College Application Deadlines 2025-2026: Complete Timeline

Staying on top of application deadlines is critical for college admissions success. Here is your complete timeline for 2025-2026.

Early Action (EA) Deadlines

Most early action deadlines fall in early to mid-November. You receive decisions in December without commitment to attend.

Early Decision is binding - if accepted, you must attend. Most deadlines are November 1 or 15 with decisions in mid-December.

Most regular decision deadlines fall in early January. Decisions typically arrive in March and April.

Harvard: REA November 1, RD January 1

Columbia: ED November 1, RD January 1

Brown: ED November 1, RD January 5

Cornell: ED November 1, RD January 2

UC System: November 30 (strict deadline)

Verify current deadlines on school websites

Build in buffer time for technical issues

Track deadlines for each school carefully

Our application tracker helps you manage deadlines for all your target schools in one place.