The UK is home to the biggest population, spectacular scenery and a variety of best universities. The UK appeals to the maximum amount of overseas students across the country. Academic institutions in the UK have regularly held the highest positions of the world’s university rankings. The universities in the UK have their admission intakes throughout the year varying as per the courses and admission requirements. If you are planning to study in the UK and are looking for the right admission intakes, we are here to help you. Scroll this blog to know all about intakes in UK, when to apply for top UK universities and colleges and more!
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Intakes in UK
Two types of intakes are commonly followed by UK Universities:
- Intake in January to February
- Intake in September to October
- Additional Intake in April/May for select courses
Students who skip the September admissions can qualify for the January Intakes in the UK. Some might say that perhaps the September admissions in the UK is higher than January in terms of the total quantity of programs available. However, there isn’t much comparison between the two as they start off January is equal to the number of successful courses that provides an opportunity for students to choose from. There is also another intake called the May admissions in the UK which you can take upon.
If you skipped the September intake, you can look forward to another January intake as the January Intakes in the UK requirements grant you more time to focus on your applications so that you can fill in the gaps, if there is any.
Check out our Study in UK Success Stories!
How Many Intakes are there in UK?
There are two major intakes in UK, i.e. January/February and September. Apart from these two major intakes, some universities in the UK also offer April/May (summer) intake. Here are the admission months for UK universities:
Intake in UK | Admissions |
January/February Intake | June and September |
September Intake | February and May |
April/May Intake | January – February (Applications may open by October-November) |
Know everything about the Spring vs Winter vs Fall vs Summer Intakes!
January/February Intake in UK
The intake from January to February is a supplementary one in terms of admission cycles in the UK. Not as many classes are offered at the beginning of January Intake relative to the September admission cycle, but this admission period provides an incentive for candidates who have skipped entry in the main admission cycles in the UK. It allows students extra time to focus on their submissions. The deadline for submissions will be between June and September and will vary from course to course and from institution to institution. Here are the January/February Intake Universities in UK 2022:
- Queen Mary University of London
- Coventry University
- University of Liverpool
- University of Exeter
- Aston University
- Brunel University
- Bangor University
- Birmingham City University
- Brunel University
- Edge Hill University
- Kingston University
- Northumbria University
- University of Chester
- University of Greenwich
- University of Sunderland
- Anglia Ruskin University
- Birkbeck University of London
- City University of London
- De Montfort University
- Keele University
- Oxford Brookes University
- University of Brighton
- University of Lincoln
- University of South Wales
- University of Essex
To know more, check out our detailed blog on the January Intake Universities in UK!
September Intake in UK
The largest Intakes in the UK is in September and October. It is sometimes considered the Fall intake of fall in the United Kingdom. Many colleges in the UK offer all classes at the beginning of September. The deadline for applications to be submitted in September would be between February and May of the academic year. However, this will always vary based on courses and shifts from institution to institution concerning admissions in the UK. Students should review the specifics of the respective institution. Here are the top universities for UK September Intake:
- Queen Mary University of London
- Coventry University
- University of Liverpool
- University of Exeter
- Aston University
- Brunel University
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- Kings College London
- Birmingham City University
- Bucks New University
- University of Central Lancashire
- University of Reading
- University of Hertfordshire
- University of Surrey
- University of Derby
- University of Westminster
- University of Wolverhampton
- Keele University
- University of Leeds
- Kingston University
- London Metropolitan University
- University of Bradford
- Swansea University
- University of Sussex
- University of York
- Bournemouth University
- Kingston University
- Cranfield University
- Goldsmiths University of London
- City, University of London
- University of Essex
- Hartpury University
- Durham University
Know the Difference Between September and January Intake in the UK in our detailed guide!
May Intake Universities in UK
April/May intakes in UK is the least preferred admission session. It is offered by a few universities/colleges with the least options of courses. The students prefer to take a spring break, so a lot of universities do not offer this intake. The pool of applicants is very small during the May admissions which is also called the Spring Intake. But the competition for this admission cycle is the least intense as there is an enhanced chance of getting an offer. Here are April/May Intake Universities in UK 2022:
- Coventry University
- Northumbria University
- Queen Mary University of London
- Keele University
- Ulster University
- University of Chester
- Sheffield Hallam University
- West of Scotland University
- Salford University
Explore the Difference Between January and May Intake in UK in our detailed blog!
Important UCAS Deadlines
All applications for undergraduate programmes are overseen by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the United Kingdom (UCAS). The UCAS deadlines for the UK intakes of 2022 are shown below, however, these are the essential dates to remember when contacting your preferred university.
Date | Note |
15 October 2021 | for all the courses at Cambridge and Oxford and most medicine, and dentistry veterinary medicine courses at all other institutions |
15 January 2022 | for all other undergraduate courses for EU students |
30 June 2022 | for all other undergraduate courses for international students |
Note: After specific deadlines, several UK universities will accept overseas applications. If you are late, check with your university.
MBA Intakes in UK
If you are applying for MBA in the UK, then you need to apply during April/May admissions in the UK. The MBA admissions are open from April and May to around September. Here are the top business schools for MBA or top MBA colleges in UK admissions in the UK in April/May:
- London Business School
- Booth School of Business, The University of Chicago
- Said School of Business, University of Oxford
- Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London
- University of Cambridge, Judge Business School
- Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
- Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester
- University of Edinburgh Business School, The University of Edinburgh
- The Business School (formerly Cass), CITY, University of London
- Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University
- School of Business and Management– Queen Mary University of London
- School of Management – Anglia Ruskin University
- Lancaster University Management School
- Business School – Coventry University
- Cardiff Business School – Cardiff University
- University of Strathclyde Business School
- Leeds University Business School – University of Leeds
- Durham University Business School, Durham University
- Aston Business School, Aston University
- Nottingham University Business School, Nottingham Trent University
- Bath School of Management, University of Bath
- Brunel Business School, Brunel University London
- Exeter Business School, University of Exeter
- Adam Smith School of Economics and Finance, University of Glasgow
Note: Apart from April and May, these business schools for MBA in UK are also open till June as well as for January and September intakes in the UK.
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PhD Intakes in UK
When it comes to PhD in the UK, there are no such fixed intakes as all universities have rolling admissions and stay open for applications from PhD scholars throughout the year. So, you can apply for PhD throughout any of the three intakes or as per the specific admission dates for your chosen university.
Intakes for Masters in UK
Out of the three major intakes in the UK, the January and September admissions in UK are mainly for Masters while there are a few May intakes universities in the UK that also take masters applications. The best intake in the UK for masters is in either January or September since most of the popular universities are open for admissions and you can apply to more than 5 universities, thus keeping your options open.
How to Apply to Universities in UK?
International students applying to UK universities must follow a well-researched guide before starting their application process:
Step-1: Shortlist Courses and Universities
The primary step in the application process is to shortlist courses and universities according to your academic profile and preference. Students can shortlist courses and universities through AI-Course Finder and generate a list of universities where they are most likely to get through and plan their application process.
Step-2: Know Your Deadlines
The next step is to know the exact deadlines of universities and colleges in the UK you are planning to apply to. International students have to take the application process well in advance (one year to 6 months before the actual deadline). This ensures that students can fulfil all the college requirements such as SOP, letters of recommendation, English proficiency tests, funding/scholarship options and accommodation.
Step-3: Take Entrance Tests
The third step in the application process for UK universities requires students to take tests like IELTS/TOEFL/PTE or GRE/GMAT/LNAT/BMAT/MAT (in some courses). In some universities, students can be given submit scores for SAT or ACT exams. A new addition to English proficiency tests is the Duolingo Test which allows students to appear for the exam from the comfort of their homes and is accepted across the world.
Here are the IELTS and GMAT Scores to Study in UK!
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Step-4: Compile Your Documents
The next step is to compile all the required documents and test scores for the application process. This means students should start writing their SOPs, getting letters of recommendation from teachers and supervisors and arranging their financial statements along with other documents like tests scorecards. With the COVID-19 pandemic, students must download their vaccine certificates and specify the administered vaccine for the application.
Step-5: Get Started with Application
Once you have all the documents in place, students can start the application process either directly or through UCAS. Students applying to UK universities that accept direct applications can start by applying through the official university website. They have to select the courses, pay the application fees and start the online application process.
Which UK Intake to Choose?
Students who are unable to attend the September admissions may apply for the January intake. Some may claim that the September intake is superior and more preferable than the January intake in terms of course volume. Of course, it is most desired among all the intakes in the UK, however, certain universities offer excellent courses for the January intake as well. You can choose which intake to take based on the following criteria:
- Your desired course’s availability
- The amount of time required to prepare your documents
- As per your convenience
- Your academic records
- Your Entrance exam scores
- Acceptance rates of the university
- Job opportunities available
- Your readiness to join the university
The September intake is preferred by the majority of overseas students. Some of the courses, however, are best taken in January or May. If you don’t have your scorecards ready, bypass the rush and apply for the next intake instead.
You may arrange a free counselling session with one of our expert counsellors to help you make an educated choice about available intakes, course selection, application submission, visa procedures and a lot more.
FAQs
In the United Kingdom, there are two primary intakes: September/October and January/February. A few universities in the United Kingdom provide April/May intake for a few programmes.
It’s never too late to submit an application. For overseas students, January admission is accessible at the majority of UK universities, colleges, and schools. Don’t wait any longer and contact the experts and counsellors at Leverage Edu at 1800572000 for additional information and help!
The last date to apply for the September 2022 intake in UK on UCAS would be around July 4, 2022.
No, it is not. The UK universities and colleges don’t have any June intake as such. There is a summer intake in UK which is also known as the April/May intake.
Yes! The UK definitely has a winter intake, which is the second-largest intake in UK after the fall intake. The winter intake is also known as the January/February intake.
This was all about the Intakes in the UK. Wondering which intake to apply for? If you are still not when to apply to the UK, contact our Leverage Edu experts on 1800572000 and allow them to equip you with the best guidance to successfully land at your dream university! Book your first free 30-minutes of counselling session with us right now!