The first-year timeline posted on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign admissions website sets the Early Action deadline (non-binding) at November 1, 2026, with all required materials due by November 7 and decisions released on January 29, 2027. Irvine seniors planning to apply to out-of-state public universities have four weeks before the deadline.
Who is affected
Seniors planning to apply to the university. The timeline on the admissions website is as follows:
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Application opens | September 1 |
| Early Action deadline | November 1; required materials by November 7 |
| Regular deadline | January 5, 2027; required materials by January 11 |
| Early Action notification | January 29, 2027 |
| Regular Decision notification | February 26, 2027 |
| Honors and scholarship notification | No later than April 1, 2027 |
| Commitment deadline | May 1, 2027 |
Both deadlines fall at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Daylight saving time ends on November 1, 2026, so the cutoff is 9:59 p.m. in California.
Applying takes two steps
The university accepts applications through the Common App, and the application fee is $75. For students who qualify for a fee waiver, the high school counselor must submit the university’s fee-waiver form by the deadline.
After the Common App is submitted, the university emails a link for the student to self-report high school courses and grades in the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), listing classes and grades exactly as they appear on the transcript; an official transcript is required only after the student enrolls. A few days later, the university creates a myIllini account where applicants can check their status. Students decide whether to submit any test scores.
The admissions website also states that the application is used for admission, honors program, and merit scholarship review.
What to do now
Build the SRAR into the schedule. Submitting the Common App on November 1 does not complete the application. The SRAR is a required material and must be finished by November 7. Submitting the Common App a week early leaves time for the self-report.
Keep working on other applications. Early Action decisions arrive on January 29, after the university’s own January 5 regular deadline, so applications to other colleges on the list should not wait for this result. Early deadlines at other colleges are covered in Early Deadlines Split Between November 1 and 2, and the differences among early plans are explained in Early Decision vs. Early Action: Which Are Binding.
Families coordinating an early application list with University of California applications can learn about EDUBUS University Admissions Planning.
Sources
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: First-Year Dates & Deadlines (accessed October 4, 2026)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: How to Apply: First-Year (accessed October 4, 2026)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: First-Year Requirements (accessed October 4, 2026)
- Irvine Valley College Fall College Fair Nov. 3The Irvine Valley College Transfer Center set its fall college fair for November 3 and scheduled October UC and CSU workshops ahead of the November 30 deadline.
- OCSA 2027-28 Applications Close December 30Orange County School of the Arts opened 2027-28 applications, due December 30, with the next Preview Day on November 7. Dates for placement activities and the lottery.
- UChicago 2026-27 Essays, Early Due November 2UChicago released its 2026-27 supplemental essays: a required Why UChicago question and a choice of six extended prompts. ED I and Early Action close November 2.
- SSAT November 14 Late Fee Begins October 25For the November 14 paper SSAT, a $59 late fee starts October 25 and a $100 rush fee November 1. Dates, levels, and registration steps for Irvine families.
