The UCAS application step by step

You apply through UCAS. Medicine, dentistry and veterinary applications, and all Oxford and Cambridge applications, have an earlier deadline in mid-October (6pm UK time) for entry in the following September. Most other courses close in January.

• You can apply to up to four medicine courses, plus one other subject as a fifth choice.
• You write one application with one reference. The same application is sent to every choice.
• UCAS has changed the personal statement for recent entry years into guided questions rather than one free-text essay. Check the current format on the UCAS site before you write.
• Your school or college submits your reference, including predicted grades.
• The application fee is modest; fee waivers are available in some circumstances.

Choosing your four schools

• Compare how each school uses the UCAT, grades and interview.
• Look at teaching style: problem-based, integrated, or traditional.
• Check selection of graduates, resits and widening-participation routes.
• Think about cost of living and where you want to train: many students stay in the region they study.

This page is general education, reviewed 24 October 2026. Rules, fees and dates change: always confirm with the official sources below. It is not medical, legal or immigration advice.