Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates 2026–2027

Last Updated on September 30, 2026

Quick answer: Most early decision notification dates for the Class of 2031 fall in mid-December 2026, after early deadlines of November 1 or November 15. Early action results follow a similar timeline, though some large public universities release them in January. Early decision II deadlines fall in January 2027, with results usually in February.

Early decision and early action deadlines for the Class of 2031 are only weeks away, and many students are already thinking about when results will arrive. After months of essays, activity lists, and recommendation requests, knowing when each school plans to release decisions can make the waiting period easier to manage.

Most colleges share their early decision and early action results between early and mid-December, though exact dates vary by institution and can shift from year to year. [1] Some schools publish a specific date, others give a general window, and a few release decisions on a rolling basis.

The tables below list each school’s 2026–27 early plans, deadlines, and expected notification timing, taken from each college’s admissions website. Where a school has not yet posted an exact date, we list the timeframe it gives. For reference, the last column shows when each school released its first round of early results last year, which is often a good guide to upcoming timing. We will update this page as schools announce exact release dates.

Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates 2026–27: Top National Universities

Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates 2026–27: Top Liberal Arts Colleges

What Changed for the 2026–27 Early Round

A few colleges changed their early plans for the Class of 2031. If one of these schools is on your list, double-check the details on its admissions website.

• University of Florida added binding early decision, with an October 15 deadline, alongside its early action round. [2]
• Occidental College now offers early action in addition to early decision I and II. [3]
• Union College no longer lists early action; it offers early decision I and II, with decisions released on a rolling basis.
• Berea College offers a second early action round with a January 31 deadline.
• Wake Forest University limits early action to first-generation students, and its early decision I results are released on a rolling basis.
• Georgia Tech runs two early action rounds: EA1 for Georgia residents and EA2 for all other applicants.

Understanding Early Plans: ED, EA, REA, and SCEA

Early plans differ in important ways, so make sure you know which one you are using at each school:

• Early decision (ED): Binding. If you are admitted, you agree to enroll and withdraw your other applications. You can apply ED to only one school at a time.
• Early decision II (ED II): Also binding, with a later deadline, usually in January. It is a good fit if you decide on a first choice later in the fall or want to use a fall test score. Learn more in our guide to early decision II.
• Early action (EA): Non-binding. You hear back early but have until May 1 to decide, and you can usually apply EA to as many schools as you like.
• Restrictive early action (REA) and single-choice early action (SCEA): Non-binding, but you agree not to apply early to most other private colleges. Harvard, Stanford, Caltech, and Notre Dame use restrictive early action; Princeton and Yale use SCEA.

Each school sets its own rules, particularly around whether you can also apply early to public universities, so read the fine print before you submit.

How to Prepare for Early Decision Notification Dates

Release day can bring an acceptance, a deferral, or a denial, and it helps to be ready for each. Before results arrive, finish your regular decision applications, or at least draft them, so you are not starting from scratch in late December if the news is not what you hoped. Many regular decision deadlines fall on January 1 or January 15, and you can track the next round with our regular decision notification dates.

If you are deferred, your application will be reviewed again with the regular pool. Our article on what to do after an early decision deferral walks through your next steps. Read the school’s instructions carefully. Many schools welcome a short update on new achievements or a letter of continued interest, while others ask you not to send anything extra.

If you are admitted early decision, follow the school’s instructions for submitting your enrollment deposit and withdrawing your other applications promptly. If you are admitted early action, celebrate, then keep your other options open until you have all of your decisions. Whatever the outcome, remember that one decision does not define your future, and many students find the right fit in the regular round.

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