2026-2027 application cycle
WashU Application Guide: Essays, Deadlines, and Requirements (2026-2027)
WashU's Fall 2027 application requires a 250-word response about what you want to study and why. The university added nonbinding Early Action for Fall 2027. Early Action and Early Decision I are due November 2, 2026. Early Decision II and Regular Decision are due January 4, 2027. WashU is test optional.
Current supplemental essay prompts and limits
The prompt descriptions below are concise planning summaries. Open the linked official source and confirm the exact wording in the live application before drafting.
Academic interest
Explain what you are interested in studying in college and why.
Limit: 250 words
Confirm on the official Washington University in St. Louis page
Official application requirements
- Common Application or Coalition Application
- Application-platform personal essay and WashU academic-interest response
- School Report and official transcript
- Teacher evaluation
- Counselor recommendation
- Application fee or approved fee waiver
- Portfolio for College of Art applicants, with Architecture portfolio strongly encouraged
Deadlines and decision plans
Early Action: November 2, 2026
Nonbinding. WashU lists a December 23 decision and May 1 reply deadline.
Early Decision I: November 2, 2026
Binding. WashU lists a December 11 decision and January 4 reply deadline.
Early Decision II: January 4, 2027
Binding. WashU lists a February 12 decision and March 1 reply deadline.
Regular Decision: January 4, 2027
WashU lists an April 1 decision and May 1 reply deadline.
Testing policy
WashU is test optional for Fall 2027. Applicants may self-report SAT or ACT scores, with official confirmation required for enrolling students who submitted them. ACT science is optional and is not included in the superscore.
AI and authorship policy
Published admissions guidance found. WashU permits AI for college research, list building, grammar or spelling review of a completed essay, and questions about the application process. It calls AI brainstorming, outlining, drafting, or writing application essays unethical.
What the published guidance clearly permits
- College research and list building
- Grammar or spelling review of a completed essay
- Questions about the application process, with the warning that AI can be outdated or wrong
What the published guidance prohibits
- AI brainstorming of essay topics
- AI outlining, drafting, or writing application essays
- AI-generated portfolio images or fraudulent application materials
What remains uncertain
WashU draws a stricter brainstorming boundary than several other colleges. Follow WashU's rule for its application rather than borrowing a permission from another school.
A detector percentage is not a substitute for this policy. Preserve notes, dated drafts, revision history, and feedback so the development of the student's own work remains visible.
Answer what and why in that order
Name the field, problem, or combination you want to study, then trace the experience or question that made it worth pursuing. The response is short, so one developed reason is stronger than a list of every subject you might explore.
Check the new plan before copying last year's calendar
Fall 2027 introduces nonbinding Early Action at WashU. Confirm which plan appears in your application, then attach its school-material and financial-aid dates. An older deadline chart will not include this option.
Common questions
What is the WashU supplemental essay word limit for Fall 2027?+
WashU requires one 250-word response about what the applicant wants to study and why.
Does WashU have Early Action for Fall 2027?+
Yes. WashU added a nonbinding Early Action plan with a November 2, 2026 deadline.
Can applicants use AI to brainstorm WashU essays?+
No. WashU's official admissions guidance calls AI brainstorming, outlining, drafting, or writing application essays unethical.
Change notes
- WashU's first-year page explicitly covers the class entering in Fall 2027.
- WashU added a nonbinding Early Action plan for Fall 2027 and says its test-optional policy is unchanged.
Official sources
These first-party pages were reviewed on 2026-08-11. Requirements can change during an application cycle.
- First-Year Applicants for Fall 2027 (Washington University in St. Louis Undergraduate Admissions)
- Application Dates and Deadlines (Washington University in St. Louis Undergraduate Admissions)
- What We're Looking For (Washington University in St. Louis Undergraduate Admissions)
- What's New at WashU (Washington University in St. Louis Undergraduate Admissions)