Application service opening dates, primary submission windows, and decision release dates for the Fall 2027 cycle. Use this as a reference and set reminders for the dates that apply to your program — primary submission is rarely the only one that matters.
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Dates approximate — confirm with each service for official figures.
| AMCAS (M.D.) | Application entry opens early May 2026. Submission opens late May 2026. Verification 4–6 weeks. Per AAMC. |
| AACOMAS (D.O.) | Application opens early May 2026. Rolling review. Per AACOM. |
| AADSAS (Dental) | Application opens mid-May 2026. Submission opens late May 2026. Per ADEA. |
| LSAC (Law) | Year-round. Cycle effectively opens September 2026 for Fall 2027 start. |
| PharmCAS (Pharmacy) | Application opens mid-July 2026. Rolling review at most programs. |
| PTCAS (Physical Therapy) | Application opens late June 2026. Most deadlines November 2026–January 2027. |
| VMCAS (Veterinary) | Application opens January 2026 cycle. Submit by September 2026. |
| CASPA (Physician Assistant) | Application opens late April 2026. Rolling. Deadlines vary widely by program. |
| MBA (school-specific) | Round 1 deadlines September 2026. Round 2 January 2027. Round 3 March–April 2027. |
Rolling admissions reward early submission. For AMCAS, an applicant who submits in early June and an identically qualified applicant who submits in September can have meaningfully different interview rates. The same logic applies to dental, pharmacy, PT, vet, and PA. Earlier is not just safer — it is statistically better.
Target the earliest realistic submission window for your application service:
When you get an acceptance, you do not get unlimited time to decide. Each application service and program imposes a response window. Missing it forfeits your seat — even after you have been admitted.
AAMC traffic rules: first acceptances Oct 15, 2026. Most schools require commitment by mid-April 2027. CRADs ("commit to enroll") binding May 1.
Most schools use April 15, 2027 as the seat-deposit deadline. Some require earlier. Decisions roll November 2026–April 2027.
ADEA traffic rules: acceptances begin Dec 1, 2026. Commitments due ~30 days after offer. Final commitment due before classes.
Most programs require deposit within 2 weeks of offer. Multiple offers must be balanced quickly. Decisions roll October–April.
Each round has its own decision release date and deposit deadline (typically 4–6 weeks after decision).
Deposits typically due 2 weeks after acceptance. Some programs require earlier. CASPA does not enforce universal decision rules.
Pick three dates for every program you apply to: a "submit by" reminder set 2 weeks before your target submission, a "secondary received" check 6 weeks after primary submission, and a "decision deadline" reminder 2 weeks before commitment is due. For most applicants with 10–15 programs, that means 30–45 reminders across the cycle.
See the timeline guide for how to sequence these across 12–18 months, or the main pillar for setting up the reminder system itself.
Most application services open between late April and mid-July 2026. CASPA (PA) opens late April, AMCAS and VMCAS in early May, AADSAS mid-May, PTCAS late June, PharmCAS mid-July. LSAC operates year-round but the cycle effectively runs September 2026 through April 2027.
Fall 2026 deadlines have largely passed. For Fall 2027 admission, latest primary deadlines fall November 2026 to March 2027 depending on program. Late deadlines exist (some MBA round 3, rolling JD admissions) but reduce admission and scholarship odds substantially.
Most medical, dental, pharmacy, PT, vet, and PA programs use rolling admissions: they review applications as they arrive and admit until seats fill. Law and MBA programs use fixed rounds (3 rounds typical). Either way, earlier submission improves odds.
Primary deadlines are set by the centralized application service (AMCAS, AADSAS, LSAC, etc.) and represent the absolute latest your initial application can arrive. Secondary deadlines are school-specific and arrive 1–4 weeks after the primary is verified — typically with a 2–4 week response window.
Medical school first responses begin October 15, 2026 (AAMC traffic rules). Most acceptances require a response by mid-April 2027 (M.D.) or earlier (D.O. rolling). Law schools use April 15 commitment deadlines. MBA decision deadlines align with round (typically 2–3 months after decision release).
Submit primaries within 4 weeks of the application service opening. For rolling-admission programs, submitting in the first month vs. the last month can change your interview odds by 30–50%. Late submission rarely helps — earlier is almost always better.
Free. No account. One reminder per program per phase. Built-in buffers, follow-ups if you don't act.
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