What is Early Decision in College Admissions?

While applying to universities abroad, understanding different admission plans such as Regular Decision (RD), Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) in college applications is significant to make an informed decision. So, what exactly is Early Decision for international students? Early Decision is simply a binding obligation between the applicant and the college. It means that the candidate must attend the college upon acceptance. He/she cannot change their mind and attend any other university after the Early Decision application is submitted. It is highly recommended to apply to a college with Early Decision only if you are certain about your choice.

This Story also Contains

1. What Is Early Decision (ED)?
2. Overview of Early Decision Applications
3. Top Schools Offering ED Admissions 2025
4. Types of Early Decision in College Applications Abroad
5. Early Decision in College: Common Applications Deadlines
6. Early Decision Acceptance Rates 2028
7. Benefits of Applying Early Decision
8. Drawbacks of Applying Early Decision for College
9. Tips to Apply Early Decision for Universities
10. Some Related Terms for Reference

One of the major advantages of attending Early Decision Schools 2025 is increased chances of admission to the selected top school. Early Decision college acceptance rates are generally higher than the Regular Decision acceptance rates. For 2028, the overall Harvard acceptance rate for international students is 3.59% approx. On the contrary, the Harvard Early Decision acceptance rate is much higher at 8.74%. Cons for the same include early preparation, a limited chance to compare different schools, and more. Early Decision application deadlines typically fall between November 1 and 30, with decisions announced by the college by December 15.

How is ED different from EA and RD? The distinctions between Early Action, Regular Decision, and Early Decision are primarily based on candidates' commitments and admission timelines. Early Decision applications can be submitted to only one college early in the applicant’s senior year and are generally more binding than the other two. Early Action allows students to apply early to multiple colleges without obligation to attend them. Regular Decision is a common application process for all colleges. We have provided a comprehensive guide to different aspects of Early Decision in college applications such as the pros and cons for prospective students in the article below.

What Is Early Decision (ED)?

Early Decision in College Applications is an option given to international students where they can submit their application to the selected university before the regular application deadlines. It provides them with a higher expectancy of success in the challenging and competitive admission selection process. One of the major features of Early Decision for college is that it is a binding commitment. On acceptance into the university, a student must enrol in the chosen field of study offered by the university.

Overview of Early Decision Applications

• Early Decision Application Deadline: It is usually in November for students to apply to colleges.

• Early Admission Decision: The college generally responds in advance in comparison to the regular admission decision date. It is usually mid-December.

• Binding: A student is required to attend the college upon getting the acceptance letter; they cannot change their decision after sending the application.

• Limited to 1 college: Aspirants can apply through Early Decision to college only once. This option is available only to one college early decision.

• Other admission application options: Students can apply to other colleges under the Regular Decision admission plan. However, candidates must attend the Early Decision school upon acceptance, even if they have submitted a regular admission application. Withdrawal from all other applications is required if accepted under ED in college.

Top Schools Offering ED Admissions 2025

Several top universities abroad offer Early Decision acceptance of international students for 2025. It gives students an advantage of showcasing their commitment towards the school increasing the chances of admission. These top-tier universities abroad are renowned for their world-class education and slightly higher Early Decision college acceptance rates than the regular ones. We have given some of the popular institutions that offer Early Decision in College Applications for international students.

List Of Colleges With Early Decision 2025

• Brown University

• Claremont McKenna College

• Beloit College

• Carnegie Mellon University

• Boston University

• College of New Jersey

• Columbia University

• Dartmouth College

• Drexel University

• Duke University

• Johns Hopkins University

• Miami University-Oxford

• New York University

• Northeastern University

• Bentley University

• Carleton College

• Christopher Newport University

• Clark University

• St. John's University (NY)

• St. Mary's College (IN)

• Stevens Institute of Technology

• Susquehanna University

• Swarthmore College

• Union College (NY)

• University of Redlands

• Vassar College

• Northwestern University

• Queens University of Charlotte

• Rhodes College

• Rice University

• Southern Methodist University

• Southwestern University

• Spelman College

• St. John's College Annapolis

• University of Miami

• St. Lawrence University

• University of Chicago

• St. Mary's College of Maryland

• SUNY—Geneseo

• University of Pennsylvania

• Washington and Lee University

• Washington University in St. Louis

• University of San Francisco

• Virginia Tech

• Yeshiva University

• Virginia Military Institute

• Manhattan College

Types of Early Decision in College Applications Abroad

The majority of colleges offer Early Decisions for admission. While most of these institutions offer an Early Decision application option for students, some of the colleges provide two types of ED timelines for international students. These are popularly known as:

• Early Decision 1 or ED 1

• Early Decision 2 or ED 2

Both ED 1 and ED 2 are quite similar with the same features of binding obligation as an admission plan. However, these are majorly distinct in terms of acceptance rates, application deadlines, and popularity. Here are the key points to differ between these two Early Decision in college applications.

• Popularity: Students generally prefer to apply for Early Decision 1 (ED 1) over Early Decision 2 (ED 2). However, both options are commonly selected by international students who have a clear understanding of their dream university.

• Acceptance Rates: Most of the universities offer just one ED with approx Early Decision acceptance rates for the classes. Colleges with two rounds of Early Decision have slightly different acceptance rates, which vary significantly from the lower Regular Decision acceptance rates. ED 2 acceptance rates are generally a bit higher than ED 1 acceptance rates in College.

• Application Deadlines: The Early Decision application timeline for 1st phase is generally before the ED 2 deadlines. At last, the regular decision application deadlines are provided. Here are the application timelines for ED 1 vs ED 2

Early Decision in College: Common Applications Deadlines

Early Decision Acceptance Rates 2028

As discussed, the acceptance rates of Early Decision in college admission are generally higher than for Regular Decision. It also varies as per the selected top school. Impressively, some of the Ivy League schools in USA also offer admission through the Early Decision admission plan. We have mentioned a list of colleges with Early Decision that are renowned for top-notch education in the world:

Regular and Early Decision College Acceptance Rates for Class 2028

Here, we have given an analysis of ED Acceptance Rates vs Overall Acceptance Rates for the above top colleges. These institutions include the Ivy Leagues and Non-Ivy Leagues. It can be observed that both Regular and Early Decision acceptance rates for these top universities are quite low. However, the rate of acceptances is slightly higher for ED in comparison with the overall acceptance rates. It is almost double the regular acceptance rates.

Students must be aware of the pros and cons of applying Early Decision in college admission. We have provided a detailed guide on the different advantages and disadvantages of College Admissions Early Decision plans.

Also Read: Ivy League Universities in Germany

Benefits of Applying Early Decision

There are various reasons for why you should go for Early Decision while applying to colleges. Some of the advantages of Early Decision in college applications include the following:

• High Early Decision Acceptance Rates: Colleges tend to offer higher acceptance rates for their Early Decision (ED) timelines in comparison with the Regular Decision (RD) timelines.

• Time and Cost Effective: Applying through Early Decision for College includes applying to only one college. This process saves the time and cost required to apply to multiple colleges such as application fees.

• High Chances of Admission: Colleges consider the commitment and interest of applicants in the university. This helps candidates to have an edge over other candidates.

• Less Stress: Students applying by ED admission in colleges generally get their admission decisions early by December mid. This decreases the stress and uncertainty of admission tension. Generally, the Regular Decision results are announced till April 1.

• More Time for Preparation: Early application means early admission decisions. This provides students with plenty of time to prepare for college.

Drawbacks of Applying Early Decision for College

Along with the benefits, some of the disadvantages of applying through Early Decision for college admission include the following:

• Binding Commitment to the College: All colleges that accept students through Early Decision college acceptance rates require students to withdraw their applications from other institutions and attend their college. This limits the candidate’s flexibility to explore other options.

• Less time to prepare for admission application: Students are required to gather all the necessary documents for admission applications such as English proficiency tests, standardised tests, identity documents, and academic transcripts in a limited time to comply with the Early Decision college acceptance dates.

• Limited Financial Aid Options: On accepted by the university where students apply through ED, they are required to withdraw from all other institutions. This gives them limited financial aid options as they cannot compare the financial benefits of other colleges.

Tips to Apply Early Decision for Universities

Students can consider some tips before applying through Early Decision in college admissions. These include:

• They must have a clear objective of studying in the institution after exploring different colleges

• The selected college must align with the applicant’s career goals

• Students must maintain a solid academic standing in their previous course of study.

• They must have a profile with an academic profile that is way over the basic university requirements.

• They should achieve good scores in SAT, ACT, GRE, or GMAT as applicable to their course requirements.

Note: Before applying through Early Decision to college, students must be able to answer a few questions to determine whether Early Decision is right for them or not. These questions include:

• Are they confident in the selected university?

• Will they be satisfied with the offered financial aid by the selected college without even exploring other options?

• Will they be able to gather significant documents for college applications before the Early Decision college acceptance dates?

If the answer to all the questions above is yes, then you should proceed with applying through Early Decision (ED) at colleges.

Some Related Terms for Reference

Here are some of the common QnA for aspiring students to have a better understanding of Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), and Regular Decision (RD):

What is Early Action?

The early Action admission plan is similar to the Early Decision admission plan. It is an option offered to international students where they can apply for admission to the selected university earlier than the regular admission deadlines. They get the admission decisions early as well. It is non-binding which implies that students have an option to apply elsewhere as well without a mandatory requirement to attend the college on acceptance if they get admitted under Early Action.

Can I apply to both Early Decision and Early Action?

No, one cannot apply to both Early Action and Early Decision in colleges simultaneously. Some of the universities even pose the restriction on students who applied to their universities under Early Decision to apply under Early Action to other universities. One can apply to only one university for ED college admission. Moreover, one must note that not all colleges offer Early Decision for college applications.

Can I decline my Early Decision Admission Letter?

Generally, one cannot decline their Early admission decision. Consequently, they must attend the university when admitted under Early Decision. However, a student can decline their ED admission to colleges under exceptional circumstances. They are required to write a letter to the concerned university clearly stating a solid reason for not attending the college. Students can also decline Early Decision admission if no financial aid is offered as per their stated financial need. It is hereby important for students to weigh the pros and cons of Early Decision carefully as per their personal circumstances.