Columbia Becomes Final Ivy to Reinstate Testing Requirement for 2027-28

Columbia University announced in June 2026 that it will reinstate standardized testing requirements for undergraduate applicants, effective August 2027 for the 2027-2028 admission cycle. This makes Columbia the final Ivy League institution to end its test-optional policy that began in 2020, according to Higher Ed Dive's June 15, 2026 report. The university quietly updated its application guidance on June 8 before making a formal announcement.

The decision reunifies all eight Ivy League schools in requiring standardized test scores, marking a significant shift in elite college admissions. As reported by the Columbia Spectator, "Columbia will once again require standardized test scores for undergraduate applicants, beginning in August 2027." The announcement came after most other Ivies had already reinstated testing requirements over the past two years.

For the current 2026-2027 application cycle, Columbia remains test-optional, giving rising seniors one final year to apply without submitting scores. However, the university's decision signals a clear return to pre-pandemic testing norms at the most selective institutions. This development follows similar announcements from other elite universities, including Yale and Dartmouth, which had already reinstated testing requirements earlier in 2026.

The reinstatement means that starting with applicants for fall 2028 admission, all Ivy League universities will require either SAT or ACT scores, ending the temporary test-optional era that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbia's testing policy page confirms that while the 2026-2027 cycle remains test-optional, the requirement will resume for subsequent cycles.