Early Decision (ED) is an option that allows students who feel sure that Johns Hopkins is their first-choice college to apply before the regular deadline and to receive their admission decision early. If admitted, it's also a contract to enroll.

How does it work?

If you choose to apply ED, your application must be submitted by November 1. You, your parents, and your secondary school counselor will be required to sign an agreement stating that you will enroll at Johns Hopkins if admitted and withdraw any regular decision or early action applications to other schools.

The Early Decision agreement is binding, so you may not apply to any other school under an early decision plan. (You may still apply to other schools under a nonbinding early action plan.) You will receive your decision by December 15, in time for you to make regular decision application deadlines for other schools.

Should I apply ED?

If Johns Hopkins is your first college choice and you are sure you want to make the commitment to enroll if accepted, we encourage you to apply Early Decision.

What about financial aid?

As an Early Decision candidate, you are eligible to apply for all types of need-based aid offered at Johns Hopkins. Choosing Early Decision will not limit your financial aid options or consideration for merit scholarships.

If you are accepted ED and qualify for assistance, you will receive an estimated aid offer along with your acceptance packet. This offer is based on information submitted on the College Scholarship Service PROFILE form.

A final aid offer will follow in the spring, pending receipt of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and your parents' prior calendar year federal income tax returns. In the unlikely event that information on your FAFSA and tax returns varies significantly from original estimates, your financial aid package could change.

If we are unable to offer you adequate need-based financial aid, you may be released from the Early Decision contract.

More information about financial aid and the Early Decision process is available through the Office of Student Financial Services.

What happens if I'm not admitted Early Decision?

Most students who are not admitted Early Decision are deferred and re-evaluated as Regular Decision candidates. In some cases, the Admissions Committee will deny admission at the ED review.

Does Johns Hopkins offer Early Action or rolling admission?

Admission is only offered through the Early Decision and Regular Decision processes.

What are the application requirements?

See Deadlines and Requirements for a complete list.

What if I can't complete my application on time?

Let us know, and we'll roll your application over to the Regular Decision pool.

I applied Early Decision and my application was deferred to Regular Decision. Should I send any additional information to improve my chances?

You are not required to submit any additional materials. However, if you would like to, you may submit supplemental materials to your application file for review during the RD selection process. This information could be additional standardized test results, your senior year semester grades, additional letters of recommendation, an updated résumé, or an additional written statement of your interest in Johns Hopkins.

Early Decision and Biomedical Engineering

How is admission to the biomedical engineering major handled in relation to Early Decision?

Students wishing to enroll in the biomedical engineering major must indicate BME as their first-choice major on their applications. Students are admitted specifically into the BME major, based on evaluation of credentials and space available. Students can be admitted to the university without acceptance to the BME major. No separate application is required. Notification of acceptance into the BME major is given at the time of decision notification.

Early Decision applicants who are admitted to Johns Hopkins and who applied to but were not admitted to the BME major at that time will be allowed to apply to and consider offers of admission from other institutions. Students in this circumstance only will be released from the obligation to matriculate at Johns Hopkins under the original conditions of the Early Decision Plan. Such candidates have until May 1 to reply to Johns Hopkins' offer of admission.

I applied to the biomedical engineering major and was admitted Early Decision to the university. Have I also been admitted to the BME major?

In your acceptance packet you should have received two official Johns Hopkins letters. The first letter is from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and is signed by the dean—this is your letter of acceptance to the university. The second letter is from the Whiting School of Engineering and is signed by the dean of the school—this letter discusses whether or not you were admitted specifically to the BME major.

I was admitted Early Decision to the university but not to the biomedical engineering major. Do I have a chance of being admitted to the BME major during Regular Decision?

At this time, your accomplishments place you among a select group of students, and the Admissions Committee agrees that your acceptance is well earned. However, due to the keen competitiveness of the BME major, the committee is unable to offer you acceptance into the major and will not re-review your status during Regular Decision. Your final admissions status is acceptance to the university but not to the BME major.

I was admitted Early Decision to the university but not to the biomedical engineering major. If I choose to enroll now, what do I need to do and what are my options?

Although we understand that you have not been offered your first-choice major, we still hope you will choose to enroll now. If you choose to enroll, all you need to do is complete the Candidate Reply Form included in your acceptance packet, and return it along with your nonrefundable deposit. If you choose to to postpone your decision, you will have until May 1 to make a decision regarding your enrollment at Johns Hopkins.

I would like to enroll now even though I did not get into BME. Do I need to select a new major at this time?

You do not need to select a new major at this time, but we do request that you inform us of your academic interests when completing the Candidate Reply Form. You are eligible to choose any other major offered at Johns Hopkins, including our additional bioengineering-related options: chemical and biomolecular engineering, biomaterials engineering, biomechanics, computer engineering, computer science, and environmental engineering. Please note that you will have the chance to change the intended major you list on your Candidate Reply Form during registration over the summer.

If I choose to make my enrollment decision in the spring, will my financial aid package change?

No. The tentative financial aid package you were offered with your ED acceptance will be about the same if you choose to enroll in the spring, providing there are no major changes to your family's financial situation between now and then.

Can I get into BME during my sophomore year?

If spaces open up in the BME major at the end of your freshman year, the Whiting School of Engineering will contact all Johns Hopkins freshmen regarding spaces available in the program and the process for internal transfer. This has occurred in only a few circumstances and most students are advised to enroll at Johns Hopkins with the knowledge that transferring into BME is a highly competitive occurrence.

My admission decision to the university was deferred to Regular Decision and my first-choice major is BME. Will I be considered for the program during Regular Decision? What are my chances?

During the Regular Decision process, you will be re-reviewed for admission to the university, as well as for admission to the BME major. Your chances for admission to both depend on the competitiveness of the overall applicant pool, as well as the strength of those applying directly to the BME major.