UCAS Early Entry Questions

Hi! I am a prospective Cambridge applicant for HSPS in 2026, and have began my UCAS application as early as possible with this in mind.

I visited Bristol University yesterday — which I was confident would be right for me — and ended up really disliking the atmosphere. From now on, I think it is really important to PHYSICALLY see all of the possible universities I will be applying for and have run into some complications with this.

A few open days which I am registering interest for come after the UCAS Early Entry deadline on the 15th October. I am completely set on applying to Cambridge and this certainly won’t change — but i’m quite worried that I will rush my application and sacrifice the quality of my in-person experiences at each uni for one which has a very low possibility of a successful outcome.

Essentially, my questions are:
1) Do you have to submit all of your five choices for the Early Entry deadline, and can this be amended? If I just apply to Cambridge and one other uni because i’m waiting on another Open Day, would I be stuck with only that, or can I amend it after the Early Entry deadline into January?
2) How can I get the most out of these later open days?

Thank you! ❤️

Reply 1

McGinger

1) Do you have to submit all of your five choices for the Early Entry deadline, and can this be amended? If I just apply to Cambridge and one other uni because i’m waiting on another Open Day, would I be stuck with only that, or can I amend it after the Early Entry deadline into January?
2) How can I get the most out of these later open days?

1) You can submit just your Cambridge choice by the Oct deadline and can add your other 4 choices before the Jan deadline. Many people do not realise you can do this - including schools ....
2) Talk to current students. Ask them what they like about being there. Ask your parent to take notes during the subject presentations so that you can just listen, but its worth taking photos of any important power-point slides. Don't over focus on 'accommodation' and what an individual bedroom looks like.

Reply 2

LancashireRep4

Official Rep

Original post

by ambergriffiths4

Hi! I am a prospective Cambridge applicant for HSPS in 2026, and have began my UCAS application as early as possible with this in mind.
I visited Bristol University yesterday — which I was confident would be right for me — and ended up really disliking the atmosphere. From now on, I think it is really important to PHYSICALLY see all of the possible universities I will be applying for and have run into some complications with this.
A few open days which I am registering interest for come after the UCAS Early Entry deadline on the 15th October. I am completely set on applying to Cambridge and this certainly won’t change — but i’m quite worried that I will rush my application and sacrifice the quality of my in-person experiences at each uni for one which has a very low possibility of a successful outcome.
Essentially, my questions are:
1) Do you have to submit all of your five choices for the Early Entry deadline, and can this be amended? If I just apply to Cambridge and one other uni because i’m waiting on another Open Day, would I be stuck with only that, or can I amend it after the Early Entry deadline into January?
2) How can I get the most out of these later open days?
Thank you! ❤️

Hi @ambergriffiths4 ,

I see you have already had your first question answered, so I'd love to elaborate on the second one.

Firstly, I highly recommend having a plan before you visit. If you get sent information for the open day via post or email prior to attending, use to to plan your visit. This is important to make sure you get to visit all the areas you want. If you do not get information prior to attending, don't worry! Just spend 10 minutes when you get there planning out what you want to do. 📑

I highly recommend getting a campus tour as this will allow you to really feel if you enjoy the atmosphere. Additionally, it's likely this tour will be guided by a current student, so take this opportunity to ask them about the university life. 🗣️

If possible, attend a taster workshop as this can provide the opportunity to ask tutors and current students about the course and career prospects. 📚️

My biggest tip is write down your questions before you go. This way, you can avoid forgetting important details on the day!

I hope this helps, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia (University of Central Lancashire)