Columbia Announces Final Ivy League Return to Test-Required Admissions for 2027

Columbia University has announced it will reinstate a standardized testing requirement for undergraduate applicants, effective August 2027 for the 2027-2028 admission cycle. This decision makes Columbia the last Ivy League institution to end its test-optional policy that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. The university will remain test-optional for the upcoming 2026-2027 admissions cycle before the requirement takes effect, according to its official admissions page.

The announcement completes a sweeping reversal across elite higher education, where most highly selective institutions have now reinstated testing requirements after several years of test-optional policies. While Columbia's policy change is forward-dated, it signals a definitive end to the widespread test-optional era at the most competitive universities. Other elite institutions have already moved: Johns Hopkins University now requires SAT or ACT scores starting with fall 2026 entry, and Rice University has formally reinstated its requirement, as noted by Oriel Admissions. Ohio State University has also reinstated the ACT/SAT requirement for first-year applicants to its Columbus campus for 2026 admission, according to Compass Prep.

This institutional shift underscores the renewed emphasis on standardized testing in selective admissions, even as some public university systems continue to evaluate their long-term policies. For families targeting Ivy-plus schools, the 2026-2027 cycle represents a final test-optional window at Columbia before requirements resume across the entire Ivy League.