If a college has rolling admission, it means they review applications as they come in, rather than all at once. This process means you hear back faster, and you could have a higher chance of acceptance if you apply early. Many rolling admission colleges also “roll” your application over to the next suitable semester if you apply too late or after the class is filled. Below, we’ve provided some information you need to know about rolling admission colleges, what their various deadlines mean, and a list of over 750 colleges that accept and review applications on a rolling basis.
What Does “Rolling Admission” Mean?
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Rolling admission colleges review applications as they come in, meaning if you apply sooner, you’ll hear back sooner. You could get a response in a matter of days or weeks. If you submit your application after the college’s fall semester deadline, the school might review your application for the following spring semester or academic year.
Most community colleges are rolling admission.
By comparison, regular decision colleges and universities have set deadlines for applications and only allow first-time, first-year students to start in the fall. Once those deadlines have passed, they start reviewing student applications collectively and then release their decisions at once. For example, if a college has a regular decision deadline of January 1, they might release their decisions to students in mid-March. If a student misses this January 1 deadline, they’ll have to apply for the following academic year.
Colleges and universities take different approaches to defining “rolling” admission or application cycles. Be sure to read over admissions pages before you apply so you understand how the school tackles these applications. You might see “rolling” used in these or other contexts:
Rolling Reviews with a Hard Deadline, For Only Fall Admission
Some schools review and reply to all applications on a rolling basis but still have a regular decision deadline. You’ll get a response faster, but after that regular decision deadline it’s unlikely they’ll accept your application. Your application doesn’t roll over to the next semester and you have to wait to apply until the following academic year’s application is available.
Accept Applications Year Round
Other colleges accept applications for most or all of the year, responding to students as they receive the applications. If you submit your paperwork too late for the upcoming fall semester, they’ll consider your application for the next spring or fall semester. Not all colleges allow first-year students to start in the spring. These schools may or may not have their deadlines listed online.
Rolling Admission Colleges and Universities
Below, you can find over 750 colleges and universities in the United States that use rolling admissions for undergraduate students for the 2025-26 academic year with a fall start. While many schools review applications on a rolling basis, we tried to keep this list to colleges that accept applications year-round or almost entirely year-round.
Keep these points in mind while reviewing these schools:
- Admission policies change. Colleges often change admission policies. A rolling admission school might implement different deadlines in the future.
- Deadlines change. Deadlines are subject to change at any time. This list is a guideline and isn’t official. A school may stop accepting new applications if they fill up.
- Not all rolling admission schools list deadlines. If a rolling admission school doesn’t have a listed deadline, they likely accept applications until they’re full or the start of the semester. Reach out to the admissions department with any questions.
- Some schools have multiple priority deadlines. Rolling admission schools may have several priority deadlines, each serving a different purpose, such as for specific majors, scholarships, and programs.
- Priority deadlines aren’t always advertised. Even if a school doesn’t have a priority deadline listed on their website or below, it doesn’t mean they don’t offer scholarships or other benefits to early applicants.
- Don’t wait to apply. The sooner you apply to a rolling admissions school, the more likely you are to be accepted. You also have a higher chance of receiving scholarships and financial aid by submitting your application early.
- Community colleges often review applications on a rolling basis. In most cases, community colleges allow students to start in the spring as well as the fall, meaning you can submit your application anytime. We didn’t include these on this list.
*Early Action
**Varies by program deadline
What Are the Deadlines for Rolling Admission?
Rolling Admissions schools accept applications 365 days a year, however, they only have room for so many students. As such, they fill available spots for students on a first-come, first-served basis. Admissions officers work to read over applications and send out decision letters throughout the entire year, only stopping if they’ve hit that year’s deadline or they’ve filled up the spots available.
1. Priority Deadlines
Priority deadlines at rolling admission colleges are due dates if you’d like to be considered for financial aid or honors programs, or if you simply want to increase your chances of getting an acceptance letter.
They differ from school to school. Some consider Early Action the priority deadline, while others have a priority deadline more in line with regular decision (January 1). Several rolling schools also offer Early Decision.
In addition, the benefits vary. Here are some common benefits of applying by the priority deadline, depending on the school:
- Priority consideration: This is the major benefit of all rolling admission colleges – if you apply early enough, you have a higher chance of getting into the school as they know you’re serious about attending.
- Scholarships: Many rolling admission colleges offer scholarships and grants. However, you can only qualify for them if you apply by their listed priority deadline.
- Honors programs: If you’re interested in the Honors Program at the college, you’ll have to apply by the priority date or the specific Honors Program date.
- Priority housing and class registration: Some colleges allow early applicants to select houses or classes before later accepted students.
- FAFSA and state aid: Colleges need to see your FAFSA or state financial aid applications by a specific date, usually in March or April. If you don’t submit your application by this deadline, you may still be accepted, but you could be out of the running for federal and state grants.
Read over colleges’ admissions pages carefully. Some schools have several listed priority deadlines. For example, a single college might have due dates for early action, priority with scholarships, and priority.
2. END-OF-YEAR Deadlines (Or Final Deadline)
All rolling admission colleges will have a “final” deadline for their semesters. Some will publish this date, while others don’t list any specific day. That’s because, as with “rolling admissions” in general, colleges can define final deadlines differently.
If you see a listed hard deadline, it means colleges accept applications up to that date or until they’re full. If there’s no deadline, the school accepts applications until they’re full or just before or right after the start of the semester. Some even allow you to apply two weeks into the semester.
3. FAFSA Availability and Deadlines
Students also need to be aware of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) availability dates and deadlines. If you are hoping to qualify for institutional grants and colleges, rolling admission colleges usually need your FAFSA and applications by a certain date.
4. What if a College Has No Listed Deadlines?
If a rolling admissions college doesn’t have a listed deadline, the school likely accepts students until the class is full or shortly before or after the semester starts. You can reach out to the school’s admission department for more information.
Rolling admission colleges recommend submitting your application for the next academic year in the fall or early spring. Although you could technically wait until the summer to apply, delaying can result in a denial letter or little to no financial aid.
5. Deadlines for Transfer, International, and Graduate Students
Rolling admission colleges may have different deadlines for non-traditional and graduate students. While many undergrad programs also offer rolling graduate application cycles, it’s not always the case.
Most schools accept transfer students on a rolling basis in general, allowing you to transfer in the spring even if they only let first-years start in the fall. International students usually must apply several months before domestic students. Exact deadlines for international students and transfers vary.
Pros and Cons of Rolling Admissions
There are several pros and cons of rolling admissions.
Pros of Rolling Admissions:
- They can offer last-minute options if you receive rejection letters from your other schools.
- Applying early with a strong application can increase your chances of acceptance.
- You have more time to complete your applications and can spread them out throughout the year instead of having them ready to go between November and January.
- Your senior year can be less stressful with fewer hard deadlines.
- The application process can be more flexible, and you may be able to decide on your college after the universal May 1st deadline.
- Students can receive acceptance letters within 4 to 6 weeks which is faster than many regular decision application cycles.
Cons of Rolling Admissions:
- Even with loose deadlines, spots may fill up quickly and availability can vary from year to year.
- Priority deadlines may not work for every student.
- Housing availability may be limited or unavailable if you apply too late in the rolling admissions cycle.
- Financial aid may be limited or unavailable if you apply late, though some FAFSA loans will always be available no matter when you apply.
Tips for Applying Under Rolling Admissions
1. Apply as Early as Possible
Since spots fill up, the sooner you apply, the greater chance you have of being accepted. Submitting before the priority deadline could make the difference between an acceptance letter or a rejection letter.
If you are accepted to a college under rolling admissions, you should also give the school notification of your intention of attending. Since spots fill up year-round, waiting too long could result in you missing out on a seat at the school or a seat in a particular class. Even if you have until a week before the semester starts to make your decision, if you know the answer sooner than that, let the college know as soon as possible.
2. Craft a Strong Application
Rolling admissions does allow you to have more time to craft your application. If you’re stuck between the priority deadline and a weak application, it may be beneficial to submit after the date.
- READ MORE >> How To Make Your College App Stand Out
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This will allow you to gather stronger letters of recommendation, retake the SAT or ACT, or improve your grades. However, you still don’t want to wait until the last minute, or you could end up fighting for the remaining few spots available.
You should be taking your rolling admissions applications as seriously as your other applications.
3. Complete your FAFSA as Soon as Possible
Even if your rolling admissions application isn’t due until May, you don’t want to wait until May to complete your FAFSA. Federal financial aid can and will run out, and the sooner you apply for it, the more likely you are to be approved. Your FAFSA should be completed as soon as it becomes available on the Department of Education website (usually October 1st).
Rolling Admissions FAQ
Here are just a few other things you should know about the rolling admissions process at colleges:
When Should Students Expect To Hear Back from Rolling Admissions Applications?
Admissions decisions can vary quite a bit from school to school and program to program, but most students hear back within four to six weeks if they submit their application under rolling admissions.
Are Rolling Admissions Binding?
No, rolling admissions are not binding and you are not obligated to attend if you are accepted to the school.
When Do You Have to Declare Your Intention to Attend?
Most colleges have a May 1st deadline for attendance decisions, meaning students have to decide by this date whether or not to attend a particular school. Many rolling admissions schools adhere to this date. Other schools may allow you to make a decision up until the day classes start, a week or two into the semester, or before spots in the school fill up.
If you are not sure when you have to notify your intended college, be sure to reach out to the admissions department as soon as possible. Even if you have until the beginning of the semester, it is better to notify the school as soon as possible of your intention as spots can fill up.
Does My College Offer Rolling Admissions?
Not all colleges and universities offer rolling admissions. If you are not sure about your intended college, reach out to the admissions department to see what they offer interested students.
Rolling admissions can give you more time to complete your college applications, especially if you’re coming up on deadlines. They can also be a life-saver if you weren’t accepted into any of your first-choice schools. However, it’s important that you take these applications as seriously as you take regular decision ones! They can still be highly competitive, especially as time goes on.
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