Guide · Timeline
College Application Deadlines: ED, EA & RD Explained
The short answer
US deadlines follow a predictable yearly rhythm. Early rounds (ED, EA, REA) are usually due November 1; Regular Decision and ED II land in January; decisions arrive between mid-December and early April; and you reply by May 1. Financial-aid forms (FAFSA, CSS Profile) open around October 1 — file as early as you can. Exact dates vary by school and year, so confirm every one.
Missing a deadline is the one mistake in admissions with no appeal. And the round you choose — early or regular — shapes both your odds and your aid timeline. Knowing the full calendar lets you work backward from the earliest date and never scramble. Here's the rhythm of the year, and how to build your own deadline sheet around it.
The application calendar at a glance
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Common App opens | Aug 1 |
| FAFSA & CSS Profile open | ~Oct 1 |
| UC application window | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| ED I / EA / REA deadline | ~Nov 1 (some Nov 15) |
| ED I / EA decisions | mid-Dec – Jan |
| ED II / Regular Decision | ~Jan 1–15 (some Feb 1) |
| ED II decisions | February |
| Regular decisions | late Mar – early Apr |
| Reply & enroll | May 1 |
The early deadlines: November
Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action almost all fall on November 1 (a handful are November 15). This is the busiest, highest-leverage deadline of the year. If you're applying early, everything must be finished by then — essays, recommendations, test scores, and the Common App itself. For which early plan to choose, see our ED vs EA guide.
The UC exception
The University of California uses its own application with a single filing window of October 1 – November 30 and no early/regular distinction. It's earlier than most Regular Decision dates, and it isn't on the Common App — so it's easy to let it sneak up. If any UC is on your list, mark November 30 in bold.
The regular deadlines: January
Most Regular Decision deadlines are January 1 or January 15; some are February 1 or later. ED II — a second binding round — usually shares this January window, with decisions in February. It's a strategic second chance if you were deferred or denied in November, or your top choice became clear later.
Rolling admissions
Some schools — many large public universities — review applications as they arrive, often with no fixed deadline or just a "priority" date. Apply early: with rolling admissions, both spots and aid can fill before the nominal deadline.
When decisions arrive
ED I results come in mid-December; EA results between December and January; ED II in February; and Regular Decision from late March to early April (the Ivies release on a coordinated late-March "Ivy Day"). Then you compare offers and reply by May 1 — the national decision deadline for most colleges.
The financial-aid calendar
The FAFSA traditionally opens October 1. After the pandemic-era delays, it has returned to an on-time launch — the 2026–27 form actually opened a week early, in late September 2025. File as soon as it opens: much aid is first-come, first-served, and state and school deadlines are far earlier than the federal June 30 cutoff. The CSS Profile — used for institutional aid, and the form most international students file instead of the FAFSA — also opens around October 1.
Watch this trap: if you apply ED or EA, your financial-aid forms are often due with the application — many CSS Profile schools want them by November 1–15. Don't let the aid deadline slip behind the application deadline. For international applicants, see our financial-aid guide.
Build your own deadline sheet
Because dates vary by school and shift year to year, make a personal master list. For each school, note: the application deadline, the round you're using, the financial-aid deadline, and the test-score and recommendation cutoffs. Then work backward from the earliest date — usually a November 1 early deadline or the UC's November 30. The summer before senior year is the time to set this up.
Common mistakes
- Treating November 1 as "soon" instead of "now" — recommendations and test scores need weeks of lead time.
- Missing the UC's November 30 window because it isn't on the Common App.
- Filing FAFSA or CSS late and losing first-come aid.
- Forgetting that ED/EA aid forms are often due with the application.
- Assuming every Regular Decision deadline is January 1 — some are January 15 or February 1.
The bottom line
The application year runs on a predictable rhythm — early in November, regular in January, decisions through the spring, reply by May 1 — but every school sets its own dates, and aid forms reward filing the moment they open. Build a personal deadline sheet, work backward from the earliest date, and let our other guides handle the strategy within each round.
Track every school's deadlines and decision dates in one calendar.
Open the Deadline Calendar View the Prep ChecklistBased on the typical US admissions calendar and the Common Application, University of California, and U.S. Department of Education schedules (the 2026–27 FAFSA opened September 24, 2025). Dates vary by school and year and can change — always confirm current deadlines directly with each college.