YC Application: Key Questions, the Deadline and an Answer Drafter
How to apply to Y Combinator: the Winter 2027 deadline, what the application asks, how partners read it, the $500,000 deal, and a free drafter for your answers.
By Onward ScoutPublished 2 min read
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YC application answer drafter
Answer the questions YC's form usually asks in plain words. Get a draft for each, in the matter-of-fact style YC partners say they prefer. Questions change between batches; check the live form before you submit.
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The YC application asks what you are making, why you picked the idea, how far along you are, how you will get users and make money, and what each founder has built. Draft each answer with the tool above in YC's preferred plain style. For the Winter 2027 batch, the on-time deadline is November 2, 2026 at 8pm PT.
When is the YC application deadline?
In short
For Winter 2027, applications are due November 2, 2026 at 8pm PT, and on-time applicants hear back by December 11. YC also takes applications for future batches. Applying early is better than applying late, which is reviewed after the on-time pile.
YC's apply page states that the deadline to apply on-time is November 2 at 8pm PT for the Winter 2027 batch, which runs January to March in San Francisco[Y Combinator]. Deadlines change every batch (this one was checked October 22, 2026), so check the page before you plan.
How do YC partners read the application?
In short
They look for clear, literal answers and evidence that the founders build things. In YC's How to Apply guide, Paul Graham says the first question he looks at is what the company is going to make, and that marketing language is treated as noise. Plain sentences with numbers do best.
YC's own guide to applying is blunt: it calls the best answers the most matter of fact and says the team is immune to marketing-speak[Y Combinator, How to Apply]. The same guide notes that applicants who include a video are much more likely to be interviewed statistically[Y Combinator, How to Apply]. Record it.
What does YC invest, and for how much of your company?
In short
YC's standard deal is $500,000: $125,000 for a fixed 7% and $375,000 on an uncapped SAFE with a most-favored-nation clause, which converts in your priced round on the terms of the lowest-cap SAFE (or other most favorable terms) you issue between the start of the batch and that round.
YC's deal page gives a worked example: if your next SAFEs have a $15M post-money cap, the $375,000 converts to 2.5% of the company on top of the fixed 7%[Y Combinator deal]. Model what that means for your ownership with our cap table calculator, and read what a SAFE note is if the terms are new.
How do you make your YC application stand out?
In short
Show progress with numbers, explain an insight only you could have, and prove each founder has built something impressive. A clear one-line description under 50 characters, a literal product answer and a short founder video do more than polished prose.
The answers you draft here are reusable: most accelerators ask the same questions in different words. Decide whether an accelerator is right for you with our accelerator vs incubator guide, and prepare the deck many of them request with the pitch deck builder.
Frequently asked questions
When is the YC application deadline?
For the Winter 2027 batch, the on-time deadline is November 2, 2026 at 8pm PT, with decisions by December 11 (checked October 22, 2026; YC posts each new batch's deadline on its apply page). YC also accepts applications for future batches, and late applications are reviewed after on-time ones.
What does YC invest?
$500,000: $125,000 for a fixed 7% and $375,000 on an uncapped SAFE with a most-favored-nation clause, according to YC's published deal.
Do I need a video for the YC application?
It is strongly recommended. YC's own guidance on applying says applicants who submit a video are much more likely to be interviewed.
Can I apply to YC as a solo founder?
Yes. YC says it regularly accepts solo founders, though it also notes that one-person startups are tough and founders are more likely to succeed with a co-founder.
Can I apply again if I was rejected?
Yes. Many companies are accepted on a later application; show what changed since the last one, especially progress.
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