Stepsies

College Application Deadlines 2026–27: Early, Regular and Aid Dates

By Claire Whitaker Last updated How we check facts Use is subject to the terms: check each date with the school

In short

For fall 2027 entry, most early deadlines were November 1 or 2, 2026. Most regular decision deadlines are January 1 to January 5, 2027. The 2027–28 FAFSA opened on , and many state and college aid deadlines come in early 2027.

The types of deadline

PlanUsual deadlineBinding?Guide
Early Decision (ED)November 1 or 2Yes: if admitted, you enrollED vs EA
Early Decision II (ED2)Early JanuaryYesED vs EA
Early Action (EA)November 1 or 2NoED vs EA
Restrictive or Single-Choice Early ActionNovember 1No, but limits other early applicationsRestrictive EA
Regular Decision (RD)January 1 to 5, some February 1NoRegular decision
Rolling admissionOpen until the class is fullNo

The "usual" dates come from the 20 colleges in the table below. Your colleges can use other dates.

The 2026–27 calendar

DateWhat happens
The Common App opened for 2026–27, and the UC application opened ().
The 2027–28 FAFSA opened.
The 2027–28 CSS Profile opened.
November 1–2, 2026Most early decision and early action deadlines.
University of California application deadline (fall 2027).
Mid-December 2026Most early decisions arrive.
January 1–5, 2027Most regular decision and early decision II deadlines.
February 1–15, 2027Many regular decision financial aid deadlines. CSS Profile deadlines
Late March to early April 2027Most regular decisions arrive. Decision dates
May 1, 2027The usual date to accept an offer and pay a deposit.
Federal FAFSA deadline for 2027–28. State and college deadlines are much earlier. FAFSA deadline

Deadlines at 20 colleges

Each date comes from the college's own admissions site. Where a college page shows no year, we checked the date against the Common App's 2026–27 deadline list.

College Early plan and deadline Regular decision deadline
Harvard University Restrictive Early Action: passed
Yale University Single-Choice Early Action: passed
Princeton University Single-Choice Early Action: passed
Stanford University Restrictive Early Action: passed
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Early Action: passed
Columbia University Early Decision: passed
University of Pennsylvania Early Decision: passed
Brown University Early Decision: passed
Dartmouth College Early Decision: passed
Cornell University Early Decision: passed
Duke University Early Decision: passed
Northwestern University Early Decision: passed
University of Chicago Early Decision I: passed
Early Action: passed
Early Decision II:
Johns Hopkins University Early Decision I: passed
Early Decision II:
New York University Early Decision I: passed
Early Decision II:
Boston University Early Decision: passed
Early Decision II:
University of Michigan Early Decision: passed
Early Action: passed
University of Virginia Early Decision: passed
Early Action: passed
Georgetown University Early Action: passed
University of Notre Dame Restrictive Early Action: passed

Financial aid deadlines

Aid has its own deadlines, separate from the application. File the FAFSA for every college, and the CSS Profile for colleges that ask for it. Many private colleges want both by early or mid-February for regular decision, and in November for early plans.

Questions families ask

When are college applications due?

Early decision and early action deadlines are usually November 1 or November 2. Regular decision deadlines are usually January 1 to January 5, and a few colleges use February 1. Rolling admission colleges have no single deadline. Check each college on its own admissions site.

Is the FAFSA due at the same time as my applications?

No. The FAFSA has its own dates. The federal deadline for 2027–28 is June 30, 2028, but states and colleges set much earlier deadlines, some in January and February 2027. Many colleges also ask for the CSS Profile by their own date.

What happens if I miss a deadline?

Some colleges accept late applications or move you to a later round, and others do not. Contact the admissions office at once and ask. For aid, a missed state or college deadline can mean less aid, so file the FAFSA as early as you can.

Sources

Colleges and agencies can change a date. Always check the official page before you submit.