Deadlines & Decisions

If Northeastern is your number one college choice, and you are committed to attending if admitted, Early Decision is the admissions program that is right for you. Early Decision is ideal for students who are confident that we are the right fit—academically, socially, and financially. Early Decision (ED) applicants will be bound to their top preference if admitted into that program. This policy is true for any of our five first-year enrollment opportunities and if students select open to all opportunities. ED applicants will not be bound to an enrollment program if admitted into a program that was not their first-choice preference—a non-binding decision would be issued. All applicants are asked for their program preferences in the institution specific section of the application. Additional information regarding our enrollment opportunities may be found here. Please note, if you receive a binding admission, you are committed to attending and required to withdraw all applications from other institutions. 

Learn more about our Early Decision Benefits. 

You will have two opportunities to apply for Early Decision consideration: by November 1 for Early Decision I or by January 1 for Early Decision II. Early Decision II allows students who realize that Northeastern is their first choice later in the application process to show their high level of interest still.  

Early Decision I Application Deadline: November 1  
Early Decision I Decision Notification: By January 1  

Early Decision II Application Deadline: January 1  
Early Decision II Decision Notification: By March 1

Choose Early Action if Northeastern is a top choice—and you feel you can put your best foot forward at this earlier date since the Admissions Committee will not see your senior year grades or late fall standardized testing.  

Early Action is non-binding.  

Application Deadline: November 1
Decision Notification: By February 15 

Choose Regular Decision if you would like the Admissions Committee to review information from the first semester of your senior year and to have additional time to put the finishing touches on your application.

Regular Decision is non-binding.

Application Deadline: January 1
Decision Notification: By April 1

To ensure that your application is reviewed for fall admission, all required documents should be received by the application deadline.

Fall Deadline: April 1

Decision Notification: Decisions are released on a rolling basis; the latest notification date is June 30.

Our financial aid deadline for the FAFSA is aligned with the CSS Profile deadline, allowing us to deliver more complete award notifications to admitted students at the time of their decision release.

For additional information regarding aid, please see our Applying for Financial Aid page or contact Student Financial Services directly.