Guides / After the Offer
After the Offer
An acceptance usually starts a clock: a few weeks to say yes and pay a deposit, often before you've heard from your other schools. Here's what each school says about timing and refunds.
Last checked Nov 2, 2026.
How the Clock Works
Most schools give you about two weeks to accept and pay a seat deposit, and some give up to a month early in the cycle. Among the 14 schools that publish an amount, deposits run from $500 to $1,500. 12 school pages describe the deposit as nonrefundable, and 14 say it is credited or applied to tuition. Read the offer letter for the exact amount, due date and refund terms before you pay, because the letter is what binds you.
If You're Still Waiting on Another School
- You can ask for more time. None of the school pages we collected describe an extension policy, so any extension is a request to the admissions office, not a right. Ask early, in writing, and say which decision you're waiting on.
- Know what you lose. If the deposit is nonrefundable and you withdraw, the school keeps it. Puerto Rico's page, for example, says the school keeps $500 if you withdraw.
- Compare cost, not just rank. Run each offer through the cost calculator and the federal loan cap guide.
- Confirm conditions. An offer can depend on finishing prerequisites or keeping your grades up. Check the letter before taking a hard course.
Waitlists and Holds
Schools handle these differently and few describe them publicly. Where a school does, it's in the table below. If you're on hold or waitlisted, the admissions office is the only source of an answer. See the decision timing by school for how long each school says decisions take.
Every School's Deposit and Decision Timing
| School | Seat deposit | Terms | Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona (Midwestern) | Not published | Set in the matriculation agreement you sign, and credited to first-quarter tuition. | Rolling. The dean's office notifies you after the committee meets. |
| Berkeley | $750 | Nonrefundable and applied to first-semester tuition. The admissions office sends the deadline. | About 3 to 4 weeks after the last interview for each deadline. |
| Chicago (Midwestern) | Not published | Set in the matriculation agreement you sign, and credited to first-quarter tuition. | Rolling. The dean notifies you within 2 to 4 weeks of the interview. |
| Detroit Mercy | Not published | Not published. The acceptance letter explains how to hold your seat. | Rolling. Decisions by email, usually 1 to 2 weeks after the interview. |
| Ferris State (MI) | $500 | Nonrefundable and credited to tuition. Deadline not stated. | Rolling. Some applicants hear within about three weeks, others not until late May. |
| Houston | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Illinois College (ICO) | Not published | Amount and deadline are given in the acceptance letter. Applied to first-year tuition. | Rolling. Decisions usually arrive by email 2 to 3 weeks after the interview. |
| Incarnate Word | $1,000 | Nonrefundable, $900 credited to tuition. Can be split into $500 on acceptance and $500 by March 1. | Rolling, July through May. You get about 2 to 3 weeks to respond to an offer. |
| Indiana | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| MCPHS | Not published | Nonrefundable. MCPHS lists a $500 to $750 range without naming the optometry amount. | Rolling. Earlier applications are reviewed first. |
| New England (NECO) | $1,000 | Due about two weeks after acceptance and refundable through March 31. A second $1,000 is due May 15. Dates are from last cycle's schedule. | Within 2 to 3 weeks of the interview. |
| Nova Southeastern | $500 | Due within two weeks of acceptance, nonrefundable and credited to tuition. A second $500 is due April 1. Figures from the 2024–25 catalog. | Rolling. |
| NSU Oklahoma | $1,000 | Sent with your letter of intent and applied to first-term tuition. Deadline and refund policy not published. | Rolling, but most applicants hear after the Feb 1 deadline. Early applicants may hear in about two weeks. |
| Ohio State | $750 | A $25 acceptance fee plus a $725 tuition deposit credited to first-semester tuition. Due within one month if admitted before Dec 1, three weeks if admitted Dec 1 to Jan 31, and two weeks after that. | Rolling from late June to March 1. No published wait after the interview. |
| Pacific | Not published | Nonrefundable and credited to first-semester tuition. The optometry amount isn't published. | Not published |
| Pennsylvania (Drexel) | $500 | Due within 14 days of acceptance and nonrefundable. Another $500 is due April 15. From the pre-Drexel (Salus) admissions page, so confirm with the school. | Rolling until the class is full. |
| Pikeville (KY) | $1,000 | Nonrefundable and credited to tuition. Deadline not stated. | Rolling. Some applicants hear the week after their interview. |
| Puerto Rico (IAUPR) | $1,000 | Due within 15 days of acceptance and applied to tuition. If you withdraw, the school keeps $500. | The committee recommends candidates to the dean. A waitlist is reviewed late in the cycle. |
| Rocky Mountain | Not published | Required after you sign the enrollment agreement (waived for veterans and active military). Amount not published. | Rolling. |
| SCCO/Ketchum | $1,500 | Nonrefundable and credited to fall tuition. Due within two weeks of acceptance, in full or as three $500 payments. Older Ketchum pages list $750 plus $750, so confirm. | Rolling. |
| Southern (SCO) | Not published | Not published | Rolling. No published wait after the interview. |
| SUNY | Not published | Amount not published. You choose the NYC or Syracuse campus when you pay it. | Rolling from September. Decisions by email within 1 to 2 weeks of the interview. |
| UAB | $700 | Nonrefundable. The deadline is given in your offer letter. | Rolling. Student Affairs calls with the offer, then sends a letter. Offers go out August to May. |
| UMSL | $500 | Nonrefundable and credited to first-semester tuition. Deadline not stated. | Rolling. No published decision timeline. |
| Western U | $500 | Due within 14 days of acceptance, nonrefundable. | Rolling, October through August. Decisions within about three weeks of the interview. |
From each school's admissions pages and catalog, last checked Oct 20, 2026. Where a field says Not published, the school didn't state it on the pages we found. Interview formats are in the interviews guide.
Sources
- Each school's admissions pages and catalog, checked October 2026 and linked from that school's page
Requirements and dates change each cycle. Always confirm with each school before you apply.
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