SAT and ACT policies at US universities
Which US universities require the SAT or ACT, which are test-optional, and which bring testing back from a stated date.
Policies are for first-year applicants and change from one admissions cycle to the next. Each row links to the university’s own page.
Required now (3)
| University | Programme | Policy | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | Griffin School of Computer Science (first-year) | RequiredSAT or ACT required. The page gives no cycle dates, so it is not split by 2026-27 and 2027-28. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Engineering, Dietrich College, Heinz College information systems, Mellon College of Science and Tepper (first-year, test flexible) | RequiredTest flexible: some test score is required, but SAT itself is not mandatory because applicants may choose which to send: SAT, ACT, IB, AP, Cambridge A-level or French Baccalaureate (predicted or actual). SAT is superscored; ACT is not. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Purdue University | First-year applicants (the page gives no cycle dates, so it is not split by 2026-27 and 2027-28) | RequiredPurdue expects SAT, ACT or CLT scores; the page does not use the word required, so this is the closest value. It says that in exceptional cases where an applicant could not take a test it allows the application to be submitted. The page reports that 90 per cent of applicants and 98.3 per cent of admitted students supplied a score in 2026. | 31 Oct 2026 |
Required from a stated date (1)
| University | Programme | Policy | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University | First-year applicants, 2027-28 cycle | Required from August 2027SAT or ACT becomes a requirement from August 2027 for first-year and transfer applicants, with a waiver available on request at the time of application. | 31 Oct 2026 |
Optional (7)
| University | Programme | Policy | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | International first-year applicants | OptionalSAT or ACT scores are not required and may be sent for course placement or as supplementary information. Some programmes may consider a minimum score. The page does not give separate rules for named cycles. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Boston University | First-year applicants (fall 2027 and fall 2028 entry, i.e. the 2026-27 and 2027-28 cycles) | OptionalTest-optional for first-year applicants through fall 2028 and spring 2029, across all undergraduate schools and scholarships. The choice cannot be changed after submitting. International students must still submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | College of Fine Arts (first-year) | OptionalTest optional; portfolio or audition required. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Columbia University | First-year applicants, 2026-27 cycle | OptionalColumbia College and Columbia Engineering are test-optional for this cycle. Applicants who choose to send scores may submit SAT or ACT; scores are superscored. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Northeastern University | First-year applicants | OptionalSAT or ACT is optional and applicants who skip it are not penalised. Northeastern superscores and uses the best score if both are sent. The page names no specific admission cycle. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | First-year applicants (the page gives no cycle dates, so it is not split by 2026-27 and 2027-28) | OptionalSAT or ACT scores are optional for all first-year applicants, including international students, and for every major. The choice cannot be changed after submitting. Scores that are reported are used for all aspects of review. | 31 Oct 2026 |
| University of Southern California | First-year applicants, 2027-28 cycle | OptionalUSC says SAT or ACT scores are not required for the 2027-28 first-year cycle; if sent they are considered with the rest of the application. International applicants who use SAT or ACT to show English proficiency have the scores assessed for both purposes. | 31 Oct 2026 |
Policies change from one admissions cycle to the next. Check the university's page for the year you are applying.