When it comes to marketing for education, key dates are everything. Miss a key date in the academic calendar year and you’ve missed a great opportunity to appeal to prospective students and their parents alike. As you’re well aware, the education industry works to a strict calendar of exams, results and specific term dates and there are many to try and keep up with.
The way the education industry works may be seasonal, but each of the key dates are subject to change with each year and the requirements that come with each of these are complex. The success of your use of the education calendar lies in tailoring your marketing to meet the needs of each potential applicant, meaning you must vary your efforts far and wide.
To help you keep up to date and plan your marketing over the next academic year, we’ve put together an education marketing calendar that details key dates in the calendar for schools, colleges, universities and general days to remember. This calendar will not only assist you in staying organized but also inspire new ideas to enhance your promotional efforts. By aligning your campaigns with important academic events, you can better tailor your UK university marketing strategies to resonate with potential students. Make sure to leverage these key dates to maximize engagement and reach your target audience effectively. This calendar will serve as a valuable resource for aligning your campaigns with important events and deadlines within the education sector. By leveraging this information, you can develop effective UK college marketing strategies to engage students and stakeholders alike. Make sure to integrate these key dates into your overall marketing plan for maximum impact and reach.
| September 2019 | ||
| 4th Sept | Completed 2020 undergraduate applications can be submitted to UCAS | University |
| 20th Sept | Final deadline for 2019 university entry applications | University |
| October 2019 | ||
| 22nd October | Last date to add 2019 entry clearing choices and for universities & colleges to make decisions | University |
| 23rd October | University clearing closes | University |
| 27th October | British summer Time Ends | General |
| 31st October | Halloween | General |
| November 2019 | ||
| 5th November | Bonfire Night | General |
| 29th November | Black Friday | General |
| December 2019 | ||
| 2nd December | Cyber Monday | General |
| 20th December | Christmas Break – Schools Close | School |
| 22nd December | Winter Solstice | General |
| 25th December | Christmas Day | General |
| 26th December | Boxing Day | General |
| 31st December | New Year’s Eve | General |
| January 2020 | ||
| Application Deadline: Majority of UK college courses | ||
| 1st January | New Year’s Day | General |
| 6th January | Christmas Break Ends – Schools Reopen | School |
| 15th January | Deadline for university entry applications through UCAS | University |
| 25th January | Chinese New Year | General |
| February 2020 | ||
| 14th February | Spring Half-Term – Schools Close | School |
| 14th February | Valentine’s Day | General |
| 24th February | Spring Half-Term Ends – Schools Reopen | School |
| March 2020 | ||
| 22nd March | Mothering Sunday | General |
| 29th March | British Summer Time Starts | General |
| April 2020 | ||
| 3rd April | Easter Break – Schools Close | School |
| 10th April | Good Friday | General |
| 12th April | Easter Sunday | General |
| 13th April | Easter Monday | General |
| 20th April | Easter Break Ends – Schools Reopen | School |
| 23rd April | Ramadan Begins | General |
| May 2020 | ||
| GCSE Exams Begin | ||
| 5th May | Firm and Insurance university choices must be submitted (if decisions/offers received by 31st March) | University |
| 6th May | Entry decisions and offers must be made by colleges and universities for applications received by 15th January | University |
| 7th May | Schools Closed for May Bank Holiday | School |
| 11th May | Schools Reopen after May Bank Holiday | School |
| 22nd May | Summer Half-Term – Schools Close | School |
| 23rd May | Ramadan Ends | General |
| June 2020 | ||
| GCSE Exams Continued & End | ||
| 1st June | Summer Half-Term Ends – Schools Reopen | School |
| 4th June | Firm and Insurance university choices must be submitted (if decisions/offers received by 6th May) | University |
| 18th June | Firm and Insurance university choices must be submitted (if decisions/offers received by 4th June) | University |
| 20th June | Summer Solstice | General |
| 21st June | Father’s Day | General |
| 30th June | University applications entered into clearing if decisions not received by this date | University |
| July 2020 | ||
| 6th July | University 2020 Entry Clearing Opens | University |
| 6h July | International Baccalaureate Results Published | College |
| 20th July | 6-Week Summer Holiday Begins | School |
| August 2020 | ||
| Popular month for school, college and university open days GCSE Results Day 2020 TBC | ||
| 4th August | SQA Results Day | School / College |
| 13th August | A Level Results Day | Sixth Form / College |
| 13th August | Adjustment to University applications can be made | University |
| 31st August | Remaining offer conditions for University entries must be met | Sixth Form / College |
Make the most of these key days in the academic year to tailor your messaging to the appropriate prospective applicants, using a variety of channels to build a rapport before they even enter your institution. The more you appeal to the student community at the times they need help, advice, guidance and support, the more memorable you will become to them as a trusted education establishment.
At AlphaGraphics, we specialise in creating bespoke marketing campaigns for the education sector that maximise efforts across all channels for an integrated strategy that delivers results. To find out more about the work we do within the education industry, check out our education site. Our team works closely with educational institutions to implement top marketing strategies in higher education that resonate with their unique goals and audiences. By leveraging innovative tools and data-driven insights, we help our clients enhance brand visibility and engagement. Let us partner with you to transform your marketing efforts into impactful outcomes.