USC will introduce an Early Decision admissions option for most undergraduate programs beginning with applicants for the 2027-2028 academic year, according to a campus-wide email from Provost Andrew Guzman. Students applying to the Kaufman School of Dance, Thornton School of Music and School of Dramatic Arts will not be eligible for Early Decision.

Students applying Early Decision will be required to submit their applications by Nov. 1, 2026, and will not be permitted to apply Early Decision to other institutions. Admission decisions will be released in mid-December 2026, roughly a month ahead of Early Action decisions. Students admitted through the Early Decision round must withdraw all other college applications and enroll at USC. 

The Marshall School of Business rolled out an Early Decision option for its undergraduate business and accounting programs for the 2025-2026 academic year. Guzman’s email read that Marshall’s program was a “successful pilot” and that additional Early Decision paths were added “in response to growing demand from students who are confident that USC is their top choice college.” 

Students who choose to apply Early Decision to USC will still be eligible for need-based financial aid and USC merit scholarships. Early Decision applicants who are not initially accepted will be deferred to Regular Decision. 

Correction: A previous version of this article implied that students applying Early Decision were prohibited from applying to other colleges entirely. The article was updated Feb. 9 at 8:15 p.m. to reflect that Early Decision applicants at USC cannot apply Early Decision to other universities but can apply through other admissions pathways. The Daily Trojan regrets this error.