First Year Applicants
Applying to the College of Arts and Sciences as a high school senior, junior, or as a homeschooled student? Below you will find application deadlines, an outline of the application process, and information on the two decision plans available for admission to Oberlin College.Application Deadlines
| Steps | Regular Decision | Early Decision I | Early Decision II |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Application | Jan. 15 | Nov. 15 | Jan. 2 |
| Supplement | Jan. 15 | Nov. 15 | Jan. 2 |
| Notification | April 1 | Dec. 15 | Feb. 1 |
| Reply/Deposit Due | May 1 | Jan. 2 | Feb. 15 |
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High School SeniorsHomeschooled Students
Applying as a Junior
To apply to the College of Arts and Sciences, you must submit the Common Application and Oberlin's Supplement to the Common Application, which includes a brief essay. You need not wait to file the supplement until after you have submitted the Common Application. We prefer that you submit the supplement as soon as possible.
Application Outline
The application for Oberlin's College of Arts and Sciences is the Common Application. You must also submit your standardized test scores and Oberlin's Supplement to the Common Application. All parts are required:
- First-Year Common Application
- Oberlin Supplement to the Common Application
- School Report & High School Transcript
- Teacher Evaluations (2)
Standardized Test Score
Applicants must submit the results of either the SAT or ACT with writing.
Note Homeschooled Applicants
Oberlin welcomes applications from students with alternative schooling. Homeschooled students are required to provide additional documentation and participate in an on-campus interview.
Note Applying Early as a High School Junior
Oberlin will consider applications from candidates who wish to enter college before completing four years of high school. Please see the requirements for juniors applying for early admission.
Application Fee
A $35 application fee is required. If paying the fee would pose a financial burden for you or your family, you may request that the fee be waived. To pay the application fee by credit card, you may do so online through the Common Application site. Payment online by credit card is possible only in conjunction with submission of EITHER the Common Application OR Oberlin's Supplemental Form.Early Decision
If Oberlin College is your first choice, consider applying under the Early Decision Plan. In recent years, about one third of first-year students in the College of Arts and Sciences have enrolled through an Early Decision Plan.Notification for Early Decision I applicants (either admission, deferral, or denial) occurs by mid-December; notification for Early Decision II applicants occurs before Feb. 1. For admitted students, financial aid and scholarship packages follow soon after.
An early decision application is a binding commitment that should be carefully considered. Students applying under the Early Decision Plan must agree to enroll if accepted. If Oberlin admits you, you must withdraw applications to all other institutions.
Regular Decision
The Common Application is available both online and in paper form. The deadline for submission is Jan. 15. You must also submit Oberlin's Supplement to the Common Application and $35 fee.Although the Common Application and the Supplement are available online, test scores may not be submitted online. Students are notified of their admission status by April 1.