2026-27 Cycle
College Application Deadlines 2026-27: Top 100 Schools
Nov 1 is the single most common early deadline on this list: 59 of these 100 schools set an early plan due that day, including every Ivy League school with an early plan. The earliest deadlines on this list are all due Oct 15: Clemson University (EA), University of Florida (ED), University of Georgia (EA), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (EA), and University of Texas at Austin (EA). The University of California campuses on this list skip early plans entirely and share one Nov 30 filing deadline instead. Regular-decision deadlines cluster in January (83 of 100 schools); Jan 15 is the single most common regular deadline, used by 22 schools.
Early timing shows up in our own students’ results: across the recorded decisions of our last two classes, early applications were admitted at 79% versus 59% for Regular Decision. How we count
Policies are changing fast, get an email when any school on this list changes its policy.
Early deadlines, by date
Every early plan (ED, ED2, EA, REA, SCEA) on this list, grouped chronologically. The University of California’s single filing deadline is included as its own group since UC campuses don’t have separate early plans.
- EAClemson UniversityOct 15, 2026 (materials due Nov 1, 2026; decisions mid-December)
- EDUniversity of Florida
- EAUniversity of GeorgiaOct 15, 2026 (materials due Oct 29, 2026)
- EAUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- EAUniversity of Texas at Austin
- EDBarnard College
- EABaylor University
- EDBaylor University
- EABinghamton University
- EDBoston College
- EDBrown University
- REACalifornia Institute of Technology
- EDCase Western Reserve University
- EACase Western Reserve University
- ED IClaremont McKenna College
- EDColgate University
- EDCollege of William & Mary
- EDColumbia University in the City of New York
- EDCornell UniversityNov 1 (application + fee); Nov 13 (remaining materials)
- EDDartmouth College
- ED IEmory University
- EAFordham University
- EDFordham University
- EDGeorge Washington University
- EAGeorgetown University
- REAHarvard University
- EAIndiana University-Bloomington
- ED1Johns Hopkins University
- EDLehigh University
- EAMassachusetts Institute of Technology
- EAMichigan State University
- ED1New York University
- EANorth Carolina State UniversityNov 1, 2026 (materials due Nov 10, 2026; NC-resident decisions by end of Dec, others by Jan 31, 2027)
- EDNortheastern University
- EANortheastern University
- EDNorthwestern University
- EDOberlin College
- EAOhio State University-Main CampusNov 1, 2026 (decision by Dec 11, 2026 for Ohio residents/Stamps Eminence; Jan 22, 2027 for non-residents/international)
- EAPennsylvania State University-Main CampusNov 1, 2026 (decision by Dec 24, 2026)
- SCEAPrinceton University
- EAPurdue University-Main Campus
- EDRensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- ED1Rice University
- EARutgers University-New Brunswick
- EASanta Clara University
- EDSanta Clara University
- EASouthern Methodist University
- EDSouthern Methodist University
- REAStanford University
- EAStony Brook University
- EASyracuse University
- EDSyracuse University
- EATexas Christian University
- EDTexas Christian University
- EDTulane University of Louisiana
- EDUniversity of Connecticut†
- EAUniversity of Florida
- EAUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- EAUniversity of Maryland-College Park
- EDUniversity of Miami
- EAUniversity of Miami
- EAUniversity of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- EAUniversity of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- REAUniversity of Notre Dame
- EDUniversity of Pennsylvania
- EDUniversity of Rochester
- EDUniversity of Southern California
- EAUniversity of Southern California
- EAUniversity of Virginia-Main Campus†
- EAUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
- ED1Vanderbilt University
- EAVillanova University
- EDVillanova University
- EDWellesley College
- SCEAYale University
- ED IBoston University
- EABrandeis University
- EDBrandeis University
- EDCarnegie Mellon University
- EDDuke University
- EAGeorgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- ED IMiddlebury College†
- ED ITufts University
- ED1University of Chicago
- EAUniversity of Chicago
- EDWashington University in St Louis
- EAUniversity of Massachusetts-Amherst
- ED1Pomona College
- EDAmherst College
- EATulane University of Louisiana
- EDBates College
- ED1Bowdoin College
- ED1Carleton College
- EDColby College
- EDDavidson College
- EDGrinnell College
- EDHamilton College
- EDHarvey Mudd College†
- EDHaverford College
- ED1Swarthmore College
- EAUniversity of Colorado Boulder
- EDVassar College
- EAVirginia TechNov 15, 2026 (materials due Dec 1, 2026; decisions late-February)
- ED1Wake Forest University
- EDWesleyan University
- EDWilliams College†
- UC filing deadlineUniversity of California-Berkeley
- UC filing deadlineUniversity of California-Davis
- UC filing deadlineUniversity of California-Irvine
- UC filing deadlineUniversity of California-Los Angeles
- UC filing deadlineUniversity of California-San Diego
- UC filing deadlineUniversity of California-Santa Barbara
- EARensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- EA2University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- ED IIEmory University
- ED2Lehigh University
- ED2New York University
- ED2Northeastern University
- ED2Vanderbilt University
- ED2Vassar College
- ED2Wake Forest University
- ED2Wesleyan University
- ED2Johns Hopkins University
- ED2Fordham University
- ED2Boston College
- ED2Colby College
- ED2Hamilton College
- ED IIMiddlebury College†
- ED2Rice University
- ED2Swarthmore College
- ED IITufts University
- ED2University of Chicago
- ED2Washington University in St Louis
- ED IIBoston University
- ED2Bowdoin College
- ED2College of William & Mary
- ED2Davidson College
- ED2George Washington University
- ED2Grinnell College
- ED2Harvey Mudd College†
- ED2Haverford College
- ED2Oberlin College
- ED2University of Miami
- ED2University of Rochester
- ED2Wellesley College
- ED2Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- ED2Santa Clara University
- ED2Pomona College
- ED2Bates College
- ED IIClaremont McKenna College
- ED2Brandeis University
- ED2Carleton College
- ED2Case Western Reserve University
- ED2Colgate University
- ED2Southern Methodist University
- ED2Villanova University
- ED2Texas Christian University
UC & Cal State (CSU) application deadlines
California’s two public systems don’t use Early Decision or Early Action — each runs a single filing window, and this cycle both close on November 30.
University of California (all 9 campuses)
Filing period Nov 1–30, 2026 for fall 2027 admission — Nov 30 is the final date for every UC campus.
The UC system has no Early Action or Early Decision. One application covers all campuses you select.
Official dates →California State University (all 23 campuses)
Priority filing period Aug 1 – Nov 30, 2026 for fall 2027 admission; Cal State Apply begins accepting submissions Oct 1, 2026.
Nov 30 is the priority deadline — new for this cycle (the fall 2026 cycle ran Oct 1 – Dec 1). Many campuses and majors keep accepting applications after the priority period.
Official dates →System dates verified August 18, 2026 against each system’s official application page.
All 100 schools
Filter by early plan type, or see every school at once. Every row is on the page either way — filtering only affects what’s shown.
Showing 100 of 100 schools.
| School | Early plan(s) & deadline(s) | Regular deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst College Liberal Arts | Nov 9, 2026 (ED) | January 5, 2027 | Source → |
| Barnard College Liberal Arts | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Bates College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 10 (ED2) | Jan 10 | Source → |
| Baylor University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED) | Feb 1 | Source → |
| Binghamton University Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Boston College Elite Private | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Boston University Elite Private | Nov 2, 2026 (ED I); Jan 5, 2027 (ED II) | January 5, 2027 | Source → |
| Bowdoin College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED1); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| Brandeis University Private | Nov 2 (EA); Nov 2 (ED); Jan 15 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Brown University Ivy League | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 5, 2027 | Source → |
| California Institute of Technology Elite Private | Nov 1 (REA) | Jan 4, 2027 | Source → |
| Carleton College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED1); Jan 15 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Carnegie Mellon University Elite Private | Nov 2 (ED) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Case Western Reserve University Private | Nov 1 (ED); Nov 1 (EA); Jan 15 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Claremont McKenna College Liberal Arts | Nov 1, 2026 (ED I); Jan 10, 2027 (ED II) | January 10, 2027 | Source → |
| Clemson University Public | Oct 15, 2026 (materials due Nov 1, 2026; decisions mid-December) (EA) | Jan 1, 2027 (materials due Jan 10, 2027; decisions mid-February) | Source → |
| Colby College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Colgate University Liberal Arts | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 15 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| College of William & Mary Public | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| Columbia University in the City of New York Ivy League | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 1, 2027 | Source → |
| Cornell University Ivy League | Nov 1 (application + fee); Nov 13 (remaining materials) (ED) | Jan 2 (application + fee); Jan 19 (remaining materials) | Source → |
| Dartmouth College Ivy League | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 1, 2027 | Source → |
| Davidson College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 10 | Source → |
| Duke University Elite Private | Nov 2 (ED) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Emory University Elite Private | Nov 1, 2026 (ED I); Jan 1, 2027 (ED II) | January 1, 2027 | Source → |
| Fordham University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED); Jan 3 (ED2) | Jan 3 | Source → |
| George Washington University Private | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| Georgetown University Elite Private | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Top Public | Nov 2 (EA) | Jan 6 | Source → |
| Grinnell College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Hamilton College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Harvard University Ivy League | Nov 1 (REA) | Jan 1, 2027 | Source → |
| Harvey Mudd College† Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| Haverford College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 10 | Source → |
| Indiana University-Bloomington Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Feb 1 | Source → |
| Johns Hopkins University Elite Private | Nov 1 (ED1); Jan 2 (ED2) | Jan 2 | Source → |
| Lehigh University Private | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Elite Private | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 4, 2027 | Source → |
| Michigan State University Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Apr 1 | Source → |
| Middlebury College† Liberal Arts | Nov 2, 2026 (ED I); Jan 4, 2027 (ED II) | January 4, 2027 | Source → |
| New York University Elite Private | Nov 1 (ED1); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| North Carolina State University Public | Nov 1, 2026 (materials due Nov 10, 2026; NC-resident decisions by end of Dec, others by Jan 31, 2027) (EA) | Jan 15, 2027 (materials due Feb 1, 2027; decisions Mar 31, 2027) | Source → |
| Northeastern University Private | Nov 1 (ED); Nov 1 (EA); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Northwestern University Elite Private | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Oberlin College Liberal Arts | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus Public | Nov 1, 2026 (decision by Dec 11, 2026 for Ohio residents/Stamps Eminence; Jan 22, 2027 for non-residents/international) (EA) | Jan 15, 2027 (decision by Mar 5, 2027) | Source → |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Public | Nov 1, 2026 (decision by Dec 24, 2026) (EA) | Rolling after Nov 1 (no fixed close date for University Park) | Source → |
| Pomona College Liberal Arts | Nov 8 (ED1); Jan 8 (ED2) | Jan 8 | Source → |
| Princeton University Ivy League | Nov 1 (SCEA) | Jan 1, 2027 | Source → |
| Purdue University-Main Campus Public | Nov 1, 2026 (EA) | Jan 15, 2027 | Source → |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Private | Nov 1 (ED); Dec 1 (EA); Jan 6 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Rice University Elite Private | Nov 1 (ED1); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Dec 1 | Source → |
| Santa Clara University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED); Jan 7 (ED2) | Jan 7 | Source → |
| Southern Methodist University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED); Jan 15 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Stanford University Elite Private | Nov 1 (REA) | Jan 5, 2027 | Source → |
| Stony Brook University Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Swarthmore College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED1); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Syracuse University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| Texas A&M University-College Station Public | — | Dec 1, 2026 (single application deadline for College Station; extends to the following Monday if it falls on a weekend; documents due Dec 15, 2026) | Source → |
| Texas Christian University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED); Feb 1 (ED2) | Feb 1 | Source → |
| Tufts University Elite Private | Nov 2, 2026 (ED I); Jan 4, 2027 (ED II) | January 4, 2027 | Source → |
| Tulane University of Louisiana Private | Nov 1 (ED); Nov 10 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| University of California-Berkeley Top Public | — | November 30, 2026 (UC's single filing deadline for all campuses; the UC system has no separate early action/decision plans) | Source → |
| University of California-Davis Public | — | Nov 30 | Source → |
| University of California-Irvine Public | — | Nov 30 | Source → |
| University of California-Los Angeles Top Public | — | November 30, 2026 (UC's single filing deadline for all campuses; the UC system has no separate early action/decision plans) | Source → |
| University of California-San Diego Top Public | — | Nov 30 | Source → |
| University of California-Santa Barbara Public | — | Nov 30, 2026 (single UC filing period, opens Aug 1/Oct 1 and closes Nov 30, 2026, for fall 2027 entry) | Source → |
| University of Chicago Elite Private | Nov 2 (ED1); Nov 2 (EA); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| University of Colorado Boulder Public | Nov 15 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| University of Connecticut† Public | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| University of Florida Top Public | Oct 15 (ED); Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| University of Georgia Public | Oct 15, 2026 (materials due Oct 29, 2026) (EA) | Jan 1, 2027 (materials due Jan 15, 2027) | Source → |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Top Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| University of Maryland-College Park Public | Nov 1, 2026 (EA) | Jan 20, 2027 | Source → |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst Public | Nov 5 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| University of Miami Private | Nov 1 (ED); Nov 1 (EA); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Feb 1 | Source → |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Public | Nov 1 (EA); Dec 1 (EA2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Top Public | Oct 15 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| University of Notre Dame Elite Private | Nov 1, 2026 (REA) | January 4, 2027 | Source → |
| University of Pennsylvania Ivy League | Nov 1 (ED) | Jan 5, 2027 | Source → |
| University of Pittsburgh Public | — | Rolling (no fixed application deadline) | Source → |
| University of Rochester Private | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 5 | Source → |
| University of Southern California Elite Private | Nov 1, 2026 (ED); Nov 1, 2026 (EA) | January 10, 2027 (December 1, 2026 for the Kaufman School of Dance, Thornton School of Music, and School of Dramatic Arts) | Source → |
| University of Texas at Austin Top Public | Oct 15 (EA) | Dec 1 | Source → |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus† Top Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus Top Public | — | Nov 15 | Source → |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison Top Public | Nov 1 (EA) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Vanderbilt University Elite Private | Nov 1 (ED1); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Vassar College Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Villanova University Private | Nov 1 (EA); Nov 1 (ED); Jan 15 (ED2) | Jan 15 | Source → |
| Virginia Tech Public | Nov 15, 2026 (materials due Dec 1, 2026; decisions late-February) (EA) | Jan 15, 2027 (materials due Jan 24, 2027; decisions mid-March) | Source → |
| Wake Forest University Elite Private | Nov 15 (ED1); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Washington University in St Louis Elite Private | Nov 2 (ED); Jan 4 (ED2) | Jan 4 | Source → |
| Wellesley College Liberal Arts | Nov 1 (ED); Jan 5 (ED2) | Jan 8 | Source → |
| Wesleyan University Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED); Jan 1 (ED2) | Jan 1 | Source → |
| Williams College† Liberal Arts | Nov 15 (ED) | Jan. 4 (confirmed exact via williams.edu — not merely approximate as previously stated) | Source → |
| Yale University Ivy League | Nov 1 (SCEA) | Jan 2, 2027 | Source → |
† We could not fully verify this school against its official pages this cycle — confirm directly with the school. Applies to: Harvey Mudd College, Middlebury College, University of Connecticut, University of Virginia-Main Campus, Williams College.
Each of the 100 schools researched against its official admissions pages (or Common Data Set filings), then independently re-verified by a second pass. Per-school confidence is shown where primary .edu sources were not directly reachable. Last verified August 17, 2026. Spot a change? Email support@deweysmart.com.
Frequently asked questions
When are most Early Decision and Early Action deadlines for the 2026-27 cycle?
Nov 1 is the single most common early deadline on this list: 59 of the 100 schools set an ED, EA, REA, or SCEA deadline on Nov 1 for the 2026-27 cycle, including all 8 Ivy League schools with an early plan.
Which schools have Oct 15 application deadlines?
Clemson University (EA), University of Florida (ED), University of Georgia (EA), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (EA), and University of Texas at Austin (EA) all have Oct 15 early deadlines for the 2026-27 cycle — the earliest deadlines of any school on this list.
When is the University of California application deadline?
The University of California system does not use separate early action or early decision plans — every campus shares one filing deadline instead. University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Davis, University of California-Irvine, University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-San Diego, and University of California-Santa Barbara all share a Nov 30 filing deadline for the 2026-27 cycle.
When is the CSU (Cal State) application deadline?
For fall 2027 admission, the CSU priority application filing period runs August 1 through November 30, 2026, with Cal State Apply accepting submissions starting October 1, 2026. November 30 is the priority deadline across all 23 campuses — a change from the previous cycle's December 1 date — though many campuses and majors continue accepting applications after the priority period.
What's the typical regular-decision deadline for 2026-27?
Jan 15 is the single most common regular-decision deadline, used by 22 of the 100 schools on this list. Overall, 83 of the 100 schools set their regular deadline sometime in January, so early-to-mid January is the typical target.
Policies are changing fast, get an email when any school on this list changes its policy.
