Application Rounds and Timeline
Early Decision I & II
For students who decide that “Bates is my first choice!,” applying Early Decision (ED) is a great option. ED is binding: ED applicants who are admitted to Bates agree to withdraw all applications to other colleges. Bates offers two rounds of ED applications: EDI and EDII.
What is the difference between EDI and EDII?
The main difference between Early Decision I and Early Decision II is the application deadline. The deadline for EDI is November 15, and the EDII deadline is January 10. This creates two pools of Early Decision applicants, and as a result students are considered in separate rounds of competition. Check with your school counselor to select the Early Decision round that best suits your needs and school schedule.
Converting to Early Decision I
Students who have applied under Regular Decision or Early Decision II and who wish to convert their application to Early Decision I can do so by filing this Early Decision agreement (PDF via the Common Application site) by 11:59pm ET on December 1. Applicants will receive notification of their admission decision by December 20.
Converting to Early Decision II
Students who have applied under Regular Decision and who wish to convert their application to Early Decision II can do so by filing this Early Decision agreement (PDF via the Common Application site) by 11:59pm ET on February 1. Applicants will receive notification of their admission decision by February 15.
What if you’re not admitted under Early Decision?
Every year some Early Decision applications are denied, and others are deferred for consideration in the Regular Decision pool.
Regular Decision
The Regular Decision application round is non-binding. The application deadline for Regular Admission is January 10. Bates uses the Common Application and the Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir.
Please note that Bates College does not offer mid-year or rolling admission.
Transfer Admission
Bates considers applications from students who have attended, or are attending, other institutions — including international students enrolled overseas.
For the transfer applicant who hasn’t yet completed a second semester at another institution, the high school transcript remains critical. For all transfer applicants, both high school and college transcripts are required. Learn more about transferring to Bates.
Timeline
Please pay attention to these dates as you move through the application process.
| Admission Plan | Admission Application Deadlines* | Notification from Bates | Candidate’s Reply Date |
| Early Decision I | by November 15 | by December 20 | January 10 |
| Early Decision II | by January 10 | by February 15 | February 21 |
| Regular Decision | by January 10 | by April 1 | May 1 |
| Transfer Admission | by March 1 | by May 15 | May 24 |
*Financial Aid Deadlines
Details on financial aid deadlines can be found on the Student Financial Services website.
We want to ensure that a Bates education is accessible for every admitted student. Learn more about our commitment to meeting your full financial need.
Applicants can review the status of their requirements on the financial aid checklist of their Bates application portal at any time. For more information about the FAFSA, please visit the Federal Student Aid FAFSA website. These short videos can also help you prepare to complete the FAFSA.
A Note on Supporting Application Materials
All supporting materials (letters of recommendation, school transcripts, etc.) should be submitted by November 15 for Early Decision I applicants, and January 10 for Early Decision II or Regular Decision applicants. If this is not doable, please ensure all supporting materials are received as soon as possible so that we can fully consider your application. You can check what is missing from your application on your Bates application portal. Please know that during our busiest application processing times, it can take up to two weeks for materials to be reflected in your Bates application portal.
Requesting an application deadline extension due to natural disasters
The Office of Admission wishes all those affected by natural disasters and extenuating circumstances — such as public health situations, strikes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and wildfires, including those in the Los Angeles area impacted by fires — a quick and safe recovery as you return to some sense of normalcy. We know that many students and educators’ personal and academic lives have been disrupted by these events, and we want to work with you to ease the pressures on the college search and application process. We seek to be supportive, and are eager to provide personalized guidance as needed. Please contact us as needed.
If you experience technical difficulties in submitting your application to Bates, please contact the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir directly.
If you need an extension to submit your application to Bates, please email admission@bates.edu to communicate your intent to apply as well as a description of your situation. Each inquiry will be addressed on an individual basis.