Applying to UK universities from abroad

Is the application different for international students?

For most undergraduate courses, no. You apply through UCAS, with the same form, the same five choices and the same personal statement as somebody at a school in the UK, and the personal statement guide applies to you just as much. You need one reference, which UCAS says has to be written in English by your referee in the reference section of the application, and if your referee is one of your teachers they can add your predicted grades.

Predicted grades are the part that catches people out. UCAS notes that many school systems outside the UK do not normally predict grades, so advisers there may need to help referees produce them. It is worth raising this with your school in the spring before you apply, and the predicted grades guide explains how universities use them.

Universities publish what they accept from each country on their own pages, usually as an equivalent of A levels, and a school-leaving certificate on its own is not always enough. Cambridge and LSE both say that a US High School Diploma by itself is not sufficient for entry, for example. The IB guide and the guide for US qualifications cover two of the most common routes in detail.

What are the deadlines for 2027 entry?

They are the same for everybody, wherever you live. Applications to Oxford, Cambridge and courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science are due by 6pm UK time on 15 October 2026. For most other courses the date is 6pm UK time on 13 January 2027, which UCAS calls the equal consideration deadline: universities have to consider every application received by then on the same basis, and they need not consider later ones, although they may if places are left. The course listing on UCAS shows which date applies.

Both times are UK time, so work out what that means where you are, and leave time for your referee, who has to add the reference before you can send the application. The UCAS timeline guide goes through the rest of the year, from offers to results.

Who decides whether you pay home or international fees?

The university does. Tuition fees are set by each university, and international students are usually charged a different rate from home students, but which rate you pay is decided by the university by applying the government’s fees regulations. UKCISA, the UK Council for International Student Affairs, explains them: the regulations list the categories of student who can insist on the home rate, you need to fit only one category but must meet every requirement in it, and some categories ask that you have been ordinarily resident in a particular area for three years before the course starts. The rules differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so read the part for where you would study.

The university may ask about you and your family and for documents such as a passport or official letters. If you think it has made a mistake, UKCISA’s advice is not to sign anything agreeing to pay the overseas rate, to contact the university straight away and ask for an explanation, and to do it in writing and keep copies.

English and the Student visa

Every university sets its own English requirement, and it often differs between courses at the same university, so the course page is the one to check. Students from some countries, or who already have certain qualifications taught in English, do not need a test; the English tests guide explains which tests universities accept and who is exempt.

If you need a visa, which GOV.UK’s visa checker tells you, the route for a degree is the Student visa, and GOV.UK is the place to read its rules. It says you need an unconditional offer of a place from a licensed student sponsor, after which the university sends you a reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS); you must apply within six months of receiving it, and from outside the UK the earliest you can apply is six months before the course starts. You also need enough money to support yourself and pay for the course, and English equivalent to CEFR level B2 for degree-level study, which the university can assess itself, and GOV.UK says that if you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme you do not need to apply for a visa.