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It isn’t necessarily game over yet.
It isn’t necessarily game over yet. Photograph: Alamy
It isn’t necessarily game over yet. Photograph: Alamy

Missed the Ucas application deadline? All is not lost

This article is more than 7 years old

The 6pm deadline is Sunday 15 January for students to submit their application. But there are a few options left if you miss it ...

The deadline for Ucas applications is 6pm on Sunday 15 January. But if you miss it – be it due to indecision, delayed references or technological problems – don’t worry: there’s still time to land a place. Here are your other options:

Submit a late application

Ucas will process late applications received after 6pm on Sunday 15 January – up until the end of June, in fact. But there are no guarantees universities will give equal consideration to your application.

So while you’ll probably lose out on a place on a competitive course which receives more applications than places available, other courses may still consider you. Waste no time in contacting universities directly to find out if they will accept you.

There’s always Clearing

Ucas Clearing, mainly used by those who miss out on places on exam results day, is also a route to university for those who missed the January deadline.

From July to September, universities across the UK will be taking applications to courses with leftover vacancies. Places are awarded on a first come, first served basis, and you can get in early if you’re not waiting on your results. 14,900 students applied directly to Clearing and found a place last year.

No offers?

The Ucas Extra scheme opens in February for applicants who have either received no offers after applying, or have turned them all down. You can apply for as many courses as you like via Ucas Extra – but only one at a time, so prioritise your choices. According to Ucas, around 7,500 applicants were successfully accepted onto a course this way last year.

More on university admissions...

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