Key dates
School admissions dates for England.
Apply for a secondary school place
Apply to your home council by 31 October. Rank schools in your true order of preference; it does not reduce your chances at the others.
For: Year 6 · Official guidance
UCAS equal consideration deadline (most courses)
Applications received by 18:00 UK time on the deadline are considered equally.
For: Year 13 · Official guidance
Apply for a Reception place
Apply to your home council (even for schools in another council area). You can name several schools in order of preference.
For: Nursery · Official guidance
Apply for a junior school place (only if your child is at a separate infant school)
Infant-to-junior transfer uses the same deadline and offer day as Reception.
For: Year 2 · Official guidance
Secondary national offer day
Offers arrive on 1 March (next working day if a weekend). Accept, join waiting lists, or appeal (appeal deadlines are set locally, at least 20 school days after offers).
For: Year 6 · Official guidance
Primary national offer day
Councils send primary offers on 16 April (next working day if it falls at a weekend). Accept your offer, and join waiting lists or appeal if needed.
For: Nursery · Official guidance
UCAS applications can be submitted
Research courses and open days in Year 12; applications can be submitted from 1 September.
For: Year 13 · Official guidance
UCAS deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses
18:00 UK time.
For: Year 13 · Official guidance
Apply for a secondary school place
Apply to your home council by 31 October. Rank schools in your true order of preference; it does not reduce your chances at the others.
For: Year 6 · Official guidance
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