Academic Calendar

Intakes & Application Timelines in United Kingdom

Plan your application strategy with our guide to United Kingdom's university intake periods, application deadlines, and critical timelines for international students.

United Kingdom Academic Calendar

2026/27

Annual Intake Periods

September start (The main start month. Teaching for 2026/27 began on 28 September 2026 at Leeds and Birmingham.)

January start (Some master's courses start in January, such as Birmingham's and Coventry's MSc (master of science) Computer Science.)

UCAS main deadline

UCAS is the UK's online application website for bachelor's courses. The deadline is 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time, for most bachelor's courses starting in 2027.

Most UK courses start in September. Some master's courses also start in January.

Intake Periods

Intakes in the UK

The UK has one main start month, September, and a smaller one in January. Money on this page is in British pounds (£, GBP).

Main start month

September start

September

Key Information

Most bachelor's and master's courses start in September
Welcome week (first-week events for new students) came first. At Birmingham it ran from 21 to 25 September 2026

Application Period

Master's: dates differ; Imperial's rounds run from 30 September 2026 to 28 April 2027.

Bachelor's: apply through UCAS by 13 January 2027. Universities treat all applications made by then alike (equal consideration).

Some courses

January start

January

Key Information

Offered by some master's courses only
Birmingham MSc Computer Science starts in September or January

Application Period

Check the course page for its January dates.

Leave time for the visa

From outside the UK, you can apply for the visa 6 months before your course starts at the earliest, and within 6 months of getting your CAS. A decision usually comes within 3 weeks. Get your CAS and pay any deposit (a first payment) first.

Critical Timelines

Key Dates for a September 2027 Start

From application to arrival.

15 October 2026 (this date has passed)

UCAS early deadline

Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine courses starting in 2027.

13 January 2027

UCAS main deadline

Most other bachelor's courses.

28 April 2027

Imperial master's Round 4 closes

Imperial's last master's round for 2027 entry.

30 July 2027

Leeds international deadline

Leeds MSc Advanced Computer Science.

Up to 1 month before your course starts (if it lasts more than 6 months)

Arrive in the UK

Not before the start date on your visa.

Check your own course

Master's deadlines differ by university and course. These are examples.

Academic Structure

The UK Academic Year

Universities split the year into terms (three parts) or semesters (two parts). Here are two examples for 2026/27.

Three terms (University of Birmingham)

Birmingham's 2026/27 dates.

Key Dates

Welcome

21 to 25 September 2026

Autumn Term

28 September to 11 December 2026

Spring Term

11 January to 26 March 2027

Summer Term

26 April to 25 June 2027

Academic Structure

Three terms with breaks between them.

Two semesters (University of Leeds)

Leeds teaching dates for 2026/27. Spring start dates may differ by department.

Key Dates

Autumn semester teaching

28 September to 11 December 2026

Autumn semester exams

11 to 22 January 2027

Spring semester teaching

25 January to 7 May 2027

Spring semester exams

17 May to 4 June 2027

Academic Structure

Two semesters, each with exams at the end.

Arrive before welcome week

If your course lasts more than 6 months, you can arrive up to 1 month before it starts.

Application Planning

Bachelor's and Master's Compared

How the two routes differ.

Application Process	Undergraduate Students	Graduate Students
Where you apply	UCAS	Straight to the university
Main deadline	13 January 2027	Set by each university, often in rounds
Application fee	UCAS: £34.50 for 2027-28 entry	Some universities, such as Imperial: £90 for an online application