Tools
Scottish Education Deadline Tracker
SAAS, MySQA, UCAS, P1 registration, placing requests, EMA, clothing grants — Scotland’s education deadlines don’t match the rest of the UK’s, and missing one costs real money or a school place. Every date for the 2026/27 cycle, in order, with countdowns.
- University & SAAS 30 June 2026
SAAS guarantee deadline
Apply to SAAS by 30 June to guarantee your tuition and living-cost funding is in place for the start of term in September.
20
days left
- Benefits & grants June–July 2026 (varies by council)
School clothing grant applications open
Most councils open clothing grant applications for the new school year in early summer. At least £120 (primary) / £150 (secondary) per child — apply early, some councils pay automatically with free school meals.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
21
days left
- Exams & results Early July 2026
MySQA sign-up for results alerts
Sign up for MySQA before early July to get exam results by text and email overnight on results day. No sign-up means waiting for the school or the post.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
26
days left
- Exams & results Tuesday 4 August 2026
SQA Results Day
National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results land. MySQA alerts from midnight, UCAS Track updates at 8am, Scottish Clearing opens at 9am.
55
days left
- Exams & results Expected 14 August 2026
A-Level results day (England, Wales & NI)
The rest of the UK gets results two weeks after Scotland — UK-wide Clearing competition intensifies from this date, so Scottish students in Clearing should move before it.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
65
days left
- School admissions Mid-August 2026 (varies by council)
Scottish schools return
Most of Scotland’s 32 councils start the 2026/27 school year in the week of 17 August — check your own council’s exact date.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
68
days left
- Benefits & grants 30 September 2026 (check your council)
EMA application cut-off for backdating
Apply for the Education Maintenance Allowance by the end of September to have the £30/week payments backdated to the start of term. Apply later and you lose the early weeks.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
112
days left
- University & SAAS 15 October 2026
UCAS deadline — medicine, dentistry, vet, Oxbridge
Applications for 2027 entry to medicine, dentistry, veterinary courses and Oxford/Cambridge must be in by 15 October — months before the main deadline.
127
days left
- University & SAAS Late October 2026
Clearing 2026 closes
The last realistic window to pick up a 2026 university place through Clearing. Vacancies thin out long before this — most movement happens in August.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
132
days left
- School admissions January 2027 (varies by council)
P1 registration week
Councils run P1 registration for the August 2027 intake in January. Register at your catchment school even if you plan a placing request elsewhere.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
215
days left
- University & SAAS Late January 2027
UCAS main equal-consideration deadline
The main UCAS deadline for 2027 entry — applications received by this date get equal consideration from all universities. UCAS confirms the exact date each cycle.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
231
days left
- Benefits & grants 28 February 2027
Best Start Grant School-Age Payment window closes
The £331.95 School-Age Payment for children who became eligible to start P1 in 2026 must be claimed before the window closes at the end of February.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
263
days left
- School admissions 15 March 2027
Placing request deadline
Submit a placing request for the August 2027 intake by 15 March and the council must respond by 30 April. Requests after this date lose the statutory decision deadline.
278
days left
- University & SAAS 31 March 2027
SAAS final deadline for 2026/27 funding
The last date to apply to SAAS for the 2026/27 academic year. Funding applied for this late arrives well after term starts — the 30 June guarantee date is the one to aim for.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
294
days left
Never miss one
Get these deadlines flagged by email
One short weekly email that flags upcoming deadlines from this list before they close — SAAS, MySQA, placing requests — plus rate changes. No spam.
Dates marked as approximate vary by council or haven’t been confirmed by the official body yet — always check the linked source before relying on them. This list is refreshed alongside the April rates sweep each year.
The School Bell
Weekly Scottish-education updates
Deadlines, benefit rate changes and the stuff you actually need to know — no spam.