How Many Intakes Are There in UK? September, January and May 2027

  • Last Updated on: October 15, 2026 by
  • Shiva Sai Bejawada
How Many intakes are there in UK
Intakes in UK

How many intakes are there in UK universities? Three main ones: September, January and May. September is the largest, and May runs on selected courses only. For 2027 entry, most courses on UCAS (the UK’s central application service for bachelor’s degrees) start in September or October, and a few start between January and July. Most families worry that missing September costs a whole year. It usually doesn’t. In the year ending June 2026, about 4 in 10 Student visas issued to Indian students came between October and June, outside the July to September rush. A January start is common. The 2027 deadlines for each intake come next, then a table that matches your profile to one.

Written by
Shiva Sai Bejawada
Senior Counsellor (British Council Certified) -UK & Ireland
Shiva Sai Bejawada is a British Council Certified overseas-education counsellor at AOEC India who guides Indian students through UK and Ireland university selection, admissions, and student visa documentation.
6 Years, 96% visa approval rate
Reviewed by
Sridhar Kongara
Managing Director
Mr. Kongara Sridhar, Director of AOEC India, has over 12 years of experience in overseas education consulting, admissions, and student visa guidance.
Over 12 years Experience

Key Takeaways

  • Missed September 2026? January 2027 international deadlines run from 30 October 2026 to 4 January 2027 by course, and visa funds rise to GBP 1,570 a month in London (approx. INR 1.99 lakh) from 30 November.
  • Want a funded September 2027 master’s? The Commonwealth Master’s deadline is 20 October 2026; Chevening has closed for 2027-28.
  • Class 12 student? Your UCAS deadline is 13 January 2027, or 15 October 2026 for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine.
  • Need a January scholarship? Birmingham’s GBP 5,000 (approx. INR 6.35 lakh) discount needs an unconditional offer accepted by 7 December 2026. That is not its application deadline.
  • Need more time or a top-up degree? May 2027 runs on selected courses, such as Teesside’s 17 May 2027 master’s start.
Table of Contents
Three Main UK Intakes, and More at Some Universities Scroll here ↓ September 2027 Intake: UCAS Dates and Funded Scholarships Scroll here ↓ January 2027 Intake: Universities and International Deadlines Scroll here ↓ May 2027 Intake: Selected Courses Only Scroll here ↓ Which UK Intake to Choose for 2027 Scroll here ↓ Frequently Asked Questions Scroll here ↓

Three Main UK Intakes, and More at Some Universities

No national body fixes the number of UK intakes, so three is the usual count, not a rule. For 2026-27 entry, Coventry offers up to six postgraduate start months on some courses, from September through to July, so the count depends on the university, not the country.

IntakeStart monthsWhich coursesHow you apply
SeptemberSeptember to OctoberMost courses, all levelsUCAS for a bachelor’s; direct to the university for a master’s
JanuaryJanuary to FebruarySelected courses, mainly master’sDirect to the university, often with an earlier international deadline
MayApril, May or JuneSelected master’s and top-up courses at a few universitiesDirect to the university

January isn’t only for newer universities: Birmingham, Exeter and Liverpool, all members of the Russell Group (a group of research-intensive UK universities), run January 2027 starts. Visa rules follow the date you apply, not the month you start. For the wider picture, see our guide to studying in the UK.

Indian students use January far more than most. In the single quarter from January to March 2026, nearly half (45.1%) of all UK Student visas issued went to Indian students: 14,494 of 32,113. That makes January a mainstream route for you.

Fewer students apply for January and May than for September, so these intakes are usually less crowded, but don’t expect lower entry requirements. January course lists usually lean towards business and management, computing and data science, and finance.

September 2027 Intake: UCAS Dates and Funded Scholarships

September 2027 is the intake for a bachelor’s degree or a government-funded master’s. For September 2027 entry, the UCAS equal-consideration deadline (the date by which every application gets the same fair review) is 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time, for most undergraduate courses. That date, not September, is the real deadline for a Class 12 student.

Oxford, Cambridge or medicine on your list? Your date is earlier. For September 2027 entry, the date for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses is 15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time. After that date, these courses rarely consider a late application, so ask the university whether it still has vacancies. The 13 January date still covers most other courses.

Bachelor’s places at universities such as Warwick, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol go through the same UCAS form, and our guide to the UCAS application process for Indian students walks through it. UCAS still accepts late applications until 30 June 2027; after that they go straight into Clearing (the UCAS system that matches applicants to places still unfilled).

A bachelor’s that starts outside September is rare, but a few exist:

  • The University of Lancashire (formerly UCLan) starts business BA degrees, such as International Business, in January 2027 (apply by 30 November 2026).
  • Greenwich has January starts at undergraduate level.

Master’s applications skip UCAS and go to each university directly. For September 2027 entry, Exeter opened master’s applications on 28 September 2026. At the late end, Loughborough takes international master’s applications for its 20 September 2027 start until 23 August 2027, but that late you will need a priority visa application. Our September intake in UK guide has the month-by-month plan.

Both main UK government scholarships fund September or October 2027 starts only. Chevening has closed for 2027-28. For 2027-28, Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships close at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 20 October 2026. You apply through a nominating body, which may set its own closing date; in India the main one is the Ministry of Education. The Ministry sends its nominations by December 2026, and results follow by July 2027. If a government award is your plan, September is your intake. University awards sit in our list of scholarships to study in UK for Indian students.

January 2027 Intake: Universities and International Deadlines

Most applicants assume January leaves them until December to apply. For Indian students it often doesn’t: of the deadlines below, one falls on 30 October 2026 and six fall in November.

  • Birmingham closes its Computer Science MSc on 30 October 2026 for international students who need a visa.
  • Portsmouth closes to new applicants from India on 9 November 2026 (London campus) and 30 November 2026 (Portsmouth campus).
  • Birmingham City University closes on 18 November 2026 for applicants who live in India.
  • The University of Lancashire closes January 2027 international applications on 30 November 2026.
  • Northumbria wants postgraduate applications by 30 November 2026, but its January nursing courses are closed to overseas applicants.
  • Loughborough University London closes on 14 December 2026 for international applicants, against 25 January 2027 for UK students.
  • Liverpool’s January starts close on 18 December 2026 for most international applicants, and two engineering and science programmes close on 30 November.
  • Exeter sets one date for everyone: 23:59 on 4 January 2027.

Strathclyde (more than 50 master’s), Manchester Metropolitan (19 postgraduate courses), Aston, and Greenwich for bachelor’s and master’s, run January 2027 starts, and our January intake in UK guide has the full deadline table.

January has its own scholarships, closing before Christmas. For the January 2027 intake, Exeter’s January Excellence Scholarship takes GBP 3,000, 5,000 or 10,000 off first-year tuition on ten named MSc programmes, closing on 26 November 2026. Birmingham’s High Fliers award is an automatic GBP 5,000 discount for self-funded master’s students on named January 2027 programmes. To get it, accept an unconditional offer (a final offer with no conditions left to meet) by 7 December 2026; that is an acceptance date, not an application deadline. Loughborough London gives GBP 5,000 to every international student starting in January 2027. All three need an offer first, so apply well before them.

Parents, the bank balance the visa asks for goes up on 30 November. For applications made before 30 November 2026, the visa needs GBP 1,529 a month in London or GBP 1,171 outside, for up to 9 months. For applications made on or after 30 November 2026, that rises to GBP 1,570 and GBP 1,203 under new Home Office rules. Most January visa applications come after that date, so budget the higher figure; our guide to UK student visa proof of funds explains how to show it.

May 2027 Intake: Selected Courses Only

Picture a diploma holder who needs a top-up degree (a course that turns a diploma into a full bachelor’s), or a graduate whose savings won’t be ready until spring. May 2027 suits both, on a short list of courses:

  • For the May 2027 intake, Teesside starts its one-year master’s on 17 May 2027. Its final date for meeting offer conditions and showing funds isn’t set yet.
  • Northumbria London runs May starts on 18 of its 38 courses, mostly MSc courses with a work placement, plus one top-up degree.
  • The University of East London runs May starts on selected master’s courses in three departments, with the same content and degree as its September courses.
  • Hertfordshire starts its MSc International Business on 11 May 2027.

The catch: May runs on few courses, and neither Chevening nor the Commonwealth awards cover it. If you can’t study without a scholarship, wait for September. The full list is in May intake universities in UK.

Which UK Intake to Choose for 2027

How many intakes are there in UK universities that suit your profile? Usually just one. Find the row that describes you and work back from its deadline.

Your situationBest intakeDeadline to hit (2027 cycle)Do this now
Class 12 student applying for a bachelor’sSeptember 202713 Jan 2027, 18:00 UK time (UCAS)Finish your UCAS form and personal statement
Aiming for Oxford, Cambridge or medicineSeptember 202715 Oct 2026, 18:00 UK time (UCAS)Submit by that time; after it, ask the university about vacancies
Final-year graduate wanting a government-funded master’sSeptember 2027Commonwealth Master’s: 16:00 UK time, 20 Oct 2026 (Chevening has closed for 2027-28)Before 20 Oct, check the Ministry of Education’s own closing date; after it, look at university awards
Graduate who missed September 2026, self-fundedJanuary 202730 Oct 2026 to 4 Jan 2027, by course (international)Apply now; hold GBP 1,570 a month in London (approx. INR 1.99 lakh)
Working professional serving a notice periodJanuary 202730 Oct 2026 to 4 Jan 2027, by course (international)Apply now; resign once your unconditional offer arrives
Self-funded master’s applicant who needs a tuition discountJanuary 2027Scholarship dates, not course application dates: Exeter 26 Nov 2026; Birmingham offer accepted by 7 Dec 2026Apply now so the offer arrives first; Birmingham’s award is GBP 5,000 (approx. INR 6.35 lakh)
Graduate who needs more time to save fundsMay 2027Conditions date not yet set (start 17 May 2027)Shortlist May courses and start saving for the 28-day funds check

Most students start shortlisting 6 to 14 months before the start date and sit the English test before they apply. The visa application usually goes in during July or August for a September start, or between October and December for a January start.

Whichever row you’re in, the visa rules are the same once your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, the reference number your university issues to sponsor your visa) arrives:

  1. You can apply from India up to 6 months before your course starts, as soon as you hold the CAS.
  2. Keep the full funds in your account for 28 days straight, and apply no more than 31 days after that stretch ends.
  3. Expect a decision within 3 weeks in most cases when you apply from outside the UK.

The Graduate visa, which lets you stay and work after your degree, lasts 18 months if you apply from 1 January 2027. It’s 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 3 years after a PhD. Your application date counts, not your intake, and every bachelor’s or master’s student starting in 2027 will apply after 1 January 2027. So don’t pick an intake hoping for two years; more in our guide to the post-study work visa in UK.

Deferring can also cost money. Greenwich’s September 2026 International Scholarship Award can’t be deferred or moved to January 2027, so get written confirmation that your award moves before you accept a later start. Our CAS full form in UK explainer shows when your CAS is issued.

From our counselling desk: Treat January as a planned route with its own dates, not a rescue for a late September file. That is how Indian applicants already use it. Our rule for families: look up your own course's deadline first, then check the money. If the full funds can't sit in the account for 28 days before you apply for the visa, switch to May or September 2027.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, at a few universities. Coventry University London runs a November start. Most universities do not, so plan a November start only if your own course page lists it for international students. If it does not, look at January, where published international deadlines run from 30 October 2026 to 4 January 2027, depending on the course.

Usually, yes. Liverpool’s January 2027 intake begins teaching on 1 February 2027, and Loughborough University London’s January programmes start the same day. Treat a February start as part of the January intake: the deadlines, visa funds rules and scholarships are the January ones.

For a bachelor’s, UCAS Clearing opens on 2 July 2027 and the final date for 2027 entry applications is 23 September 2027. For a master’s, move to the next intake or apply where admissions are rolling, meaning applications are read as they arrive. The University of Hull, for example, accepts postgraduate applications at any time.

September, if you need a government scholarship or the widest course choice. January, if you are self-funded, missed September 2026 and want to start sooner without losing a year. If your scholarship covers one start month only, choose that intake.

Yes. For a bachelor’s, UCAS allows five choices in total. For a master’s you apply to each university directly, so you can hold a January offer at one and a September offer at another. Your visa follows the CAS from the one you finally accept.

Sources

Official sources first: UK government, then UCAS and scholarship bodies, then universities.

Show 33 more sources

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