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Regular Decision Deadlines for Fall 2027: Dates for 20 Colleges

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

In short

Most regular decision deadlines for fall 2027 are January 1 to January 5, 2027. Harvard's is . A few colleges, like the University of Michigan, use February 1. Regular decision is not binding.

What regular decision means

NACAC defines it this way: Students submit their applications by a specified deadline and are notified of a decision within a clearly stated period of time. You can apply regular decision to many colleges, wait for all offers, and compare financial aid before you choose.

Regular decision deadlines at 20 colleges

College Regular decision deadline
Harvard University
Yale University
Princeton University
Stanford University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Columbia University
University of Pennsylvania
Brown University
Dartmouth College
Cornell University
Duke University
Northwestern University
University of Chicago
Johns Hopkins University
New York University
Boston University
University of Michigan
University of Virginia
Georgetown University
University of Notre Dame

Some colleges have more than one regular round or a later deadline for some programs. The college's admissions site has the full list.

Before you submit

  1. Submit a few days early.
    Portals are busy near January 1. Plan to finish by late December.
  2. Check each college's extra parts.
    Supplemental essays, test scores if you send them, and portfolios can have their own dates.
  3. Ask for school documents early.
    Your counselor and teachers send transcripts and letters. Ask them before winter break.
  4. Note the aid deadlines.
    See FAFSA deadlines and CSS Profile deadlines.
  5. Watch the portal.
    After you submit, each college opens an applicant portal. Check it for missing items.

Questions families ask

When is the regular decision deadline?

For most of the 20 colleges on this page, it is January 1 to January 5, 2027. The University of Michigan uses February 1. Each college sets its own date, so check its admissions site.

Is regular decision binding?

No. You can apply regular decision to as many colleges as you like and choose among your offers, usually by May 1.

When do regular decision results come out?

Most of these colleges release regular decisions from mid-March to early April 2027. See the decision dates page for each college.

Is the financial aid deadline the same as the application deadline?

Not always. Many private colleges want the FAFSA and CSS Profile by February 1 or February 15, a few weeks after the application. Check both dates for each college.

Sources

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