Application Plans

Ursinus offers three different application plans for prospective freshmen.

Early Decision - Deadline: January 15
If Ursinus is your clear first choice, you can apply under the binding early decision (ED) plan. When you apply ED, you are committing to attend Ursinus if you are offered admission. Once admitted, you will need to withdraw your applications from other schools.

Historically, ED candidates are admitted to Ursinus at a higher rate than other applicants. There are two primary reasons for this: 1) you compete only against yourself, rather than against other highly qualified students who apply through other plans. That is, the admission committee is only interested in determining whether you will be a successful student, not in your relative merit vs. another candidate. And 2) when applying ED, you send a clear message that Ursinus is your first choice, a factor that may help in your admission.

If applying for financial aid, you will receive your financial aid package two weeks after being admitted ED, beginning December 15. This award will be based on the CSS Profile form, which is available from the College Board website. While Ursinus strives to offer competitive and generous aid packages, if your financial aid award does not work for you, you will be free from your ED commitment.

Early Action (Also called Priority Select) - Deadline: December 1
Candidates who wish to receive earlier notification of the admission decision but are not ready to commit to Ursinus are encouraged to apply under our non-binding Early Action program (EA). EA applicants receive an admission decision within four weeks of completing their applications, but are not required to decide whether to accept their offer until the universal candidate reply date of May 1.

The EA plan only offers early notification of admission, not of scholarships or financial aid. EA applicants who are applying for need-based financial aid will receive their award letters in mid-March, along with regular decision candidates. Merit scholarship notification will also coincide with the regular decision pool.

Regular Decision - Deadline: February 15
The Regular Decision plan has a deadline of February 15 with notification of admission typically in the middle of March, but by April 1. Scholarship and need-based financial aid awards will also be determined in middle March.