Check course requirements and application dates.
Before planning an application, check the official instructions for the exact course, your qualification and the year you want to start. One application can have several deadlines.
What to check before you apply
The course, campus and start year
Use the admissions page for the exact course and campus you want. The entry year is the year you intend to start studying. For example, an application closing in 2026 can be for a course starting in 2027: the application year and entry year are not necessarily the same.
In Accepted, start in Universities to find the university and programme. Use the official course page to confirm the campus and start year; the university name alone is not enough.
Requirements for your qualification
Check the requirements for the qualification you will apply with, including the subjects, subject levels and grades named. Requirements published for another qualification are not a substitute. Look for any additional conditions, such as a language test, portfolio or interview.
Use the programme information in Universities as a starting point. Open Details for further recorded information. Coverage varies by programme and qualification: missing information does not mean a requirement does not apply.
The application round and where to apply
A round is a period when applications are accepted, such as Early Action, Early Decision or Regular Decision. Check which round you will use and what its conditions mean. Check whether to apply through an application platform or directly to the institution.
Where Accepted holds round information, programme cards in Universities show an Application round selector. Read the date for your intended round, then confirm its conditions and application route in the official instructions. Not every programme has recorded round information.
The closing date, time and additional steps
Read the date with its year, closing time and time zone. Check whether a separate form, supporting documents or funding application has another deadline. Do not assume the main application deadline covers every step.
On Accepted’s Deadlines page, use Find a university to see the programme deadlines and additional university steps we hold. Read the cycle and any past-date or unconfirmed-date labels. This page is a starting point, not a complete list of everything your application requires. Check that the displayed dates apply to your intended entry year and round.
Instructions that are missing or unclear
If a requirement, closing time or application step is unclear, ask the admissions office to confirm it. Keep a link to the official instructions you used and recheck them before submission.
Where a programme has an application link, Apply on the university portal takes you to the recorded application page. Confirm the instructions there apply to your course, qualification, year and round. A verification date belongs to the programme record, not to every individual fact; a link or date alone does not guarantee the information is current.
Meeting published minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer.
Cambridge’s October undergraduate round: 2027 entry
This example has a main application deadline, a deadline for an additional form and a document deadline that applies only to some applicants.
This example uses Cambridge’s published instructions checked on 14 October 2026. The dates belong to the entry cycle shown; use the current official instructions for your own application.
UCAS application
(Europe/London)
UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is the university application service used for this application. Most applicants for Cambridge’s October round submit their UCAS application by this time, including the school reference.
Cambridge’s UCAS instructionsMy Cambridge Application
(Europe/London)
Most applicants complete this additional form after their UCAS application. Cambridge emails the link after receiving the UCAS application.
Cambridge’s additional-form instructionsTranscript — only if required
(Europe/London)
A transcript is an official academic record. My Cambridge Application tells you whether you need one. If you need one, upload it through My Cambridge Application before submitting the form. If you do not have it yet, do not delay submitting the form: follow Cambridge’s transcript instructions. Uploading it to UCAS alone does not meet Cambridge’s transcript requirement.
Cambridge’s transcript instructions
These dates describe the October undergraduate application round. Applicants for the Graduate Course in Medicine use a different form. Applicants using the January round for mature students or the Foundation Year route follow different instructions. Check the guidance for your course, entry year and application route.
A course may also require admissions tests, written work or other material. This example does not list every course-specific requirement.
Cambridge’s application dates and deadlines