Early Decision (ED) is a simple promise: you tell us Earlham is your first choice, and upon admission, you confirm your enrollment by January 31. ED is a binding agreement for those who know Earlham is their first choice.
It’s a mutual promise — your commitment is matched by ours, via exclusive Early Decision benefits including:
A $3,000/year Early Decision Scholarship: Reserved only for Early Decision admits, this scholarship will apply toward tuition for up to 4 years. Automatically awarded — no separate application.
Housing priority: Prefer not to live with a roommate? Early Decision admits can upgrade to a single room^ — an option first-years don’t otherwise have — and yours will come with the square footage of a double. If a room of your own matters to you, Early Decision is how you get it.
$200 off August Wilderness: Before classes start, go somewhere wild. Earn 3 credits, build confidence, and bond with new classmates on this 20-day backpacking expedition in Utah’s Uinta Mountains — one of the country’s oldest and most respected pre-orientation programs.
Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP): Our LRAP partner helps you repay your student loans after graduation if your income does not meet a minimum amount. Your commitment starts now — ours doesn’t stop at graduation. (LRAP is available to domestic students; international students, your admission counselor can walk you through the aid that is available to you.)
^ Please note that financial aid does not apply toward the extra cost of a single room.
Why apply Early Decision?
A first-choice read: We read every application holistically — in every round, no exceptions. What Early Decision adds is your voice: you’re telling us Earlham is your first choice, and that commitment becomes part of your story from the very first read. It’s the clearest way to show us you’ve done your homework and you know where you belong.
Scholarship Day eligibility: Applying Early Decision or Early Action makes you eligible to apply for Scholarship Day — where admitted students compete for special interest and discipline-based scholarships. Applications for these additional scholarships are due February 1, 2027 — and with your decision in hand by December 1, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare.
An answer by December 1: You’ll receive your admission decision and your financial aid offer together by December 1 — no waiting until spring, no guessing what it will cost. File your FAFSA when it opens October 1 (by our November 1 deadline) and the full picture is in your hands before winter break. Then go enjoy being a senior.
Key Dates
Oct 1
FAFSA opens. File early.
Nov 1
Early Decision application & FAFSA deadline.
Dec 1
Receive admission decision and financial aid package.
Jan 31
Deadline to confirm enrollment and ensure benefit eligibility.
How to apply Early Decision
Add Earlham to your CommonApp, and when viewing Earlham in ‘My Colleges’, simply choose the ‘Early Decision Preferred Admission Plan’ option (available in the ‘General’ section).
Early Decision is the right fit if Earlham is clearly your first choice and your family is ready to commit.
It’s not the right fit if you’ll need to compare financial aid offers from several colleges — in that case, Early Action keeps you eligible for most Earlham scholarships without the binding commitment.