University application deadlines: UK, Netherlands, Germany and Spain

University application deadlines in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain follow different calendars, and the dates that matter depend on the country, the level of study and sometimes your nationality. This guide collects the official dates for the current application cycle in one place, with a table per country, and explains how to plan backwards from them. Every date comes from the official source listed at the end of the page.

How to read the dates on this page

• The cycle is named in each table. For the UK and the Netherlands the dates are for courses starting in autumn 2027. For Germany they are for the summer semester 2027 and the winter semester 2027/28. For Spain, the dates are from the 2026 cycle, because the 2027 calendar had not been published when we last checked.
• National dates are the latest possible dates, not the only ones. Universities can set earlier deadlines for individual programmes, for master’s programmes, or for applicants who need a visa.
• Times and time zones matter. Where an official source gives a time, this page shows it with the time zone.
• Bachelor’s and master’s work differently. The national systems below are mostly for bachelor’s applications. Master’s deadlines are usually set by each university.

United Kingdom: UCAS, 2027 entry

Applications to full-time undergraduate courses go through UCAS. The early and main deadlines depend on the course, not on your nationality.

UCAS says every complete application, including the reference, that arrives by the equal consideration date will be considered. You can still apply after that date, but universities do not promise to give a late application equal consideration. The 15 October deadline is usually inflexible, but many universities keep accepting applications from international students after the January date, closer to the start of the course. If you apply through a school, it may set an internal deadline before the UCAS date to leave time for your reference.

For master’s courses the UCAS dates do not apply. Most postgraduate courses, including master's degrees, are applied for directly to the university, not through the UCAS undergraduate application.

How to apply, step by step: UCAS application for international students. Costs, visa and the education system: Study in the UK.

If you are applying to several countries at once, keeping every programme’s own deadline and document list in view is most of the work. Our university application help covers exactly that: we study the requirements of the programmes you choose, help you gather the information and documents, complete the applications with you and check them for errors before they go. We confirm the exact price before you pay.

Netherlands: Studielink, 2027-28

Most bachelor’s programmes take applications through Studielink, and the national dates below apply to all nationalities.

The national dates are general deadlines: the exact deadline can vary by institution and programme, so always check it with the institution (Study in NL). Some universities set an earlier date for applicants who need a visa or residence permit, for example:

• Example: the University of Amsterdam's advisory deadline for bachelor's applicants with international prior education is 1 April (final deadline 1 May); applicants who need a visa or UvA housing are urged to apply before 1 April.
• Example: at Leiden University, the bachelor's deadline is 1 April for applicants who need a student visa or residence permit (1 May for most other bachelor's programmes; 15 January for numerus fixus).

Master’s deadlines are set by each university and vary by programme. How to apply, step by step: Studielink application. Costs and the residence permit: Study in the Netherlands.

Germany: winter semester 2027/28 and summer semester 2027

In Germany, how you apply depends on the university: many use uni-assist for applicants with international certificates, others take applications directly, and each university sets its own deadlines.

If your university uses uni-assist, two more rules shape your timing. The uni-assist deadline is the university's deadline: the online form and all documents must be in your My assist account before it. Incomplete applications are not forwarded to the university. uni-assist usually sends the evaluation result 4 to 6 weeks after it receives the online application form. uni-assist recommends applying at least 8 weeks before the university's deadline, so there is time to add missing documents.

How to apply, step by step: uni-assist application and VPD. Costs, entrance qualifications and the visa: Study in Germany.

Spain: 2026 cycle (2027 dates not yet published)

UNEDasiss accreditation is a digital certificate issued by UNED that lets international students take part in admission to bachelor's degrees (grados) at most Spanish universities. Universities download it directly from the UNEDasiss platform. The PCE (Pruebas de Competencias Específicas) are subject exams organised by UNED for international students applying to bachelor's degrees in Spain. They test the knowledge expected in the final year of Spanish secondary school (2º de Bachillerato) and raise the admission grade. UNEDasiss says its online application window opens on 4 February and closes on 1 December each year. The table shows the other dates of the 2026 cycle, for courses that started in 2026/27. UNEDasiss had not published the 2027 calendar when we last checked; it appears on the UNEDasiss key dates page.

Not every Spanish university accepts UNEDasiss accreditation, and private universities set their own admission system. Check with the university before applying. Each university, or its regional admission system, also publishes its own application period, so check the university as well as UNEDasiss.

Students from outside the EU, or from countries without a specific access agreement with Spain, must have their school studies homologated to the Spanish Bachillerato. It is a required step for UNEDasiss accreditation. The official time limit for that procedure is 3 months, counted from a complete application, so it belongs at the very start of your plan. More on the steps: Study in Spain.

Planning backwards from your deadline

The deadline is the day your application has to be complete, not the day you start. Work back from the earliest date among your chosen programmes:

1. List your programmes and their own deadlines. Take each date from the programme page, not from a general article. Where a university has a separate date for applicants who need a visa, use that one.
2. Add the steps that take time and are not in your hands. In the UK, your referee has to submit the reference before you can send the application. In Germany, uni-assist recommends applying at least 8 weeks before the university's deadline, so there is time to add missing documents. In Spain, homologación and the PCE registration windows come before the university deadline.
3. Book language tests early. Results have to be ready before you apply, or before the date your university gives for sending them.
4. Leave time for documents. Translations, apostilles or legalisation, and new copies of certificates all take time, and how long depends on your country.
5. Think about what happens after the offer. Non-EU students need time for the visa or residence permit, and some steps can only start once you have been admitted.

On the last point, a few official time frames:

• UK: From outside the UK, the earliest you can apply is 6 months before your course starts.
• Netherlands: the university applies for the residence permit on your behalf, and the IND’s legal decision period is 60 days.
• Spain: apply for the student visa or stay authorisation at least 2 months before your classes start.
• Germany: processing times depend on the German embassy or consulate in your country, so check its website.

Prepared by the Wisemore editorial team · Last checked: 13 Oct 2026