When Do Rice Decisions Come Out? Class of 2031 Notification Dates 

Rice notifies applicants of decisions in mid-December for Early Decision I (ED I), late January for Early Decision II (ED II), and by April 1 for Regular Decision (RD). Waitlisted and transfer decisions are released on different timelines.

If you’ve already applied to Rice and are now waiting for their decision, this blog will cover the school’s notification dates for the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, the decisions you can receive, and your next steps depending on what you get.

• When Does Rice Release Decisions?
• When Do Rice Waitlist Decisions Come Out?
• When Do Rice Transfer Decisions Come Out?
• What to Do After Receiving Your Rice Decision
• Waiting on Rice’s Decision? Get Expert Guidance
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

When Does Rice Release Decisions?

Rice has three different routes for first-year applicants, so it releases decisions thrice in a given cycle:

Source: Rice Office of Admission

For the Class of 2030, Rice ED I decisions came out on December 13, 2025, ED II on January 29, 2026, and RD on March 25, 2026.

When do Rice Early Decision results come out?

Rice releases ED I results in mid-December, and accepted students must accept Rice’s offer by submitting an enroll deposit by January 4. For ED II, decisions come out in late January, and those accepted should submit their deposit by mid-February.

Both ED rounds have three possible outcomes:

• An admit means you’re officially part of Rice’s incoming class.
• For ED I applicants, a defer means your application has been moved into the RD pool for another review, and you’re no longer bound by the Early Decision agreement. For ED II applicants, a waitlist means Rice may still extend an offer of admission later after the May 1 reply date.
• A deny for both ED I and ED II means your application is closed for that cycle.

When do Rice Regular Decision results come out?

Rice Regular Decision results come out by early April.

Applicants will receive one of three outcomes:

• An admit means Rice wants you in its incoming class, but you have until May 1 to secure your spot.
• A waitlist means there’s still a possibility that you get an offer of admission after May 1, depending on how many students don’t accept their own offers.
• A deny means your application is closed for that cycle.

Haven’t applied yet? See every Rice application deadline

You’ll first need to focus on completing your application and hitting the deadlines before you start worrying about notification dates. Our guide on the Rice application deadlines tells you the important dates you need to know about.

When Do Rice Waitlist Decisions Come Out?

Rice waitlist decisions come out on a rolling basis between May 1 and Orientation Week (one week before the official start of the fall semester). You’ll be notified by phone or email.

When Do Rice Transfer Decisions Come Out?

Rice transfer decisions come out by December 1 for Spring entry applicants, and on a rolling basis in June for Fall entry applicants.

Rice has a waitlist for transfer students. If you accept your place on the waitlist, you may receive an offer if spots become available.

What to Do After Receiving Your Rice Decision

What you should do next depends on what outcome you received:

If you accepted a spot in the waitlist and eventually received an offer of admission from Rice, you can accept that and withdraw from your backup school. That means you’ll need to forfeit the non-refundable deposit, but given how unpredictable waitlist movement is, committing to a backup school is still a safe option.

If you weren’t accepted but still want to be part of the Rice community, you can reapply as a transfer student after completing at least one academic year at another accredited institution.

Waiting on Rice’s Decision? Get Expert Guidance

There’s always a chance to strengthen your profile, whether you’ve just started putting the different components together or you’ve already submitted and are now waiting for the decision.

If you’re still working on your application, AdmissionSight’s Standard College Counseling pairs you with an advisor who offers personalized guidance throughout the application cycle. This includes deciding which route to apply through, tips on getting strong recommendation letters, and crafting excellent essays.

If you only need guidance with one part of your application like improving how your activity list looks, or you’ve been deferred or waitlisted and need help writing a letter of continued interest, our Ad Hoc Consulting option offers short-term support.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What time of day do Rice decisions come out?

Rice typically releases decisions at 5pm or 7pm CST.

2. When does Rice release Early Decision results?

Rice releases ED I decisions in mid-December, and ED II decisions in late January.

3. When does Rice release Regular Decision results?

Rice releases RD results by April 1.

4. Can I appeal if Rice rejects my application?

No, Rice doesn’t have an undergraduate admissions appeals process, so all rejections are final.

5. How does Rice notify applicants of their decision?

Rice usually sends an email notification or posts an official announcement on their admissions social media channels a few days before the exact drop time.

Takeaways

• Rice releases ED I results in mid-December, ED II results in late January, and RD results by April 1.
• Waitlist decisions roll out from early May to Rice’s Orientation Week (which is a week before the official start of the fall semester)
• Transfer decisions are released by December 1 for Spring entry applicants, and on a rolling basis in June for Fall entry applicants.
• Whether you need help strengthening your application or writing a letter after being deferred or waitlisted, working with a college admissions expert can help improve your chances of being accepted.