On September 20th, the University of Chicago took the lead in kicking off the Fall 2026 U.S. undergraduate application season by officially releasing results for its ED0 round.

Latest Admission Data UpdateAs of September 22nd, the University of Chicago has awarded a total of 10 offers in the ED0 round. Among these, 1 offer went to a student from an overseas high school, and 9 to students from domestic high schools, distributed as follows:

• Shanghai YK Pao School: 1
• Shanghai Pinghe Bilingual School: 1
• Shenzhen BASIS International School: 1
• Huarun Xiaojingwan BASIS International School: 1
• Guangdong Country Garden School: 1
• United World Colleges (UWC): 4

UWC delivered an especially outstanding performance in this year’s admissions, with 4 students successfully securing offers so far. Last year, the school even obtained 5 admissions during the ED0 round.

Schools in Guangdong Province, though slightly behind UWC, had 3 students admitted, hailing from Guangdong Country Garden School, Shenzhen BASIS International School (Shekou Campus), and Huarun Xiaojingwan BASIS International School (Huizhou Campus) respectively.

Shanghai also saw 2 admissions, from Pinghe Bilingual School and YK Pao Experimental School. Compared to the impressive 11 admissions the city achieved in the ED0 round last year, this year’s admission situation remains highly noteworthy.

It is worth noting that while the University of Chicago admitted 27 Mainland Chinese students in the ED0 round during the same period last year, this year’s admission process is still ongoing, and more offer notifications are expected to be sent out subsequently.

The University of Chicago’s Unique Application Round System

The University of Chicago stands out with its distinctive admission policies—it is the only top 10 U.S. university offering five enrollment options.

Starting from the fall of 2024, in addition to the existing ED1, ED2, EA, and RD rounds, the University of Chicago introduced a new ED0 round, known as the Summer Student Early Notification (SSEN).

Image | Source: University of Chicago Official Website

This round is exclusively open to students who have previously participated in the University of Chicago’s summer programs. Students can submit applications between September 1st and October 15th each year, and will receive admission results within three weeks of submission, with the latest notification date being November 5th. Importantly, the admission result is binding—admitted students must enroll in the university.

The education sector generally believes that the admission chances through SSEN may be higher than those through regular ED1 applications. For students targeting the University of Chicago, this undoubtedly provides an additional application opportunity.

The University of Chicago has not yet released enrollment data for the Class of 2029. However, official data shows that during the 2023-24 application cycle (for the Class of 2028 undergraduate freshmen), the university received a total of 43,612 applications, among which 1,955 students were admitted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 4.5%. Of the admitted students, 1,726 decided to accept the enrollment offer and enroll, leading to a yield rate of 88%. International students accounted for 18% of the incoming freshmen class.

Image | Source: University of Chicago Official Website - Class of 2028 Freshman Data

Despite the fierce competition for admission, students still have the opportunity to stand out among numerous applicants through precise strategy planning, excellent essay writing, and highlighting their unique personal strengths.

The Transformative Impact of the ED0 Round

The launch of the University of Chicago’s ED0 round is undoubtedly a significant innovation in the field of U.S. undergraduate admissions. This policy not only provides students with a new application pathway but also fundamentally reshapes the overall early application landscape.

01 Special Impact on International Students

Students can first apply to the University of Chicago through the ED0 round. If they are not admitted by November 5th, they still have the chance to apply for ED1 at other schools before the November 1st deadline—essentially gaining two ED application opportunities.

For applicants, the key lies in:

• Recognizing changes: Fully understanding the mechanism and advantages of the ED0 round.
• Adapting to changes: Adjusting application strategies and planning summer program participation in advance.
• Seizing opportunities: Using the ED0 round to increase admission chances.
• Mitigating risks: Maintaining diversity and flexibility in application strategies.

In this rapidly changing application environment, only students who can adjust their strategies in a timely manner, plan ahead, and make full use of various opportunities can stand out in the fierce competition and realize their dream of getting into their desired university.

02 Redefining the U.S. Undergraduate Early Application Landscape

The emergence of the ED0 round is fundamentally changing the rules of the game for U.S. undergraduate early applications:

• Diversification of early application rounds: The traditional "ED1-EA-ED2-RD" model has been broken, with the addition of the "ED0" ultra-early round, making application strategies more complex and diverse.
• Accelerated admission timeline: Students can receive university admission offers as early as September, nearly a month earlier than the regular ED1 result release.
• Shift in competition focus: Competition has moved beyond mere academic performance to earlier engagement in summer programs and cultivation of academic interests.

We are all participants and witnesses in this historical process. Facing a new era filled with both challenges and opportunities, let us embrace the new changes in U.S. undergraduate applications with a more open mindset and a more proactive attitude.

The University of Chicago is not just looking for students with excellent academic records, but for future scholars and leaders who possess curiosity, critical thinking, and unique perspectives. In the upcoming application process, stay true to yourself, demonstrate your passion for knowledge, and believe that you too can achieve the ideal admission result!

For applicants aiming for top U.S. universities, continuously improving their academic capabilities is fundamental. Among numerous high-value competitions, the ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) stands out. Whether you want to distinguish yourself through research capabilities or prove your potential via academic innovation, this competition is an invaluable "tool for profile enhancement".

The new ISEF season is in full swing for preparation! Seizing the current preparation window means gaining an advantage in the journey to your dream school. Want to make admissions officers impressed by your research capabilities?