Founded in 1925, the private University of Miami enrolls over 11,000 undergraduate students.
The school is a fixture in the top 100 college rankings and currently sits at #55 in National Universities, according to the U.S. News & World Report.
Surrounded by natural wonders like the Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys, Miami is an ideal college setting for students who love the outdoors.
Downtown Miami is also an exciting, bustling cultural hub where students will find no shortage of restaurants, shops, and nightlife options.
First-year applicants may select from among four admission plans: Early Decision I (EDI), Early Action (EA), Early Decision II (EDII), and Regular Decision (RD).
Early Decision I is a binding, early application option for students committed to enrolling in the University of Miami, should they gain admission. Early Action is like EDI but non-binding. Simple so far, right?
Early Decision II is like EDI, but it extends the application window and provides more time for candidates still interested in applying early.
Regular Decision is the final, non-binding application. Most students apply to colleges and universities via Regular Decision, but there are advantages to applying early.
In addition to favorable admission rates, candidates learn their admission decisions significantly earlier than other cohorts in the applicant pool.
At the University of Miami, in particular, EDI applicants receive admission notifications before January 1! This knowledge can remove some of the emotional and financial burdens of the college admission process during a high school student’s senior year.
Next, we discuss the acceptance rates for the University of Miami’s Early Action and Early Decision options, as well as important deadlines and decision notification dates for each admission cycle.
We’ll spend some time discussing the school’s deferral program and conclude by helping you get started with your application.
University of Miami Early Action & Early Decision Acceptance Rate
The University of Miami admitted nearly 65% of Early Action and Early Decision candidates for the incoming class of 2025.
The odds of gaining admittance to the University of Miami favor those who apply early. In total, the university received 42,244 applications from Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision candidates.
The acceptance rate for the entire cohort is 28.5%, which is significantly more selective compared to the Early Action/Early Decision cohort.
Whether applying Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Decision, it is essential for candidates to boast impressive academic records.
The class of 2025 averaged a 3.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale, while the middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1390 and 1500 on the SAT and between 31 and 34 on the ACT.
31% of accepted first-year students submitted SAT scores, while 24% submitted ACT scores.
When examining application materials, the Office of Admissions at the University of Miami places considerable emphasis on a candidate’s extracurricular activities, talents, personal qualities, and work experience.
The University of Miami prides itself on the diverse accomplishments and backgrounds of its student population.
Most recently, the school admitted a cohort of students that is 47% White, 19% Hispanic/Latinx, 14% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 11% Black. Of the group of students, 10% come from countries outside of the United States, and 27% are Florida residents.
University of Miami EA & ED Decision Date
Early Decision I applicants receive admission notifications by mid-December, while Early Action applicants receive them in late January. Early Decision II candidates hear from the Office of Admissions in late February.
There are three possible responses that an applicant will receive from the University of Miami admissions committee: accept, deny, or defer.
If a student is not admitted under the EDI or EDII plans, their application will remain in the applicant pool and reviewed during the Regular Decision cycle; in this case, they will receive a formal decision by March 15.
While students may apply to other institutions as Early Decision candidates, they are expected to withdraw their applications to other universities upon receiving an acceptance letter from the University of Miami.
Early Decision I candidates should plan on confirming their enrollment by January 15.
Recall that Early Action is non-binding; therefore, students accepted in the Early Action cycle are not obligated to accept an offer of admission from the University of Miami.
EA applicants have until May 1 to confirm their enrollment if admitted. These candidates will also receive full consideration for merit-based scholarships or honors programs.
Depending on the applicant’s admission cycle, they may have more or less time to weigh their financial options.
73% of the Fall 2021 first-year student cohort received some type of financial aid from the University of Miami.
University of Miami Early Action & Early Decision Deadline
Early Decision 1 & Early Action applicants have until November 1 to submit all of their application materials.
They must also adhere to a financial aid deadline of November 15. The final credentials deadline is November 18 for EDI candidates and December 2 for EA candidates.
EDII applicants have an additional two months to submit their application materials – the application and financial aid deadlines are due January 1 for this cohort.
Final credentials should be submitted by February 17. These deadlines are the same for RD applicants, as well.
The University of Miami’s financial aid deadline simply means that applicants should have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile by that date.
This is a hard deadline, and students who anticipate requiring financial assistance to attend college should submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and appropriate tax returns as quickly as possible.
Applications traditionally rely on other parties – like teachers and guidance counselors – for completion.
The University of Miami’s final credentials deadline gives these parties more time to complete letters of recommendation and upload current transcripts thoughtfully.
Recall that the EDI and EDII options are both binding – if accepted, the applicant is obligated to attend.
Applicants should be prepared to withdraw any applications to other colleges or universities upon receipt of an admission offer from the University of Miami.
In addition to higher admission rates, Early Decision and Early Action applicants receive their notification decisions earlier, as well as preferred consideration for available scholarships.
University of Miami Early Action & Early Decision Deferral Rate
The University of Miami does not currently publish any deferral rates.
For the fall of 2021 incoming class, 13,095 students were put on a waitlist, 4,643 accepted a place on the waitlist.
Of that number, only 13 waitlist students were granted admission!
The odds are stacked against waitlisted students: less than 1% of them will gain admission as students at the University of Miami.
The school admits deferred or waitlisted candidates based on their available space – deferred students will typically start to hear status updates around mid-April.
Once they receive an offer of admission, they have five business days to confirm their enrollment and submit a deposit.
This quick turnaround time ensures that the university can fill all available spaces as quickly as possible.
Students can be deferred at any point during the admissions cycle.
Early Decision I, Early Action, and Early Decision II candidates who get deferred automatically move to the Regular Decision pool for reconsideration. EA candidates who have been deferred must opt-in to the waitlist by mid-February.
Generally, there is not much an applicant can do when they receive a deferral letter from the University of Miami.
It may be practical to give more attention to other collegiate options. Regardless, it is imperative to continue performing to the highest academic standard possible.
Deferments sometimes mean that an admissions committee is unsure of an applicant’s willingness to manage the rigor of a collegiate curriculum.
How to Apply to the University of Miami for Early Action & Early Decision
Before we elaborate on the application requirements for the University of Miami, we must emphasize that EDI and EDII applicants are expected to submit an Early Decision Agreement Form, available through the Common Application.
This agreement proves to the Office of Admissions that the ED candidate is committed to enrolling at the university upon receipt of an acceptance letter.
Students should first submit the Common Application and Early Decision Agreement Form with a $70 nonrefundable fee.
Candidates applying for admission to the Spring or Fall 2023 semesters must complete a supplemental essay (~250 words) wherein they share how past experiences have helped them to develop resilience in the face of challenges.
There are seven additional prompts that students may respond to within 650 words. We always recommend responding to as many essay prompts as possible, even when optional, to provide more depth to your application.
Next, candidates must submit all official high school transcripts and the School Report – this is typically the responsibility of a guidance counselor, who has access to the Common Application or Parchment. Test scores remain optional for students applying for the Fall or Spring 2023 terms.
Applicants are then required to submit a letter of recommendation from either a teacher or school guidance counselor.
Ideally, the letter should come from someone best suited to speak to an applicant’s academic abilities and talents.
Some programs may require additional application supplements, like a portfolio or audition. Suppose more than three months have passed from the time a candidate graduated from high school to the date they intend to enroll at the University of Miami.
In that case, the applicant should submit an Educational Activities statement to justify the gap.
These requirements are consistent across Early Decision I, Early Action, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision cycles.
Applying early gives applicants more time to reach out to teachers and guidance counselors, who may otherwise be burdened with similar requests during the Regular Decision cycle.
