https://www.ycombinator.com/early-decision

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Apply for W2026 batch.Apply

Early Decision for Students

Apply now, do YC after you graduate. For students who want to finish
school before doing YC. Get funded the moment you're accepted.

Early Decision for Students

Sneha and Anushka, founders of Spur (S24), applied in Fall 2023 for
the S24 batch using Early Decision. This allowed them to graduate in
May 2024 and then do YC. They've since raised $4.5M from top
investors for their AI-powered QA testing tools.

How Early Decision Works

Early Decision lets you apply to YC while you're still in school and
reserve your spot in a future batch. For example, you apply in Fall
of this year, for a spot in the summer batch of the following year.
You submit the same YC application as if you were applying for the
upcoming batch. If you're accepted, we'll fund you immediately and
hold your place for after you graduate.

Is It for You?

This program is designed for students who want to finish their degree
before starting a company. If you're considering working on your own
startup after graduation, Early Decision makes it easy to lock in
your spot.

Even if you're not completely sure yet if you want to do a startup,
you should still apply. There is no downside.

Also, if you're not in your final year, you can still apply for Early
Decision. You'll be able to finish the school year you're currently
in, and then either join a later batch or decide to drop out and
start sooner.

The Timeline

The most common path is students applying in the fall of their final
year and joining the summer batch after graduating in Spring. But you
can apply for any batch in the future within reason. The application
and interview process is the same as if you were applying for the
upcoming batch. Once you're accepted, YC funds you right away and
confirms your future batch.

How to Apply

When you fill out your YC application, you'll see a question asking
which batch you want to apply for. Simply select "A batch after
Winter 2026" to indicate you're applying for Early Decision, and tell
us which batch you'd like to be considered for.

Early Decision batch selection in YC application

The batch preference question in the YC application

Why We Created Early Decision

Many students want to finish their degree or complete more of their
education before starting a company. Also we know that many students
spend a lot of time in Fall or during their final year applying for
jobs or internships. Early Decision gives students another option:
apply to YC and bet on yourself.

Watch: Why This Is The Perfect Time To Start A Startup

Ready to Apply?

Apply now and secure your spot in a future YC batch.

Apply for Early Decision

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