Dartmouth Application Deadlines: Key Dates for 2026-2027

Dartmouth’s application deadline depends on the route you pick. Early Decision (ED) closes on November 1, 2026, and Regular Decision (RD) closes on January 1, 2027. Financial aid adds its own dates, and transfer applicants follow a separate calendar.

This guide covers every Dartmouth application deadline for the 2026-2027 cycle, from both first-year routes to the transfer window and the aid forms tied to each. If you are still deciding whether the school belongs on your list, our guide on getting into Dartmouth covers the admissions side. Once you have your route, use the sections below to build your calendar.

• When Is the Dartmouth Application Deadline?
• Dartmouth Transfer Application Deadline
• Dartmouth Financial Aid Application Deadline
• Beat Dartmouth’s Application Deadline with Expert Help
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

When Is the Dartmouth Application Deadline?

First-year applicants choose between two routes, and each has its own cutoff:

Source: Dartmouth Undergraduate Admissions

Both dates apply to first-year applicants only. Transfer students and aid applicants use different calendars, which the next two sections cover.

Dartmouth Early Decision deadline

Dartmouth’s ED deadline is November 1, 2026. The Common App opens on August 1, so you have about three months to finish your essays, line up recommendations, and send test scores if you plan to submit them.

A deferral sends your file to the RD pool, where the committee reads it again alongside those applicants. Since an admit offer is binding, you must enroll and withdraw every other application you have filed.

Dartmouth Regular Decision deadline

Dartmouth’s RD deadline is January 1, 2027.

RD is non-binding. You can apply to as many other schools as you like, and you can compare offers before you commit. The later date also gives you the fall semester to raise your grades, retake the SAT or ACT, and revise your essays.

Already submitted? See when Dartmouth decisions come out

Once your application is in, the next question is when you will hear back. Our guide to when Dartmouth decisions come out lists the release dates for each route and explains what to do while you wait.

Dartmouth Transfer Application Deadline

Transfer applicants to Dartmouth must submit everything by March 1, 2027.

Admission is for the fall term only, so you cannot start in winter or spring.

Dartmouth Financial Aid Application Deadline

Dartmouth ties its aid deadlines to your admission round:

Source: Dartmouth Financial Aid Office

Dartmouth reviews aid separately from your admission file, so a late form will not change your admission decision. It can, however, delay your aid offer or shrink it. That matters most for ED admits, who must enroll without comparing offers from other schools.

Beat Dartmouth’s Application Deadline with Expert Help

A Dartmouth application takes months of work, and the deadlines leave little slack. Essays need several drafts, recommenders need time, and aid forms need tax documents that your parents may not have at hand in October. If you are applying ED, you also have to settle on Dartmouth as your first choice before November 1.

AdmissionSight’s Standard College Counseling pairs you with an advisor for the full application cycle. Your advisor helps you build a school list, shape your essays, and review each part of your file. You also get a working calendar, so every deadline has a target date well ahead of the real one.

Some students already have most of the application done. If that is you, Ad Hoc Consulting lets you book individual sessions for a single task. It can be a last read of your Dartmouth essays, a decision on whether ED fits your situation, or a check of your financial aid forms before you submit.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What if I miss the Dartmouth application deadline?

Missing the ED deadline on November 1 does not end your chances. You can still apply RD by January 1, 2027, though you lose the binding commitment that comes with ED. If you miss the RD deadline, the next opening is the following cycle. Transfer applicants who miss March 1 face the same wait for the next transfer round.

2. Can I apply to other schools if I choose Dartmouth Early Decision?

Yes, with limits. Dartmouth’s ED plan is binding, so you can’t file a second binding application elsewhere. If Dartmouth admits you, you must withdraw every other application and enroll.

3. Can I request a Dartmouth application deadline extension?

No, colleges at this level rarely move a deadline for one applicant, and Dartmouth’s published dates do not mention individual extensions.

4. When is the Dartmouth financial aid deadline?

It depends on your round. ED applicants file the CSS Profile and IDOC by November 1, 2026, and the FAFSA by February 1, 2027. RD applicants file all three by February 1, 2027. A late filing will not change your admission decision, but it can delay your aid offer or reduce it.

5. When is the Dartmouth transfer application deadline?

The transfer deadline is March 1, 2027. That date also applies to the CSS Profile, FAFSA, and IDOC if you need aid.

Takeaways

• Dartmouth’s application deadline is November 1, 2026 for ED and January 1, 2027 for RD.
• Transfer applicants must submit everything by March 1, 2027.
• ED applicants file the CSS Profile and IDOC by November 1, then the FAFSA by February 1. RD applicants file all three by February 1.
• A single missed date can cost you a round or an aid package. Working with a college admissions expert can help you plan each step before it comes due.