As we start the new year, some high school seniors may be preparing to submit their first round of college applications, while others may find themselves taking a second look at their college lists after working hard to complete and submit early admission materials. There are plenty of colleges that offer Regular Decision deadlines in January and February as well as other admission deadlines all the way into the summer. These later deadlines give students ample opportunity to be admitted to a college or university that fits their academic and career goals.
Several colleges with late admission deadlines operate on a rolling admission policy, meaning they‘ll consider applicants on an ongoing basis until their incoming class is filled—giving students the opportunity to spread out their college applications. Still, many schools with rolling admission maintain priority deadlines for a better chance of landing a spot or institutional scholarships. Before we dive into important deadlines you should know about, let’s talk about financial aid.
Will applying to college late affect my financial aid?
Unfortunately, you may receive less financial aid if you apply to college late. Early and Regular Decision applications benefit students by offering them access to a larger pool of funding, and many colleges offer scholarships to students who meet the earlier deadlines. For example, Boston College only considers students for merit scholarships if they meet the school’s November 1 priority deadline. Students applying after this date might forfeit their access to scholarship funds.
Many college FAFSA due dates also have priority deadlines, which require students to apply by that date to receive the greatest amount of funding from the school. States with limited funds often have early deadlines as well or recommend that students submit their FAFSA forms as soon as possible to get priority consideration for aid.
Some states and colleges still grant money to students applying later, but they might get less than early applicants. The FAFSA normally opens on October 1, and June 30 is the federal deadline for receiving aid for that academic year. If you’re going to be enrolled in college this fall, you should’ve already submitted your FAFSA by now, but submitting late is better than not applying at all.
Related: The Best Advice and Resources for Filling Out the FAFSA
Regular Decision deadlines for the 2025–2026 college admission cycle
Still haven’t applied to college as a high school senior? Or maybe you’d like to add a few match and safety schools to your list? It’s not too late to apply. Here are some Regular Decision deadlines you should know about—just be sure to submit your applications ASAP! (Please note that these lists aren't exhaustive, and deadlines are subject to change without notice.)
January 10 deadline
- Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska
- University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (rolling admission after)
January 15 deadline
- Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona
- Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado
- The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio
- University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, Massachusetts
- University of North Carolina in Ashville, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Pembroke, and Wilmington, North Carolina
- University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin
January 20 deadline
- University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland
February 1 deadline
- Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina
- Baylor University in Waco, Texas
- Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois
- Brigham Young University—Hawai’i in Laie, Hawai’i
- Brigham Young University—Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho
- Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island
- Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana
- DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois
- DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana
- Drew University in Madison, New Jersey
- George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia
- Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana
- Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York
- Miami University in Oxford, Ohio
- Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri
- Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio
- University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire
- University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma
- University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island
- University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida
February 3 deadline
- Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah
February 5 deadline
- University of Massachusetts Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts
February 15 deadline
- California State University East Bay in Hayward, California
- Howard University in Washington, DC
- Pace University in New York, New York (rolling admission after)
- University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky
- University of Massachusetts Boston in Boston, Massachusetts
- University of New England in Biddeford, Maine
Late deadlines for the 2025–2026 admission cycle
These later admission deadlines may seem far away, but they’ll sneak up on you sooner than you think—so mark them in your calendar and get your application materials ready!
March 1 deadline
- Austin College in Sherman, Texas
- Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida
- Texas A&M University Higher Education Center in McAllen, Texas
- Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey
- Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey
- Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia
- Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia
- Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey
- University of Maine in Orono, Maine (rolling admission after)
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Greensboro, North Carolina
- University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida
- Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts
- Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington
- Worcester State University in Worcester, Massachusetts
March 15 deadline
- Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
- Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island College in Providence, Rhode Island
March 31 deadline
- Washington State University in Pullman, Washington
April 1 deadline
- East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina
- Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia
- Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia
- Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois
- Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire
- Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan (rolling admission after February 1)
- Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland
- North Park University in Chicago, Illinois
- Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire
- University of Hawai’i at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawai’i
- University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi
- University of New Hampshire at Manchester in Manchester, New Hampshire
- University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Georgia
- University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania
April 7 deadline
- University of Nevada, Reno in Reno, Nevada
May 1 deadline
- Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina
- SUNY New Paltz in New Paltz, New York
- University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona
- University of Central Florida in Orange County, Florida
- University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa
May 15 deadline
- Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan
May 31 deadline
- University of Washington in Tacoma, Washington
June 1 deadline
- Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts
- Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana
- Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
June 2 deadline
- University of Houston in Houston, Texas
June 15 deadline
- New College of Florida in Sarasota, Florida
July 15 deadline
- The Ohio State University at Lima in Lima, Ohio
- The Ohio State University at Mansfield in Mansfield, Ohio
- The Ohio State University at Marion in Marion, Ohio
- The Ohio State University at Newark in Newark, Ohio
- Washington State University Everett in Everett, Washington
August 1 deadline
- University of Minnesota in Morris, Minnesota
- West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia
August 11
- University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas
Rolling admission for the 2025–2026 cycle
The following schools offer rolling admission, but they may have priority deadlines for certain programs and scholarships, so be sure to check their websites before you wait.
- Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan
- Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania
- East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
- Elmira College in Elmira, New York
- Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota
- Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas (with a recommended deadline of February 1)
- Kent State University in Kent, Ohio
- Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, Illinois
- Manhattanville University in Purchase, New York
- Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri
- Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan
- Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania
- Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
- Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania
- Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania (with a recommended deadline of March 1)
- Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts
- University of Michigan–Dearborn in Dearborn, Michigan
- University of Michigan–Flint in Flint, Michigan
- University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming
- Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland, Washington
Related: 11 Steps to Finalizing and Submitting Your College Apps
Remember that application deadlines are subject to change, so be sure to confirm dates on the websites of the colleges you intend to apply to. And there are so many more colleges out there, so be sure to do your own research to find other schools with application deadlines that work for you!
Even though a college may have a set admission deadline, it’s always smart to get your applications in well ahead of time so you’re not scrambling last minute, worrying about forgetting something, or missing out on scholarship opportunities. Plan ahead and good luck!
You don’t have to go it alone to get your admission checklist done! Check out Our Best Advice for Tackling Your College Applications to get you through any obstacle you may face.
