Applying to UK universities via UCAS: predicted grades and timing

This guide is for parents of international-school students who are thinking about UK universities. It starts with the UCAS dates and application steps for 2027 entry. It then covers the parts of grade reporting that cause confusion, and how universities in other countries use predicted grades. Everything below follows official guidance as of 29 October 2026. Dates and requirements change from year to year and differ by university, so always check the latest information from UCAS and the university before you apply.

UCAS dates for 2027 entry

According to UCAS, applications for 2027 entry can be started from 12 May 2026. They can be submitted from 1 September 2026.

There are two main deadlines, depending on the course.

• 15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time: Oxford, Cambridge, and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses
• 13 January 2027: most other courses. Applications in by this date get equal consideration.

As of 29 October 2026, the 15 October deadline has already passed. If you are considering those courses, check UCAS again for the next entry year's dates.

How many choices, and what offers look like

Students can apply to up to five courses. There are two kinds of offer.

1. Conditional offer: confirmed only if future results meet the conditions.
2. Unconditional offer: no results conditions attached.

Once offers arrive, the student replies with a firm choice and an insurance choice. The results conditions in a conditional offer differ by university and course, so read each course page yourself.

Two grade-reporting points that cause confusion

IGCSE: A*-G and 9-1

Cambridge's guide says IGCSE is graded on either A*-G or 9-1. The 9-1 scale was introduced by the UK government for GCSEs in English state schools. Most Cambridge schools surveyed preferred to keep the familiar A*-G. The two scales are aligned at three anchor points, and universities have said they treat them equally.

Maths and English are the exception worth noting. Some universities treat grade 4 as the equivalent of a C, and others treat grade 5 that way. Check the maths and English requirements of each course you are considering.

Tariff points: used by some universities only

UCAS explains that Tariff points turn qualifications and grades into a number, depending on the qualification's size and the grade achieved. Only some universities and courses state their entry requirements this way. Others list requirements per qualification, such as A Level grades (for example AAA) or an IB total. Qualifications with no Tariff value may still be accepted.

Predicted grades are used differently by country and university

The official UCAS notes I have do not explain who sets predicted grades or how. Please ask your school directly about that. For context, official guidance from universities elsewhere shows how differently predicted results can be treated.

• National University of Singapore (NUS): May 2027 IB candidates apply with predicted results attested by their school. The IB transcript must reach NUS by 6 July 2027.
• University of Hong Kong (HKU): applicants with international qualifications enter predicted and actual results in the system. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer; interviews, personal statements and references also count.
• University of British Columbia (UBC): for IB students, initial decisions use interim grades reported by the school. Final IB results then confirm the decision.
• Korea University, 2027 special admissions (Seoul campus): its admissions guide excluded predicted scores from the certified scores applicants could submit.

So one university accepts predicted results as part of an application and another does not. These are single examples from single years. Read the latest guide of each university you apply to.

Checklist

• I have checked whether my child's course falls under the October deadline or the 13 January deadline.
• I know that applications are limited to five choices, and I have a shortlist of courses.
• I have checked whether each course states requirements in Tariff points or per qualification.
• I have checked whether the IGCSE transcript uses A*-G or 9-1.
• I have checked, university by university, whether grade 4 or grade 5 is the benchmark in maths and English.
• Our family understands conditional versus unconditional offers, and the firm and insurance choices.
• I have checked the latest UCAS and university pages, because dates and requirements change from year to year.

Ask the school

• Who decides predicted grades, when, and on what basis? Can families see them in advance?
• How far ahead of the UCAS deadline are the school's internal deadlines for document requests and references?
• Will my child's IGCSE results be reported on A*-G or 9-1?
• If we also apply outside the UK, does that university accept school-attested predicted scores, and what documents does it need?
• What is the school's process for issuing transcripts and sending official results?