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.
- Exams & results 5pm, Wed 15 July 2026
My Qualifications Scotland sign-up for results alerts
Sign up for My Qualifications Scotland by 5pm on Wednesday 15 July 2026 to get exam results by text and email from 8am 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.
- Exams & results Tuesday 4 August 2026
SQA Results Day
National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results land. Results by text and email from 8am via My Qualifications Scotland, UCAS Track updates at 8am, Scottish Clearing opens at 9am.
- Exams & results Thursday 13 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.
- Benefits & grants Apply by mid-August 2026 (applications open now)
School clothing grant — apply before term starts
Applications for the 2026/27 school year are open at most councils. At least £120 (primary) / £150 (secondary) per child — apply before schools return in mid-August to have the money for the new uniform. Some councils pay automatically with free school meals.
Date varies or isn’t confirmed yet — check the official source.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- University & SAAS 6pm, Wednesday 13 January 2027
UCAS main equal-consideration deadline
The main UCAS deadline for 2027 entry — applications received by 18:00 (UK time) on 13 January 2027 get equal consideration from all universities. Verified against the UCAS 2027-entry deadline calendar (2026-07-13).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- University & SAAS 30 June 2027
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.
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.