Universities in the US seek intensive paperwork before offering admission to a student.
Not all universities accept international applications for the Spring and Summer intakes.
Being on time during the application process is as important as missing this can lead to a rejection in your admission application for the current term. However, you may find a flexible US university application deadline for international students that accept late applicants. But if you are aiming for the leading universities, punctuality throughout the application process matters a lot.
If you start early you will have plenty of time in hand to fulfill all requirements. Therefore, in this blog we have summed up all you need to know about admission deadlines for US universities, intakes available, early decision and early action rounds.
Intakes in US University Deadlines
Before diving into the US university application deadline for international students 2022, let us briefly discuss the various intakes for international student admissions. Basically, there are 3 intakes for admission - Fall, Spring and Summer.
Take a look at the table below to understand the difference among the 3 intakes for US admissions:
|
Fall Intake |
Spring Intake |
Summer Intake |
|
It is the primary intake with all programs available for admission. |
It is the secondary intake, not available for all universities and programs. |
It is only available for a few universities and programs. |
|
Maximum number of applications are received and accepted. |
Comparatively, less international applicants prefer this intake. |
Very few applicants wait for this intake. |
|
You will have access to maximum financial aid. |
Limited financial aid opportunities are available. |
Hardly any financial aid opportunities are available. |
How to apply to an abroad university?
Top US University Application Deadline for International Students 2022
International students are eager to know about US university deadlines for the leading institutions. Therefore, we have summed the regular application deadlines for the top 10 universities in the US ranked in QS World University Rankings 2023 in the table below:
|
University Name |
Application Deadlines |
|
March 15 |
|
|
November 1 |
|
|
January 1 |
|
|
California Institute of Technology |
January 3 |
|
University of Chicago |
January 4 |
|
University of Pennsylvania |
January 5 |
|
Princeton University |
January 1 |
|
Yale University |
January 2 |
|
Cornell University |
January 2 |
|
Columbia University |
May 15 |
Regular Decision US University Deadlines
Regular decision deadline is the same as the deadline for fall intake. At most universities, the regular decision deadline is around the first week of January. There are some exceptions where regular decision deadlines are around February to September. In any case you are advised not to wait until the deadline. It is best to apply at least 1-2 months before the deadline not only because you will be able to manage your paperwork better but also because it gives you a chance to impress the admission committee by indicating your interest for admission.
Here is a list of popular US universities along with their regular application deadline for international students in USA:
|
University Name |
Regular Decision Deadlines |
|
John Hopkins University |
January 3 |
|
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
February 1 |
|
November 30 |
|
|
January 3 |
|
|
New York University |
January 5 |
|
Duke University |
January 4 |
|
January 3 |
|
|
Brown University |
January 5 |
|
Boston University |
January 4 |
|
Wesleyan University |
January 1 |
|
San Jose University |
April 1 |
MS Universities in USA Application Deadlines
The fall intake is also the one for which you will find maximum MS courses on offer for international students. The application deadlines for MS programs mostly differ from program to program so it is best to visit your program page before planning your US university application.
You can check the MS universities in USA application deadlines for international students in the table below:
|
University Name |
Application Deadline |
|
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
December 1, December 15 |
|
Stanford University |
December 4 |
|
Harvard University |
December 15 |
|
December 1, December 15, January 1 |
|
|
December 1, January 5 |
|
|
November 15, February 1, March 15 |
|
|
December 15 |
|
|
December 15, January 2 |
|
|
Cornell University |
December 5, January 15, February 1 |
|
Columbia University |
December 15, January 6 |
Detailed Guide to Fall intake in USA
Early Decision Admission Deadlines for US Universities
Early decision application dates for US universities are binding wherein you will be asked to submit an early decision agreement along with your application. By signing this agreement, if selected you must take admission to the university. It is only recommended, if you are sure about taking admission to that university.
At most universities, you will find 2 rounds of early decision deadlines of which early decision I may coincide with early action deadlines. You can expect to be notified by February. Discussed in the table below are the early decision admission deadlines for US universities:
|
University Name |
Early Decision Application Deadline |
|
New York University |
Early Decision I: November 1 Early Decision II: January 1 |
|
Boston University |
Early Decision I: November 1 Early Decision II: January 4 |
|
Early Decision I: January 15 Early Decision II: March 1 |
|
|
University of Chicago |
Early Decision I: November 1 Early Decision II: January 4 |
|
University of Pennsylvania |
November 1 |
|
November 1 |
|
|
Early Decision I: November 15 Early Decision II: January 1 |
|
|
November 1 |
|
|
Carnegie Mellon University |
Early Decision I: November 1 Early Decision II: January 3 |
|
November 1 |
|
|
Northwestern University |
November 1 |
|
Early Decision I: November 1 Early Decision II: January 3 |
Early Action Admission Deadlines for US Universities
Early action deadline for application to US universities are a few days before the regular decision deadlines. You will see that at most universities the early action deadline is either November 1 or November 15. The decision can be expected around December.
Universities that offer early action admission deadlines recommend international students to not wait for the regular deadlines. What happens in case of early action is that once notified you will have to confirm enrollment within the specified date.
Here is a list of universities offering early action application deadline for international students:
|
University Name |
Early Action Application Deadline |
|
Columbia University |
March 1 |
|
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
November 1 |
|
Harvard University |
November 1 |
|
University of Chicago |
November 1 |
|
Princeton University |
November 1 |
|
Yale University |
November 1 |
|
November 15 |
|
|
November 1 |
Spring Deadline for Application to US Universities
It is said that not all universities offer application deadline for international students in USA. In most cases, the deadline for spring semester is similar to the regular application deadline.
Take a look at the table below for spring application deadlines for US universities:
|
University Name |
Spring Application Deadlines |
|
October 15 |
|
|
November 1 |
|
|
Columbia University |
November 1 |
|
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth |
January 15 |
|
November 1 |
|
|
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
October 1 |
Suggested: Comprehensive Guide to USA Deadlines for Fall/Spring 2022-2023
You can expect the application process to complete within 8-12 weeks. Application process for US universities is a tedious task. There are multiple documents that need to be put together for a successful application, right from submitting your application, getting LORs, writing SOPs, gathering documents, financial statements to applying for a visa and a lot more. Speak to our Yocket counselors today and get help to fulfill the formalities for admission within the deadline for application to US universities.
Frequently Asked Questions about Admission Deadlines for US Universities
Ques. What is the US university application deadline for international students 2022?
Ans. The most common US university application deadlines are November 1 and November 15 for early action and January 1 and January 15 for regular decision deadlines.
Ques. How many intakes are there for US university admission?
Ans. There are 3 intakes for US university admission - Fall, Spring and Summer.
Ques. When should I apply for January intake in the US?
Ans. You can start preparing your application for January intake in the US from April of the previous year.
Ques. When should I prepare my application for admission to US universities?
Ans. The ideal time to start preparing your application for admission to US universities is 9-12 months before the intake. To start with, you can browse university websites, shortlist universities and look for application deadlines and prepare documents accordingly.
Ques. Which intake is best for international student admission in the US?
Ans. Fall intake is the best and probably the most popular intake for international student admission in the US. There are several US universities and colleges that welcome applications only for the fall intake. Also, maximum courses are on offer for the fall intake deadline for US university application.