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When to apply for a September 2027 start: the deadlines by country
In short: for a September 2027 start the first deadlines have already passed (Oxford, Cambridge and UK medicine on 15 October 2026). The next ones: Finland’s joint application 7 to 21 January 2027, the UK’s main UCAS date on 13 January, Sweden and Dutch capped programmes on 15 January, other Dutch programmes on 1 May, and Germany’s standard winter-semester date of 15 July (often earlier). Government scholarships close earlier still, from November to February.
6 deadlines still ahead, in date order
| Date | Country | What | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Oct 2026passed | United Kingdom | UCAS deadline (18:00 UK time) for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses, 2027 entry | UCAS read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 16 Oct 2026passed | Sweden | universityadmissions.se opens for the autumn 2027 first round (mainly international applicants) | University Admissions in Sweden read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 5 Nov 2026passed | Ireland | The 2027 CAO form opens (the route for Irish and EU school-leavers; most non-EU applicants apply to the university directly) | Our Ireland guide read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 7 Jan 2027 | Finland | Joint application for autumn 2027 programmes runs 7 to 21 January at Studyinfo.fi (some English-taught programmes have separate dates) | Study in Finland read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 13 Jan 2027 | United Kingdom | UCAS equal consideration deadline for most other undergraduate courses, 2027 entry | Our UK guide read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 15 Jan 2027 | Sweden | Application deadline, autumn 2027 first round; fee and documents by 1 February; results 1 April (master’s) and 8 April (bachelor’s) | University Admissions in Sweden read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 15 Jan 2027 | Netherlands | Studielink deadline (23:59 CET) for numerus fixus programmes; 1 May for other programmes. Check your institution: many set earlier dates for non-EU students | Study in NL read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 1 May 2027 | Netherlands | General Studielink deadline for programmes without a cap | Study in NL read 7 Nov 2026 |
| 15 Jul 2027 | Germany | Standard deadline for the winter semester, but many programmes close much earlier (31 May, 30 April, sometimes 15 December for competitive master’s): the programme page decides | Our Germany guide read 7 Nov 2026 |
Last checked: 7 Nov 2026. Dates marked "Our ... guide" come from that country guide's "When to apply" section, where each official source is listed. Universities and programmes often set earlier dates: the programme's own page decides.
What to do next
- Apply for scholarships first: scholarships closing in the next three months and those open to your nationality.
- Plan the visa after your offer: processing times and money to show.
- Want to start sooner? See January and spring 2027 intakes.
- Budget the year with the cost calculator.
Questions
When should I apply for a September 2027 start?
for a September 2027 start the first deadlines have already passed (Oxford, Cambridge and UK medicine on 15 October 2026). The next ones: Finland’s joint application 7 to 21 January 2027, the UK’s main UCAS date on 13 January, Sweden and Dutch capped programmes on 15 January, other Dutch programmes on 1 May, and Germany’s standard winter-semester date of 15 July (often earlier). Government scholarships close earlier still, from November to February.
Is it too late to apply for September 2027?
No. Most deadlines fall between January and July 2027. Only the UK’s October date for Oxford, Cambridge and medicine has passed, and many government scholarships close between November and February.
When do scholarship applications close?
Many government schemes close between November and February for study starting the next autumn. See scholarships closing in the next three months.