UCAS2025 the timeline of the English application
UCAS is an abbreviation for Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. Applications for full-time undergraduate courses, some foundation programmes, HND and DipHE programmes at all UK universities and most higher education institutions must be made through UCAS.
The 2024 season has not yet ended, and UCAS has announced the 2025 English application timeline!
Timeline for the 2025 class of English applications
April 30, 2024
UCAS search tool更新2025课程。
You can check out the 25 seasons of courses available.
May 7, 2024
Adviser Portal上线。
May 14, 2024
UCAS registration for 2025 entry is open, and you can start filling in application information, etc., but you can't submit it yet.
July 10, 2024
UCAS Conservatoires.
September 3, 2024
In 2025, the UK undergraduate application channel will open and UCAS will start accepting full applications.
October 2, 2024
The deadline for applications for music majors in music colleges and universities is closed. Applications for music for 2025 entry must be submitted by 18:00 (UK time) on the same day.
October 15, 2024
Applications are closed for all courses at Oxford and Cambridge universities, as well as most of the medical, veterinary, dentistry, etc., and these applications need to be submitted to UCAS by 18:00 (UK time) on 15 October. Letters of recommendation must be completed before submitting an application.
January 29, 2025
The deadline for applying for undergraduate courses at most UK universities. Submissions to UCAS are required by 18:00 (UK time) on 29 January. Letters of recommendation must be completed before submitting an application.
February 26, 2025
Extra is open. All students who have not received or rejected all the offers can apply for an offer, and only one application can be made at a time.
June 30, 2025
After 18:00 UK time, all regular university applications submitted to UCAS will be automatically transferred to Clearing.
July 4, 2025
Deadline for Extra application.
July 5, 2025
Clearing is open. If you still do not receive the offer and there are still vacancies in the target major, you can apply for a supplementary admission.
By comparing to the 2024 application season, there are a few things to note:
1. Multiple dates are 2 days in advance, e.g. UCAS search tool opens for 2025 undergraduate courses (April 30), English application deadline (September 3), and application deadline for regular batch applicants (January 29).
2. The deadline for Oxbridge applications has been reverted to October 15 of previous years.
3. The deadline for Extra application will remain on July 4, and the deadline for Clearing will remain open on July 5.
4. Application fee increase: In 2025, the application fee has been increased slightly, from £27.5 to £28.5.
The popularity of English applications continues unabated
According to the data, the number of applicants for the 2023-2024 application season totaled 594,940, a decrease of 1,650 compared to the 596,590 UCAS applicants in the same period last year.
However, the decline in the number of applicants was mainly for UK and EU students, while the number of international applicants continued to show an upward trend of 820, or 0.7%, to 115,730 compared to last year.
Chinese mainland filed a total of 28,620 applicants, up 910 compared to last year, accounting for 29.7% of all non-EU international applicants. This is also the first time that the number of applicants from Chinese mainland has risen to the level of applications in 2022 after the first decline last year.
Chinese students are still the main force of international students
Art & Design majors have seen an increase in the number of applicants
The top five popular majors for Chinese students to apply for in 2023 are: Business and Management, Creative Arts and Design, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Mathematics.
Art and design, surpassing the social sciences, rose to the second place in the popular major.
According to the data, the proportion of Chinese students applying for business and management in 2013 was 43%, and it will drop to 26% in 2023. However, the number of applicants for creative arts and design has more than doubled in 10 years, from 4% in 2013 to 11% in 2023.
A popular college for art students
According to UCAS data, the top five universities that Chinese students choose to apply to when applying for art subjects are: University of the Arts London, Kingston University, University of Westminster, University of Edinburgh, and University of Southampton.
01
University of the Arts London
The University of the Arts London has been ranked No. 2 in the world in the QS World University Rankings for Art and Design for five consecutive years. It is made up of six world-renowned art and design schools – Camberwell College of Art, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Art, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Art – and encompasses all disciplines in art, design, fashion, film and television, acting, mass media and journalism.
02
Kingston University
Kingston University is a century-old comprehensive university located in Kingston Town, southwest of the city of London, England, founded in 1899. Some of the well-known alumni include Glenda Bailey, former editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, Simon Kneen, former creative director of Banana Republic, British artist Fiona Banner, and Chinese singer Eason Chan. The most famous is the art and design major, and the advantages of the major include graphic design, interior design, fashion fabric design and illustration and animation.
03
University of Westminster
Founded in 1838, the University of Westminster has a long history of nearly 200 years and is a British public comprehensive research university. The School of Media, Art and Design (MIT) has played an important role in media education in Europe and around the world, producing generations of outstanding journalists, directors, photographers, fashion designers, artists and media professionals for the media, art and design industry. It has always been known for its media and creativity, ranking 16th in the world for fashion, 4th in the UK, 7th in the UK for art, and one of the top 100 in the world for media majors.
04
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is located in the city of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. There are three graduate schools: the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Edinburgh College of Art is also one of the largest and oldest art schools in Europe, with a comprehensive range of art and design courses, including film, illustration, fashion, architecture, and landscape. And after being incorporated into the University, it also added disciplines such as music, curation, art history, and sound art, which perfectly matched the learning needs of each art student.
05
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton, located in Southampton, Hampshire, England, where the Titanic set sail, the Winchester College of Art, as a top art school with a long history, attaches great importance to inspiring students' artistic inspiration. Strong majors include Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Marketing, Fine Art, and Games Design. Taking the fashion design major as an example, the college holds a graduate fashion show for the students of this major every year, and the students' graduation works are unveiled at London Fashion Week all year round, and these graduation shows have always been the focus of attention in the British fashion industry.
The number of Chinese students applying to these institutions is relatively large, but it also shows that these institutions are excellent choices for art students in terms of faculty, professional level, atmosphere, and prestige. Choosing the right school and choosing the right major is also very important for the future development of an art student.
English applicants: Advice on time planning
2022 RECRUIT /
January-May
Initially choose a school and choose a major to prepare for the A-Level exam.
On May 14, the UCAS application system will be opened
June-September
Confirm the first draft of the essay and make the final school selection adjustment.
On September 3, UCAS UK opens for submission
October-December
Complete the portfolio project and typesetting work, finalize the essay, meet the required language scores, and submit the application.
The deadline for Oxbridge applications is October 15.
January-February 25
Pay attention to the admission results of colleges and universities in a timely manner and reply.
January 29 UK UCAS application deadline.
April-July 25
Pay the deposit, register for school, complete the medical examination and dormitory application, etc.
July-August 25
Complete the visa process, purchase the air ticket, and prepare for the trip.