The UCAS application deadline came and went on Wednesday 29 January 2025 with an almost audible sigh coming from students across the country as they completed their submissions in the nick of time. But what if, for whatever reason, you missed it?
By Cara Fielder. Published 27 January 2023. Last updated 18 March 2025.
Well not to worry, you don’t have to wait a whole year before trying again. There are still plenty of things you can do to try and secure a place at university for September. We’ve pulled together a few pointers on what you can do to make sure you don’t miss out on the perfect university place.
Don't Panic
As we all know, panicking isn’t going to help. Plus, you have plenty of time. So there’s no reason to frantically make rash decisions that you may regret later. Take some time to reassess the situation and get your head around what you’re going to do next.
Check with the universities
It could be that your top choices still have some vacancies, so it’s well worth your time giving their admission team a call and finding out if you’re in with a chance of getting a spot. Universities don’t actually stop accepting applications until 30 June, so find out from the admissions team if there are any places left and what you need to do to grab one.
Finish your application
It might seem like an obvious one, but if you’re still procrastinating over one or two bits of your application then it’s not going to matter whether there are spaces still available on a course. The sooner you make sure you’ve done everything that’s needed to get your application off, the sooner you can send it in. If you’re stuck on any part of your application, check out our guide on writing a successful UCAS application.
Get your UCAS Extra sorted
UCAS Extra gives you your second chance to apply. It opens on 26 February 2025 and you’re eligible if you have no offers from your five choices or have declined them all. This allows you to add us as your 6th choice. You can apply for as many courses as you’d like, but you can only submit one application at a time. Once you’ve spoken to universities and know which courses are available, be sure to prioritise which ones you want to apply for. And get in there early; the top picks go fast, with thousands of applicants securing places each year.
Beat the queues during Clearing
UCAS Clearing is predominantly used by students who don’t receive the A-level results they needed for their chosen course, or had a last minute change of heart about the university or course they want to study. Fortunately for those who missed the January application deadline, Clearing opens on 5 July, a full month before results day. This gives you plenty of time to get your Clearing applications in before the masses hit the phones in August.
The bottom line is that there’s no need to worry if you missed the submission deadline on 29 January. You’ve still got plenty of time and options available to you to get yourself a place on a course for September.
Find out more about how we can support your ambition with our undergraduate degrees.
