College Application Deadlines 2024-2025

Most college applications for students planning to start college in fall 2026 —  including the Common Application — will open in August 2025. 

When you choose to apply will likely affect when you hear back from schools about an admission decision. 

Colleges generally have several types of application deadlines. Early action and early decision dates require an earlier application, but you’ll likely learn whether you got in before the end of the year. 

Applying for a regular decision deadline, on the other hand, gives you more time to work on your application. However, it means you’ll have to wait longer to hear back from schools you applied to. 

If you’re a nontraditional student or going to an online college, you might have other options. Many online programs for working professionals feature rolling admissions, meaning they have various application deadlines throughout the year with flexible start dates. 

The following table summarizes the most common college application deadlines for the four main admissions windows.

You don’t have to wait to start working on your application components. Regardless of when you apply, you’ll likely need to submit a personal essay, 1-3 recommendation letters, official transcripts, and possibly SAT/ACT and Advanced Placement (AP) scores.

Check out the table below to find the 2025-2026 application deadlines for 50 popular colleges.

Many schools offer early action deadlines, which entail applying early and receiving an early admission decision.

The most common early action deadlines are in early to mid-November. In general, you can expect to receive an admission decision in December.

Early action is a great option if you don’t want to be forced to commit to a school. Unlike early decision (see below), early action doesn’t require you to commit to attending the school should you get admitted.

You also don’t need to respond to early action offers until the National College Decision Day deadline on May 1, giving you plenty of time to compare college offers.

One potential outcome of applying early action is deferment, or when your application gets pushed to the regular decision applicant pool. If this happens to you, reach out to the school and focus on strengthening your application for regular decision admittance.

Similar to early action, early decision means applying to a college and getting an admission decision around mid-December. Some colleges offer two early decision deadlines (usually called Early Decision I and II).

Unlike early action, early decision comes with a binding agreement to enroll. In other words, if you get in, you must pay a nonrefundable deposit and immediately withdraw all your other college applications. So, if you’re applying early decision, you should be completely sure that you want to attend the school.

One caveat of early decision is that you’re entering an agreement without seeing your financial aid offer. For those depending on financial aid to cover most or all of their tuition, this could pose serious concerns.

Some schools may help you explore additional aid options, but adjustments aren’t guaranteed.

Most students apply during regular decision. These deadlines commonly fall in December or January. Typically, you’ll hear back from prospective schools in March or April and must follow up with your decision about whether to enroll no later than May 1 or risk losing your spot.

As one of the widest application windows, regular decision ensures you’ll have ample time to gather materials, prepare your essays, and take any required exams. You’ll also have plenty of time to carefully consider all of your college options.

The downside of applying during regular decision is that if you get rejected, you’ll have to wait until the following academic term or year to reapply. Alternatively, you could get waitlisted, which means you may or may not get accepted depending on whether any spots open up.

Colleges with rolling admissions evaluate applications as they come in instead of maintaining set deadlines. These schools usually offer several application windows a year. In general, they’ll review applications until the upcoming class is filled.

Colleges usually open rolling admissions from early September through spring, depending on available spots. However, some schools might close applications by the May 1 deadline.

Many schools also use a rolling admissions policy for transfer applicants. Transfer students should begin the application process well ahead of their prospective school’s posted application deadline. Carefully read each school’s requirements as they’ll maintain different application windows.

Applying to college entails a considerable amount of planning. If you’re in high school, try to request recommendation letters and take the SAT or ACT in 11th grade. This is especially important if you’re planning to apply early action or early decision.

Early admission works best for students who are prepared to apply early in their senior year. Often resulting in an admission decision by mid-December, these options give you plenty of time to relax and enjoy your final semester of high school.

Additionally, students who apply early may enjoy higher acceptance rates than regular decision applicants.

To meet an early deadline, begin the application process in the summer. Focus your efforts on writing your admissions essay, gathering letters of recommendation, and taking (or retaking) the SAT or ACT.

Most applicants apply during the regular decision window. If you need additional time to compare schools or gather application components, regular decision is most likely your best option. Since teachers might be busy with midterms in late fall, make sure to request recommendation letters by September.

Remember that no student is the same. If you don’t feel your application is ready to submit by an earlier deadline, hold off until the regular decision deadline. Regardless of which deadline you choose, make sure you feel confident when you submit your application.