Expected
Early Decision I
- Dec 12 ’25 Dec 14 ’24
-
Expected
Early Decision II
Feb 7 ’26 -
Expected
Regular Decision
Mar 14 ’26 Mar 22 ’25
Dates marked announced come from the college itself, with the announcement linked. Dates marked expected rest on the evidence named right next to the date — that college's own release history or the timeline its admissions office publishes — and the label switches to announced only when the college says so.
Early Decision I
Early Decision I isn't announced yet — expect December 2026. Bates promises Early Decision I by December 20; last cycle it posted December 12 at noon Eastern.
When Bates actually released — past cycles
| Cycle | Released | Day | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | December 12, 2025 · 12 p.m. | Friday | Noon Eastern | IvyWise |
| 2024–25 | December 14, 2024 | Saturday | IvyWise |
Early Decision II
Early Decision II isn't announced yet — expect February 2027. Bates promises Early Decision II by February 15; last cycle it came early, on February 7.
When Bates actually released — past cycles
| Cycle | Released | Day | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | February 7, 2026 | Saturday | IvyWise |
Regular Decision
Regular Decision isn't announced yet — expect March 2027. Bates promises Regular Decision by April 1, and the last two cycles it landed in March — March 14 and March 22.
When Bates actually released — past cycles
| Cycle | Released | Day | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | March 14, 2026 | Saturday | IvyWise | |
| 2024–25 | March 22, 2025 | Saturday | IvyWise |
Where to check
Decisions post to the applicant portal, not your inbox — the email just says the portal updated. Check yours at apply.bates.edu.
Official timing straight from the school: Bates admissions.
Bates publishes outside dates it comfortably beats — by December 20, by February 15, by April 1 — so the real releases have run a week or more early.
Every date on this page last hand-checked August 14, 2026