2025-2026 College Application Deadlines for Top Schools

ByBest Admissions Counseling

Are you applying to college this fall? Check this comprehensive list of college application deadlines for popular schools to see when you need to get your applications in.

School Name Early Deadline
Regular Deadline
Bowdoin College Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 5
Brown University Nov 1 (ED) Jan 5
CalTech Nov 1 (REA) Jan 5
Carnegie Mellon University Nov 3 (ED) Jan 5
Claremont McKenna College Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 5
Columbia University Nov 1 (ED) Jan 2
Cornell University Nov 1 (ED) Jan 2
Dartmouth College Nov 1 (ED) Jan 1
Duke University Nov 3 (ED) Jan 5
Emory University Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 1
Georgetown University Nov 1 (EA) Jan 10
Harvard University Nov 1 (REA) Jan 1
Johns Hopkins University Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 2
MIT Nov 1 (EA) Jan 6
New York University Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 5
Northwestern University Nov 1 (ED) Jan 2
Pomona College Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 8
Princeton University Nov 1 (SCEA) Jan 1
Rice University Nov 1 (ED) Jan 4
Stanford University Nov 1 (REA) Jan 5
UC Berkeley N/A Dec 1
UCLA N/A Dec 1
University of Chicago Nov 3 (EA/ED I) Jan 5
University of Florida Nov 1 (EA) Nov 1
University of Notre Dame Nov 1 (REA) Jan 2
University of Pennsylvania Nov 1 (ED) Jan 5
Vanderbilt University Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 1
Washington & Lee University Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 5
Washington U in St. Louis Nov 1 (ED I) Jan 2
Yale University Nov 1 (SCEA) Jan 2

EA = Early Action | ED = Early Decision | REA = Restrictive Early Action | SCEA = Single-Choice Early Action

Important Notes:

  • Early Decision (ED) is binding – you must attend if accepted
  • Early Action (EA) is non-binding – you can apply to multiple schools
  • Restrictive Early Action (REA/SCEA) is non-binding but limits where else you can apply early
  • UC schools (Berkeley, UCLA) only have Regular Decision with earlier November deadline
  • Some schools offer ED II with a January deadline (not shown in this chart)

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