Each year, thousands of people apply to study at one of the UK’s 100+ universities. If it’s your turn to take on this application process, you may be unsure of what you need to prepare for and when you need to get started.
Most applicants will have a lot going on in their lives around the time of the application, including school work, social commitments and a variety of extra/super-curricular activities. Therefore, it’s crucial that you plan your preparation carefully and get started with your university application at the right time to ensure you’re ready when the deadlines come.Â
In this guide, we’re going to look at when you should start working on your applications based on the university and course you’re applying to, as differences in the admissions process can play a major role in how your preparation schedule looks. Let’s begin!
Want to learn about a specific application? Select a button below or keep scrolling to read the full guide.
When To Start Your University Application
To start with, let’s look at the most simple university applications to understand when applicants need to start preparing and working on their submissions.Â
UCAS Applications
The majority of UK university applications will only require one major step: the UCAS application. If you’re unaware, UCAS stands for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, which handles all applications for UK universities from both home and overseas applicants. All applicants need to create a UCAS profile and complete the application form via the online hub in order to apply to up to five universities in an admissions cycle.Â
Within the application form, you will need to provide personal details, education history and an academic reference, as well as specifying the universities and courses you want to apply to. As well as this, you also need to write and submit a 4,000-character Personal Statement, which is used by the universities to get a better sense of who you are.Â
As this is the only major task for many university applicants, the best time to start working will be based on the dates and deadlines for the UCAS application. Below are some of the key dates you should be aware of:
UCAS Key Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| UCAS Applications Open | 13th May 2025 |
| UCAS Application Submissions Open | 2nd September 2025 |
| UCAS Application Deadline | 14th January 2026 |
As you can see, there are three crucial dates to be aware of; the opening date for UCAS account creation, the opening of UCAS submissions and the final deadline for UCAS applications. These three dates all act as markers for where you should be during the application process.
Firstly, it’s best practice to get your UCAS account created as soon as possible, as it means you won’t forget to do so later when responsibilities begin to mount up. While this doesn’t necessarily mean creating your account on the first day you’re able to, aiming to get it created in May or June will get the process started. It’s quick and easy to create your account, as you don’t need to provide all of your details straight away. Therefore, there’s no reason not to get it done early.Â
After your account is created, most of the UCAS features will be available to you, so when should you start working through it? Realistically, you might as well start working through the application form as early as you can. Personal details and education history don’t take too long to complete and are unlikely to change between May and January, although your employment history may need to be altered.Â
However, arguably the most important part of the form is your university choices.Â
When Should I Pick My University Choices?
Choosing where you want to apply to and what you want to study isn’t a decision that should be rushed, but you should begin your research as early as possible (potentially even as early as January or February). It’s never really too early to start considering what you want to study and where, so take your time to consider the options carefully.Â
You shouldn’t make any kind of decision on your choices until you’ve attended at least one university open day, either in-person or virtual. Visiting a campus and hearing from staff and students will open up a new perspective on what university is like and may alter your decision. Most open days are held between June and September, so be sure to take advantage of them over the summer.Â
You can add universities to your profile as a provision, as nothing is confirmed until you submit your application (which can’t be done until September). However, don’t finalise any decisions without carefully considering the entry requirements, curriculum, student feedback and impressions from open days.Â
When Should I Get My Academic Reference?
Gaining your academic reference for your UCAS application is something that is mostly handled by the chosen member of your school’s faculty (e.g. teacher, head of sixth form, etc). School staff are very experienced in this process and may have a set period to provide references to all students who need them.Â
However, if there isn’t a process in place, ask for your reference sooner rather than later. After coming back to school from the summer holidays, you may want to ask your teacher about references in the first few weeks. They should be able to provide guidance on when you’ll get your reference.Â
When Should I Write My Personal Statement?
The most intensive aspect of your UCAS application is your Personal Statement. It’s the part of the process that will take the most time and will be the most difficult to get right, so when should you start working on it?Â
The first thing to consider is what you’re going to write about in your Personal Statement. Question 3 of the Personal Statement is all about your subject-relevant experiences outside of school work, so you need to spend the time to build those experiences. This can be done at any time an opportunity comes to you, such as work placements, volunteering experiences and educational trips. In fact, things like research and wider reading can be ongoing experiences as well, so there isn’t a set time to start engaging with your subject.
With that being said, if you find that you don’t have much to write about in your statement by the start of the summer holidays, this is the absolute latest time to start looking for opportunities.Â
If you already have a good selection of discussion points, then the summer holiday is the perfect time to start planning your Personal Statement. With six weeks without school, you’ll likely have a lot of free time to begin working on your application, and planning/drafting your Personal Statement is a good thing to do with some of this time.Â
While you may not have your final statement ready by September, you should at least have a solid draft or strong plan to work off of by the time you return to school. After the break, you’ll have much less time available to work on your application, so get as much done in the holidays as you can.Â
When Should I Submit My UCAS Application?
There are two key points to consider when answering this question:
- Submit it before the January deadline.
- Submit it when you’re happy with it.
Applications can be sent between September and January, so that doesn’t mean you should rush it out on the first day you can. While it’s best to have your application close to ready before returning to school, you still have several months to double-check everything and make edits when needed.Â
It’s not recommended to leave major parts of your application incomplete during this period, but this time can be used to ensure you’re happy with your work before sending it (ensuring you send it before the deadline).Â
Is there a benefit to submitting your application early? The only major benefit to this is that it will be finished and you won’t have to worry about it anymore, which will be a relief to any applicant. Completing the application will allow you to focus on your school work to ensure you achieve the grades you need to meet your offers when you get them!
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When To Start Your Medicine Application
Now that we understand how to take on a standard university application, it’s time to look at more complicated admissions processes, starting with Medicine and Dentistry. These two courses feature two additional requirements for every applicant: the UCAT and the Interviews. As well as this, the UCAS application process has a major difference as well:
UCAS Medicine Deadline
Medicine and Dentistry applicants have a different submission deadline from most other UCAS applicants. Instead of the final submission date being in January, all applicants for Medicine and Dentistry must submit their UCAS application by October 15th at the latest. This gives you only a month and a half to submit your application versus the 3 and half months allowed to standard applicants.Â
October 15thÂ
Final deadline for UCAS Medicine applicationsÂ
This earlier deadline means that you will need to ensure you have completed your UCAS application much sooner than normal. You will still have some time after you return to school before the application deadline, but it’s recommended that you have your application ready by mid-September to early October to ensure you’ll be ready to submit it in time.Â
Depending on how long you feel it will take, you may wish to start working on your Personal Statement slightly earlier than normal, although the standard timeline for writing this is mostly the same. Work experience is mandatory for Medicine applications, so you must ensure you complete some form of relevant placement during the summer holidays if you haven’t done so already.Â
However, this earlier deadline isn’t going to be the only challenge you face during this period, as you’ll also have to complete the UCAT.
When Should I Prepare For The UCAT?
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is the admissions test required for all Medicine and Dentistry applicants in the UK. It’s a computer-based test that features four distinct sub-tests, each covering general thinking skills rather than subject-specific knowledge. The UCAT is available to sit between the following dates:
UCAT Key Dates
| UCAT Account Creation Opens | 13th May 2025 |
| Registration Dates | 17th June – 19th September 2025 |
| Testing Dates | 7th July – 26th September 2025 |
When Should I Take The UCAT?
Since you have so many choices as to when you take the UCAT, it can be difficult to decide when to book your test. However, the obvious answers may not be the best.Â
Many will want to take the test right towards the end of the testing period, as that will give them the most time to prepare. However, this isn’t the best idea, as the final test dates take place when you’ll be returning to school. You want to ensure you have finished the UCAT before returning to school, as your schoolwork will distract you from your test preparation and vice versa.Â
Some may want to take the UCAT as early as possible, but this also isn’t ideal as there’s no need to rush it. You want to give yourself a good amount of time to prepare over the summer holiday, as there is a lot more time available to dedicate to your practice.Â
Therefore, it’s commonly agreed upon that the best time to take the UCAT is in late August, just before you return to school. This gives you most of the summer holiday to prepare for the test without overlapping with your return to school. However, some may want to take the test earlier than this if they feel confident in their ability and don’t want to burn out, so consider the position you’re in when you’re about to book before you choose a date.Â
Most successful Medicine applicants will want to practice for the UCAT over several months, so it’s important to give yourself enough time to develop. The primary way to prepare for the UCAT is to practice questions and take mock exams, though it’s important not to cram this practice over a couple of weeks.Â
If you’re taking your test in August or later, we would suggest starting comprehensive practice at the start of the summer holidays, though it’s a good idea to start researching the test format before then. If you’re taking the test earlier than that, you’ll need to start preparing while still at school.Â
When Should I Prepare For Medicine Interviews?
After you’ve completed the UCAT and submitted your UCAS application, medical schools will begin shortlisting applicants and inviting them to interviews. You’ll need to attend an interview to get an offer from a medical school, and it’s important that you make a good impression to improve your chances of success. So when should you start preparing?
The key is not to wait until you receive an invitation to start preparing. Some medical schools conduct interviews as early as December and will provide you with only two or three weeks’ notice. This isn’t enough time to adequately prepare for the interview, so it’s crucial that you start preparing beforehand.Â
Returning to school after the summer break is a great time to begin your interview preparation, especially if your school offers support for this. Even if not, you will have plenty of time available with your peers – some of whom may also be applying for Medicine or Dentistry – to organise a practice group to share techniques and conduct mock interviews with each other.Â
If you’re considering paid support for your interview preparation, you may consider holding off on committing until you get your invitation. However, it’s important to consider the rest of your application in context. If you achieved a good UCAT score and have a strong Personal Statement, you’re likely to be invited to at least one interview from your university choices. Even if you don’t end up being interviewed, these skills are highly transferable and will be relevant in any career path you go down.Â
One of the key benefits of early interview support is that you won’t have the immense pressure of your interview date looming. It’s still good to feel a little bit of pressure as it will ensure you take your preparation seriously, but having the extra time will make any mistakes feel less worrying as as you’ll have time to work on them.Â
Ultimately, deciding when to start your medicine application preparation comes down to understanding what works for you. Starting really early may not benefit everyone, but having the additional time is helpful in most cases. As long as you’ve effectively planned your preparation schedule and aren’t leaving everything to the last minute, you’ll be able to work in the way that best suits you.Â
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When To Start Your Law Application
Law is another course that utilises an admissions test, the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT). However, the test isn’t used by every university, so you may not need to complete it. If the LNAT isn’t required for you, your application will be standard and won’t likely have additional steps. This is because Law applicants have to submit their UCAS application by January Deadline and don’t often attend interviews.Â
When Should I Prepare For The LNAT?
The LNAT can be sat between September and January for most applicants, which gives you a lot of potential time to prepare. As with the UCAT, we suggest starting your LNAT preparation early in the summer holidays, although starting off slowly will help you ease into the test.Â
If you’re planning on sitting the test between September and October (which Oxford and Cambridge applicants will have to do), then ramping up your preparation in August is ideal to ensure you’re fully prepared by the test date.Â
If you’re planning to take the test in January, you have an opportunity to continue preparing slowly, although we suggest spending more time on your practice in November and especially during the winter break (be sure to find the right balance between LNAT preparation and schoolwork).Â
The LNAT is another test that can’t be revised for in the traditional sense, so practising questions and mock papers over a longer period of time will allow you to gradually increase your performance without burning out.Â
When To Start Your Oxbridge Application
Lastly, we have arguably the most intensive admissions process of any university in the UK. The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are two of the most competitive universities in the world. As such, they aren’t easy to get into and require applicants to complete multiple additional steps outside of the UCAS application. Starting early and effectively planning your preparation is essential for remaining competitive here, so let’s review when you should start:
Oxbridge Application Deadlines
The first thing to note is that, like Medicine, all Oxford and Cambridge applicants need to submit their UCAS applications on October 15th, with no exceptions. This means that you’ll need to ensure your application form and Personal Statement are mostly complete during the summer holidays.Â
October 15thÂ
Final deadline for UCAS Oxbridge applicationsÂ
However, the UCAS application is far from the most challenging aspect of the Oxbridge admissions process.
When Should I Prepare For My Oxbridge Admission Test?
Oxford and Cambridge each utilise a wide variety of admissions tests across their various courses, each of which has unique testing dates. While not every applicant will need to complete an admissions test, most major courses require one.
Oxford and Cambridge each use the UCAT and LNAT for their Medicine and Law courses, so the preparation timelines for those remain the same. However, the majority of other Oxbridge admissions tests are sat in October:Â
Oxford Admissions Test Dates
| Test Name | Test Date/s |
|---|---|
| Ancient History and Classical Archaeology Admissions Test (AHCAAT) | 24th October 2025 |
| Biomedical Sciences Admissions Test (BMSAT) | 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th & 27th October 2025 |
| Classics Admissions Test (CAT) | 22nd, 23rd & 24th October 2025 |
| Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) | 22nd & 23rd October 2025 |
| Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT) | 24th October 2025 |
| Physics Admissions Test (PAT) | 22nd & 23rd October 2025 |
| Philosophy Admissions Test (PHILAT) | 24th October 2025 |
| Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) | 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th & 27th October 2025 |
Cambridge Admissions Test Dates
| Test Name | Testing Dates |
|---|---|
| Archaeology Admissions Assessment | Pre-Interview Test |
| Architecture Admissions Assessment | Pre-Interview Test |
| Classics Admissions Assessment (CAA) | Pre-Interview Test |
| English Admissions Assessment (EAA) | Pre-Interview Test |
| Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) | October 9th & 10th 2025 |
| History Admissions Assessment (HAA) | Pre-Interview Test |
| History of Art Admissions Assessment | Pre-Interview Test |
| Linguistics Admissions Assessment (LAA) | Pre-Interview Test |
| Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MML) | Pre-Interview Test |
| Philosophy Admissions Assessment (PAA) | Pre-Interview Test |
| Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) | 11th June (Paper 2) & 16th June (Paper 3) 2025 |
| Test of Mathematics For University Admissions (TMUA) | 13th & 14th October 2025 |
| Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion Admissions Assessment | Pre-Interview Test |
Pre-Interview Tests are admissions tests that are sat directly before an interview. Therefore, there is no set date for these tests as interviews can be held over multiple days throughout December.Â
With these dates, it’s clear that, as with the other admissions tests, the best time to dive into your preparation fully is during your summer break, preferably at the start. Some of these tests will require in-depth subject revision, while others are general tests that can’t be revised for, so the content of the test will alter how you go about your preparation.
The key component to any test preparation is practice, which is something you should do as early as possible. Preparing over a longer period of time allows you to benefit from The Compound Effect, which is something high-performing students utilise to achieve A*s in their exams. The same principle applies to your admissions test score, so ensure you start as early as you can (even before summer if you’re really dedicated!).Â
The STEP is an exception here, as it is sat in June, long after offers have been made. While it’s good to be aware of the test format when applying, it’s not necessary to prepare for the test until you get your offer, as you won’t need to sit the test if you don’t get an offer.Â
Admissions Tests At Other Universities
Other universities (including various G5 and Russell Group universities) also require or accept admissions tests. Major examples include Imperial College London, UCL and the London School of Economics, which all adopt tests used by Cambridge and Oxford.Â
In some cases, the test dates will be the same, but for several admissions tests (including the ESAT, TMUA and TARA), applicants have the option to take these tests in January instead of October. This is only allowed if the applicant isn’t applying to Cambridge, as test results must be submitted to Cambridge before the interview phase of the admissions process in December.Â
If you’re able to sit your test in January instead of October, we would still recommend starting your preparation in the summer holidays, as this is the period when you have the most free time. Revising from August to December will give you a lot of time to gradually increase your score, while not feeling too overwhelmed with preparation around November and December when more time is required to focus on schoolwork.Â
When Should I Prepare For My Oxbridge Interview?
If you’re invited to attend an interview by your chosen Oxford or Cambridge college, you’ll need to ensure you’re fully prepared to attend in December, when all Oxbridge interviews take place.Â
Therefore, we would recommend starting your preparation in September at the latest in a similar manner to medicine interview preparation. However, as you may also be preparing for your admissions test in this timeframe, you’ll need to ensure you structure your preparation to make time for both. Once your test and UCAS application are both finished, you’ll be able to dedicate a lot more time to your interview throughout November.Â
Neither Oxbridge university provides much notice for interviews, so it’s crucial that you don’t wait until you get your invitation to start preparing.Â
We’ve covered the major parts of the Oxbridge application process, but there are also some general points to consider when applying to the universities:Â
When To Start Building Your Oxbridge Application
When applying to Oxford or Cambridge, you need to build your application up to stand out from the competition. This includes work experience, relevant super-curricular activities, wider reading and any other activities that allow you to engage with your subject. Having these experiences is vital for demonstrating your commitment to your subject, as well as your academic ability and character. Due to the high standard of teaching at Oxbridge, admissions tutors only seek applicants who fully engage with the subject.Â
Building these experiences requires time, so this is something that you should ideally have been doing for several years already. If this is the case, then you already have a strong application that you just need to put down on paper!Â
However, you may not have done this, so you could face challenges in convincing the admissions tutors of your commitment to the course. While it’s possible to spend the summer holiday taking part in work placements and reading books, the short period of time in which you took part in them may call your intentions into question, as well as give the impression that you’re just taking part in these activities for the sake of your application.Â
Beyond taking part in these activities, admissions tutors look for genuine interest in the subject, which would be indicated by a long history of engaging with it. Some applicants don’t choose what they want to do until fairly late in the game, so it’s not impossible to succeed in this context. However, it does put you at a disadvantage when compared to applicants who have engaged with the subject for years.
Beyond this, there are also various small parts of the application process that may apply in certain cases:Â
College Selection
As well as choosing to study at Oxford or Cambridge, applicants also need to choose which college they want to attend within the university (unless an open application is submitted). Many Oxbridge applicants will have decided they want to apply early in the admissions process, so the Oxford and Cambridge open days are useful for helping applicants choose their college. Before choosing which college to apply to, be sure to go to an open day and explore some top options based on research.Â
You will need to confirm your college choice in your UCAS application, so you have until the deadline to choose.Â
Written Work
Some courses require applicants to submit written work instead of a test. In these cases, the admissions team usually request a piece that was written as schoolwork and marked by a teacher. This means that you rarely need to create new work, so this doesn’t require much preparation other than choosing and submitting the work on time. However, don’t leave this to the last minute as it can be easy to forget about.Â
My Cambridge Application
Exclusive to Cambridge applicants is the My Cambridge Application form. This is similar to the UCAS form but dedicated to Cambridge, meaning it doesn’t take too long to complete. You are given the option to submit an additional, shorter Personal Statement; we recommend dedicating some time to writing this. The deadline for this is October 22nd, so ensure you have completed any work for it by then.
We hope this guide has offered you a better sense of when you should start working on your application. Early preparation is key to success, so don’t be afraid to start even earlier if you think it will benefit you.Â
As an example, students who work with UniAdmissions can begin their preparation with us as early as January, a year before applications are sent out! While this may seem too early, our success rates for applicants in both Oxbridge and Russell Group universities are more than triple the average! Of course, these success rates are also due to the comprehensive, industry-leading support that our students receive during their time with us, but the early start definitely helps them make the most of the support they have access to.Â
If you would like to join our cohort of 500+ students who have earned their offers at Oxford, Cambridge and more, book a free consultation today to speak with our friendly admissions team. Thank you for reading and good luck with your preparation!
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