The 2026-27 cycle timeline.
Dates on the published cycle have held. The handbook records the actual dates and adds the practical milestones a bursar should diarise between them.
Compiled by Oliver Wakefield-Smith, founder, Digital Signet. Reviewed against ESFA Information for Applicants 2026-27 and the Condition Funding Methodology March 2026 revision.
Open and close
Cycle opened October 2025. Submission window closed 16 December 2025. The window is fixed; ESFA does not accept late bids.
Outcomes
Outcomes published 22 May 2026 for Round 13. The publication includes the full list of funded projects by trust, school, project category and award value.
Appeals window
The appeals window opens at outcomes publication and runs for a defined period. The June 2026 window is the live appeals route for unsuccessful bids.
Completion deadline
Funded projects must reach practical completion by 31 March 2028. ESFA grants extensions only in narrowly evidenced circumstances.