Early Decision Notification Dates 2026–27: ED, EA, and ED II

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

Early decision notification dates are the next milestone for the Class of 2031. The November deadlines have passed, the applications are in, and the question in most households has shifted from “Is it submitted?” to “When do we find out?”

Most colleges release early decision and early action results between early and mid-December, though exact dates vary by school and can shift from year to year. [1] Some schools publish a specific date months ahead. Others give a window, such as “mid-December,” and announce the exact day closer to release.

A handful of schools have already posted firm dates: Johns Hopkins (December 11), the University of Florida (December 11), WashU (by December 11), and Case Western Reserve (by December 5) for their first early decision rounds.

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 posted an exact date, we list the window it gives. The last column shows when each school released its first early results last year, which is often a good guide to this year’s timing. We will update this page as schools announce exact release dates.

Early Decision Notification Dates 2026–27: Top National Universities

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

What Changed for the 2026–27 Early Round

Several selective universities changed their early plans for the Class of 2031. If one of these schools is on your list, confirm the details on its admissions website before release day.

• Washington University in St. Louis added non-binding early action, with a November 2 deadline and decisions released by December 23. Early decision I results still come first, by December 11. [2]
• The University of Southern California now offers binding early decision for most majors, with results by mid-December, alongside early action, which releases results in late January. Performing arts majors do not take part in either early round. [3]
• The University of Florida added binding early decision for the first time, with an October 15 deadline and results on December 11, alongside its existing early action round. [4]
• Occidental College now offers early action in addition to early decision I and II.
• Union College no longer lists early action; it offers early decision I and II, with decisions released on a rolling basis. Dickinson College has brought back early action, with a Nov. 15 deadline and decisions in mid-January.
• Wake Forest University limits early action to first-generation students and releases early decision I results on a rolling basis.

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

Early plans differ in ways that matter on release day, so confirm which one applies at each school:

• Early decision (ED): Binding. If you are admitted, you agree to enroll and withdraw your other applications. You can apply early decision to only one school at a time.
• Early decision II (ED II): Also binding, with a later deadline, usually in early January. It suits students who settle on a first choice later in the fall. Our guide to early decision II covers the tradeoffs.
• Early action (EA): Non-binding. You hear back early but have until May 1 to decide, and you can usually apply early action to several schools.
• 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.

How Release Day Works

Most selective colleges post decisions to their applicant portal and send an email when the result is ready. Release times are usually in the evening, Eastern time. Last year, Penn and Brown both released their early decision results at 7pm ET.

Before release day, confirm you can log in to each portal, and check your spam folder for messages from each admissions office. Decisions come in three forms: an admission, a deferral to the regular round, or a denial.

How to Prepare for Early Decision Notification Dates

It helps to be ready for each outcome. Before results arrive, finish your regular decision applications, or at least draft them, so you are not starting from scratch in late December. 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 each school’s instructions carefully: some welcome a short update on new achievements or a letter of continued interest, while others ask applicants not to send anything extra.

If the December news is not what you hoped, early decision II is still open at schools such as Emory, NYU, Tufts, and Vanderbilt, with deadlines in early January.

If you are admitted early decision, follow the school’s instructions for the enrollment deposit and withdraw your other applications promptly. If you are admitted early action, you have until May 1 to decide, so keep your other applications moving until you can compare every offer.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Get a clear, honest read on which path actually fits your goals, and the specific next steps to build a competitive application. Click here to book your complimentary consultation.