Setting a midnight deadline for application submissions might seem harmless or even convenient from an administrative perspective, but for applicants, it can introduce a host of unnecessary and often harmful complications. Whether the application is for a research grant, a scholarship program, or anything in between, after-hours deadlines can put undue pressure on applicants and create conditions that increase the likelihood of mistakes, stress, and missed opportunities.
Even though the exact time an application is submitted may not matter to the recipient, the timing can significantly affect the applicant. Here are 5 reasons why midnight deadlines are problematic.
Working against a ticking countdown late at night creates unnecessary pressure. Applicants may rush to complete their materials, sacrificing quality in the process and increasing their overall stress and anxiety levels.
Trying to meet a midnight cutoff often means working late into the evening, which can interfere with sleep. Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive function, attention to detail, and overall performance—none of which are ideal conditions for finalizing important application materials.
Fatigue and last-minute pressure can lead to mistakes such as typos, incomplete fields, or incorrect attachments. These small errors can have outsized consequences when an application is being evaluated against tight competition.
An applicant finishing just before midnight likely has little time left for proofreading or thoughtful review. This lack of revision time can result in poorly organized responses or missing documentation, which weakens the application.
If an applicant runs into a question or needs guidance, they have little recourse after standard office hours. Midnight deadlines remove the opportunity to contact support teams or ask clarifying questions, which can be especially frustrating when a small detail could make a big difference in the application.
One of the most critical reasons to avoid midnight deadlines is the increased risk posed by technical issues. Submission platforms can and do have technical issues. When they do, timing is everything.
Setting deadlines during normal business hours (e.g., 5:00 p.m. local time) allows applicants to work during the day, seek support when needed, and submit their materials with enough time to address unexpected problems. It also encourages healthier working habits and ensures a more level playing field, especially for those balancing other responsibilities.
While midnight deadlines may seem like a neutral or generous policy on the surface, they often create more problems than they solve. For institutions and organizations aiming to attract high-quality applications and treat applicants fairly, setting earlier business-hour deadlines is a small but meaningful change that can make a big difference.