The UCAS Equal Consideration Deadline is fast approaching!

It really isn't too late to sort out your university application in time for the equal consideration deadline on the 14th January.

Meeting the equal consideration deadline is important. Every application received in this year's cycle is considered equally, whether it was completed way back in September 2025 up until 6pm on 14th January 2026. If you fail to meet the 14th January deadline, then some courses will no longer have spaces.

Earlier is no better!

Families often worry and push to submit an application early in the autumn term. In spite of reassuring them that every application is considered equally up until 14th January, families can find this hard to understand. Additional pressure builds as friends begin to receive offers during the autumn term. They are terrified that their preferred universities will run out of spaces.

Admissions departments have data and experience.

Universities have decades of experience in how the application cycle works and most use sophisticated algorithms to make offers from September onwards in such a way that when a rush of applications comes in in early January, as it does every year, they still have places to offer.

Don’t forget the work-load of the referee.

Of course, it's always nice to get the UCAS application off the desk before Christmas, leaving time for revision, supra-curricular work, or even relaxation and family time. It is also far kinder to a school to have completed all UCAS applications before the Christmas break because the burden of completing references and predicted grades cannot be under-estimated. Of course it's preferable to leave January UCAS-free. But there are always candidates who leave their UCAS application until the very last minute, and at least this means there is good evidence to support predicted grades.

When is the deadline?

6pm on 14th January 2026 is the equal consideration deadline. This means that the whole application must have been submitted, including predicted grades and the reference. A candidate cannot leave their side of the application until this very last minute, because the centre must add in their side, the predicted grades and reference, before pressing the final button before 6pm.

There is still time!

Between now and 14th January there is time to put together a last-minute application. It may take a few iterations to answer the three Personal Statement questions as well as possible, but it can be done. It really is worth meeting the 14th January deadline because after this date although there will still be many vacancies, other high demand courses at popular institutions will be full.

Contact us for support - +44 303 003 2259

At Education Advisers, we have a wealth of experience in supporting UCAS candidates, even in the final days before the equal consideration deadline. We'd love to hear from you if you need a helping hand.