Applying to U.S. Colleges in 2027 — Complete Deadline Guide

In this guide, we’ve rounded up the key deadlines for applying to U.S. colleges and universities in 2027: early and regular application rounds (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision), scholarship and financial aid deadlines, decision release dates, and the most common mistakes applicants make.

Contents:

• Key Changes for 2027
• Early Decision I
• Restrictive Early Action
• Early Action
• University of California System
• Texas Public Universities (ApplyTexas)
• Early Decision II
• Regular Decision
• Rolling Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• When Admissions Decisions Are Released
• Common Applicant Mistakes

Key Changes for 2027

• SAT/ACT: More universities are bringing back SAT/ACT requirements. Many top schools that previously had test-optional policies (including Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, and others) are once again requiring standardized test scores.

• Centralized Applications: More and more colleges now accept applications through platforms like Common App and Coalition App.

• Priority for Early Applications: Applying to top universities during the Regular Decision round is becoming increasingly competitive. Applying early, on the other hand, can significantly improve your chances. At some universities, more than half of admitted students come from the Early Decision pool.

• Stronger AI Detection: Admissions offices are getting much better at spotting essays written by AI. Keep this in mind while working on your personal statement, and don’t rely too heavily on generative AI tools.

Early Decision I — November 2027 Deadlines

Early Decision is a binding early application option. This means that if you’re admitted through ED, you must withdraw all other applications and accept the offer. That’s why ED should only be used for your top-choice “dream school.”

Applications are due by November 1, 2027, for the following universities:

• Columbia University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Dartmouth College
• Brown University
• Cornell University
• Northwestern University
• Vanderbilt University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Emory University
• Rice University
• University of Notre Dame
• Bowdoin College
• Middlebury College
• Wellesley College
• Barnard College

Applications are due by November 15, 2027:

• Johns Hopkins University
• Duke University
• New York University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Tufts University
• Wake Forest University

Restrictive Early Action — November 2027

Restrictive Early Action (also called Single-Choice Early Action) is another early application format. Unlike Early Decision, you are not required to enroll if admitted. However, you may only apply early to one private university offering REA (listed below). At the same time, you are still allowed to submit early applications to public universities.

Applying through Restrictive Early Action demonstrates a strong level of interest in a particular university.

Applications are due by November 1, 2027:

• Harvard University
• Yale University
• Princeton University
• Stanford University

Early Action — November–December 2027

Early Action is a non-binding early application option. You can apply to as many EA schools as you want (unless you are also applying through REA). You do not have to commit to a university until May 1.

Applications are due by November 1, 2027:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• University of Virginia
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Villanova University
• Boston College
• Northeastern University
• Santa Clara University
• Fordham University

Applications are due by November 15, 2027:

• University of Michigan
• Georgetown University
• Boston University
• Tulane University
• Loyola Marymount University

Applications are due by December 1, 2027:

• University of Chicago
• Case Western Reserve University
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

University of California System — November 30, 2027

The UC system uses one shared application for all nine campuses (including University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Davis, and others). There is no early application option — all applicants must submit their applications by November 30.

Texas Public Universities (ApplyTexas)

• Priority deadline: December 1, 2027 — for University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.
• Regular deadline: January 15, 2028 — for most other programs.

Early Decision II — January 2028

ED II is also a binding application round. It gives students a second chance to apply through Early Decision after receiving their ED I results in December.

Applications are due by January 1, 2028:

• Vanderbilt University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Emory University
• Tufts University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Pomona College
• Swarthmore College
• Bowdoin College
• Middlebury College
• Wellesley College
• Barnard College

Applications are due by January 15, 2028:

• New York University
• Case Western Reserve University

Regular Decision — January 2028

This is the main application round. Most universities require applications to be submitted in early January, with January 1 being the most common deadline.

Applications are due by January 1, 2028:

• All Ivy League universities
• Stanford University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• University of Southern California
• New York University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Northeastern University
• Boston University
• Tufts University
• Colgate University
• Hamilton College

Applications are due by January 2, 2028:

• Vanderbilt University
• Washington University in St. Louis

Applications are due by January 5, 2028:

• Colby College
• Middlebury College

Applications are due by January 15, 2028:

• University of Virginia
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Pomona College
• Claremont McKenna College
• Harvey Mudd College
• Grinnell College

Applications are due by February 1, 2028:

• University of Chicago (if you did not apply through EA or ED)
• University of Rochester
• University of Wisconsin–Madison

Rolling Admissions — The Earlier, the Better

These universities review applications on a rolling basis. The earlier you apply, the better your chances of admission — and the more financial aid may still be available.

• University of Arizona
• Arizona State University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Pennsylvania State University
• University of Pittsburgh
• Michigan State University
• University of Alabama
• Auburn University
• University of Minnesota

Financial Aid 2027–2028

The College Board CSS Profile is a form used by private U.S. universities to evaluate a family’s financial situation and determine eligibility for institutional financial aid.

Around 400 private universities use the CSS Profile, including:

• All Ivy League universities
• Stanford University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• Duke University
• Georgetown University
• University of Southern California, and many others

Main deadlines:

• November 1–15, 2027 — for Early Decision / Early Action
• January 1–15, 2028 — for Regular Decision

Important: CSS Profile deadlines are often different from university application deadlines. Make sure to check the exact dates for each of your schools in advance.

Scholarship Deadlines 2027–2028

Many college-specific merit-based scholarships require a separate application and have earlier deadlines. For example:

Applications are due by December 1, 2027:

• Paul Tulane Award
• Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship
• Trinity Scholarship (Duke University)

Applications are due by December 15, 2027:

• USC Presidential Scholarship

Applications are due by January 15, 2028:

• UChicago Merit Scholarships
• Northwestern Merit Scholarships

Applications are due by February 1, 2028:

• Morehead-Cain (UNC)
• Robertson (Duke-UNC)

When Admissions Decisions Are Released

Early Decision / Early Action

Regular Decision

May 1, 2028, is National College Decision Day. By this date, students must make their final college choice.

Common Applicant Mistakes

• Not understanding the difference between Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action. For example, if you apply to Princeton through REA, you cannot apply early to other private universities (though you may still apply to public ones).
• Waiting until the last minute to submit applications. The Common App platform often crashes or slows down on peak dates like November 1 and January 1. It’s best to apply at least 2 – 3 days in advance.
• Ignoring time zones. Deadlines are usually set for 11:59 PM in the university’s local time zone.
• Failing to double-check application materials — make sure the university has received all required documents, recommendation letters, and supplemental materials.

Help with Studying Abroad

The ED-EX.com team helps students from around the world get into top universities in the U.S., the U.K., and Europe.

Here’s how we can help you:

• conduct a detailed profile evaluation,
• assess your admission chances,
• build a personalized admissions strategy,
• help prepare application documents,
• make sure you stay on track with every deadline.

Don’t leave your future to chance — learn more and book a personal consultation with an admissions expert.