
If your application has been shortlisted, you will be sent an interview invitation from your chosen college around two weeks before the date of your interview. Your invitation should arrive via email, although physical letters are sometimes sent as well.Â
Although invitations are sent out only two weeks in advance, it is important to begin your interview preparation well before this to ensure you are ready for the real interviews. You can learn more about the invitation process in our Oxbridge Interview Invitations Guide.Â
Some Cambridge courses will require applicants to sit an admissions test after being shortlisted but before attending their interview. These tests include:Â
- Archaeology Admissions Assessment
- Architecture Admissions Assessment
- Classics Admissions Assessment (CAA)
- English Admissions Assessment (EAA)
- History Admissions Assessment (HAA)
- History of Art Admissions Assessment
- Linguistics Admissions Assessment (LAA)
- Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MML)
- Philosophy Admissions Assessment (PAA)
- Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion Admissions Assessment
If you are applying for a subject that requires one of these tests, information on when and how you sit the test will be sent to you by your college after you have received your invitation.Â
Oxbridge Interviews:
First Three Weeks of December 2024
Both Oxford and Cambridge typically hold their initial interviews in the first three weeks of December each year. Full timetables are made available closer to the interview dates, confirming when specific subjects are being interviewed. However, your exact interview times and dates will be available on your invitation, so make sure you have the details correct.
All interviews are currently held remotely, so you will need to ensure you have the appropriate technology and location to attend your interview undisrupted. As you will have multiple interviews, they should be held close to each other (although not always on the same day).
Oxbridge Offers Released:
January 2025
A few weeks after your interviews, Oxford and Cambridge will each make their decisions and send out offers to all successful applicants. You will be informed of your offer directly from the university as well as through your UCAS account, where you will be able to accept or reject your offer.Â
Offers from Oxford are expected to be released on January 9th 2024, while Cambridge offers will be released on an unspecified date in January. You will first receive your general offer from the university, but you also receive the offer from your college a few weeks afterwards, confirming your place at said college. Â
Cambridge Winter Pool
Also in January is the Cambridge Winter Pool. For applicants who were able to impress their interviewers but didn’t quite make the cut for their college, they will be placed into the Winter Pool, where they will have a chance to join a different college instead.Â
Most applicants go through the Winter Pool without attending another interview, but those who are required to must do so within the set dates that the pool is run (usually directly after offers are released). Our Cambridge Winter Pool Guide offers more information about what to expect from the process.Â
A-Level Exams Held:
May 2025 - June 2025
The final major step for most applicants is their A-Level exams (or equivalent). These are spread out over around a month and have a variety of testing dates depending on the subject and examining body. These exams will be crucial to your application as most students need to meet the grade requirements to be admitted.
Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP) Testing Dates:
June 2025
Applicants for Cambridge Mathematics and Mathematics with Physics will be required to sit the STEP in June in order to secure their place on their course. The test is split into two papers that run on separate days in June.Â
Registration for the STEP opens in March and closes in May. Results for the exam are released in August, typically on the same day that A-Level results are released. Note that some colleges will also require the STEP for more mathematics-related subjects.Â
A-Level Results Day:
August 2025
The day you receive your results will be the culmination of everything that you have been working towards for at least the last year. Provided you achieve the required results for your course (or received an unconditional offer), your place at Oxford and Cambridge (as well as any other university) will be confirmed, meaning you can celebrate your success.Â
From this date, you will need to begin preparing for your move-in date in September, which means you will have a busy, but exciting, month ahead of you.Â
These are all of the important steps that the majority of Oxbridge applicants will need to face. There are some different deadlines and processes to meet for international, post-graduate and mature students, but this timeline contains all of the general steps that will be required of applicants.Â
Your job now is to prepare for each of these steps to ensure that you will successfully complete each milestone required of applicants. There are lots of ways to prepare your application, although it can be daunting to know where to start.Â
UniAdmissions offers unbeatable support to Oxbridge applicants each and every year, with 57% of our students earning their offer in 2023 (three times higher than the national average). If you would like to learn more about our expert support programmes, please visit our Premium Oxbridge Programmes page to discover how we can triple your chances of success.Â
Prepare for each and every step of your application with expert support from UniAdmissions.
When you enrol on on of our Premium Oxbridge Programmes you will gain access to one-to-one tuition sessions from Top 10% Oxbridge tutors, specially created Oxbridge resources that cover everything you need to know, effective intensive courses and much more.Â
Discover our Oxbridge Programmes by clicking the button below to enrol and triple your chances of success.
