Admission Information

Freshman Admission Dates and Deadlines

Our admissions dates and deadlines are below. You may apply as early as August of your senior year. Apply as early as you can!

Applying by the Early Action deadline gives you the best chance at getting your preferred campus and preferred term.

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FALL/SUMMER 2027 SEMESTER START

Application Type	Application Deadline	Materials Deadline	Decision Release	Decision Type
Early Action	November 1, 2026	November 15, 2026	December 10, 2026	Admit, Deny or Defer
Regular Decision	December 15, 2026	January 15, 2027	February 11, 2027	Admit, Waitlist or Deny
Rolling	March 1, 2027	March 15, 2027	Rolling starting in early March	Admit or Deny

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Your college admissions journey is your own, so there isn't a perfect answer for everyone. You should consider the following:

• Early Action: November 1, 2026
  • Applying before this deadline has major benefits. We recommend applying Early Action if possible.
• Regular Decision: December 15, 2026
  • If you're not ready to apply by the Early Action deadline, apply Regular Decision. That way, you'll have your application submitted before USF closes for winter break.
• Scholarship Consideration Deadline: January 15, 2027
  • If you submit your application and materials by the Scholarship Consideration Deadline, the Office of Admissions automatically considers you for merit scholarships.
  • If you miss this deadline, you can still apply for other scholarships, but you should give yourself as many opportunities for success as possible.

As the application deadlines pass, admission to USF becomes more competitive. Maximize your chance of getting in by applying as early as you can!

When you apply to USF, you'll have two important deadlines you want to meet, no matter your application type.

• The application deadline is the date you must submit your application for admission. Documents and supplemental materials are due later.
• The materials deadline is the date you must submit your application materials. This includes:
  • Application fee or fee waiver
  • Test score submission
  • STARS submission

The materials deadline gives you a little time to complete your application package after submitting your application. Always submit your application and materials as soon as you can to allow plenty of time for processing.

Learn How to Apply

Early Action is a non-binding way to apply and receive a priority admissions decision. Applying early can have its advantages, so we encourage applicants to meet this deadline if possible.

Apply by the Early Action deadline for perks like:

• Priority campus consideration
• Priority term consideration
• Automatic consideration for merit scholarships

All you have to do to apply Early Action is submit your application by the Early Action deadline and all application materials by the Early Action Materials deadline.

Apply to USF

Please note: Preferred USF campus and entry term are not guaranteed, but applying Early Action maximizes your chance to get what you want.

We know you're eager to join the Herd, so note the decision release date associated with your application deadline.

For example, if you complete your application on or before the Early Action application deadline and submit all your materials by the Early Action materials deadline, you can expect to hear from us after 5 p.m. on Early Action decision release day. 

Understand My Admission Decision

Rolling decision means that the sooner you apply, the sooner you could receive an admission decision. When students miss our Early Action deadlines and our Regular decision deadlines, Rolling Decision gives them more time to apply, but we always recommend you apply Early Action if you can.

Check out more admissions information:

• Apply Now
• How to Apply
• Requirements