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

When WashU decisions come out depends on your application round. Early Decision I (ED I) results arrive by December 11, 2026, and Early Action (EA) results follow by December 23. Early Decision II (ED II) applicants hear back by February 12, 2027, and Regular Decision (RD) applicants by April 1. Waitlisted students and transfer applicants follow separate timelines.

This guide covers when WashU decisions come out for every round in the 2026–2027 cycle, what each possible outcome means, and what to do once you hear back.

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

When Does WashU Release Decisions?

WashU releases first-year decisions in four rounds, starting in mid-December and ending on April 1. Each date is a “released by” date, so your result can be posted on or before the listed day.

Source: WashU Undergraduate Admissions Office

The schedule has stayed close to last year’s. For the Class of 2030, WashU set its decision dates at December 12 for ED I, February 13 for ED II, and April 1 for RD. The main change this cycle is the new EA round, which adds a second December release.

In every round, WashU posts your decision and financial aid offer in your WashU Pathway account, the same portal you use to track your application materials.

When do WashU Early Action decisions come out?

WashU’s EA decision date is December 23, 2026, about seven weeks after the November 2 application deadline. If you’re admitted, you have until May 1, 2027 to accept, which gives you time to compare offers from other schools.

An EA admit carries no obligation to enroll, and a denial ends your application for this cycle.

A deferral works differently at WashU than at most schools, because you decide where your application goes next. You can move it to the ED II pool and hear back by February 12, or leave it in the RD pool and wait until April 1. Choosing ED II gets you an earlier answer, but it also turns your application into a binding commitment.

When do WashU Early Decision results come out?

WashU’s ED I results come out by December 11, 2026, and ED II results come out by February 12, 2027. Admitted ED I students reply by January 4, while ED II admits reply by March 1.

An ED admit commits you to WashU. You’ll need to withdraw your other applications and pay a nonrefundable enrollment deposit. WashU makes one exception: if your family finds the financial aid offer unaffordable, the university will release you from the agreement.

A deferral sends your application to the RD pool for a final decision by April 1, and a denial closes your file for the cycle.

When do WashU Regular Decision results come out?

WashU’s RD release date is April 1, 2027. If you’re admitted, you have until May 1 to accept your spot.

RD is the only round where WashU places students on the waitlist instead of deferring them. Students deferred from ED I, ED II, or EA also get their final answer on this date, unless a deferred EA applicant moved to ED II.

If you’re denied in RD, your application is closed for the cycle.

Haven’t applied yet? See every WashU application deadline

Your release date depends on the round you apply in, and each round has its own cutoff. Our guide to WashU application deadlines covers every date for first-year applicants, transfer students, and financial aid.

When Do WashU Waitlist Decisions Come Out?

WashU notifies waitlisted students of their final status by June 30. Offers can come earlier, since the admissions office reviews space in the first-year class throughout the spring and contacts waitlisted students as soon as openings appear.

You won’t stay on the waitlist automatically. Instead, you must accept your spot through the WashU Pathway portal by the April deadline, which was April 15 last cycle.

When Do WashU Transfer Decisions Come Out?

WashU releases transfer decisions twice a year, once for each entry term:

• Spring 2027 applicants who apply by October 15, 2026 hear back by November 20 and must reply by November 30.
• Fall 2027 applicants who apply by March 1, 2027 receive decisions by May 7 and must reply by May 20.

Spring entry is open only to applicants to the College of Arts & Sciences, so most transfer students apply for fall.

What to Do After Receiving Your WashU Decision

Each outcome calls for a different set of steps, and some depend on the round you applied in:

If you’re admitted in any round and want a gap year, WashU allows you to defer enrollment for up to two years, approved one year at a time. Students admitted from the waitlist are the exception, since WashU doesn’t guarantee gap years for them.

Waiting on WashU’s Decision? Get Expert Guidance

The weeks between submitting and hearing back still involve decisions. A deferred EA applicant has to pick between ED II and RD, and a waitlisted student has to decide what to send WashU and which school to deposit at by May 1. Students who haven’t applied yet need to choose a round that fits their goals.

If you’re still building your application, AdmissionSight’s Standard College Counseling program pairs you with an advisor for the full cycle. Your advisor helps you choose the right WashU round, develop your essays, and manage each deadline through decision day.

If you’ve already applied and need help with one task, our Ad Hoc Consulting sessions are built for that. We can help you write a letter of continued interest after a deferral, prepare an update for the waitlist, or talk through whether to move a deferred EA file to ED II.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When does WashU release Early Action decisions?

WashU releases EA decisions by December 23, 2026, about two weeks after ED I results. Admitted EA students have until May 1, 2027 to accept, which gives you the full spring to weigh other offers.

2. When does WashU release Early Decision results?

WashU releases ED I results by December 11, 2026 and ED II results by February 12, 2027. Admitted ED I students must reply by January 4, and ED II admits by March 1. Deferred ED applicants receive a final decision with the RD pool by April 1.

3. When does WashU release Regular Decision results?

RD results come out by April 1, 2027, and admitted students have until May 1 to respond. Waitlisted students who accept a spot hear their final status by June 30.

4. Can I appeal a WashU rejection?

Treat a denial as final for this cycle. You can reapply as a first-year student next cycle, as long as you haven’t enrolled full-time in a degree program elsewhere. You can also apply as a transfer student after completing at least one full-time semester at another college.

5. How does WashU notify applicants of their decision?

WashU posts decisions in the WashU Pathway as soon as they’re released. You receive Pathway login instructions within a few days of submitting your application, and the portal also tracks your materials, aid application, and any scholarship applications.

Takeaways

• WashU releases ED I decisions by December 11, 2026, EA by December 23, ED II by February 12, 2027, and RD by April 1, 2027.
• Waitlisted students must accept their spot by the April deadline and will hear their final status by June 30.
• Transfer decisions come out by November 20, 2026 for spring entry and by May 7, 2027 for fall entry.
• If you’re preparing your application or responding to a deferral or waitlist, working with a college admissions expert can help you choose your next step with a clear plan.