Columbia Ends Ivy League's Test-Optional Era, Will Require SAT/ACT for 2027-28 Admissions

Columbia University has announced it will require SAT or ACT scores from undergraduate applicants beginning with the 2027-2028 admissions cycle, marking the end of test-optional policies across all eight Ivy League institutions. The private New York university clarified that its test-optional policy will remain in place for the upcoming 2026-2027 admissions cycle, but will be discontinued thereafter, according to Higher Ed Dive reporting.

The Policy Shift

Columbia's decision, announced in July 2026, makes it the final Ivy League school to return to mandatory standardized testing requirements. The university stated that both first-year students and transfer applicants will be required to include SAT or ACT scores for the 2027-28 admissions cycle, as reported by the New York Post and New York Daily News. This move follows similar reinstatements by other Ivy League institutions over the past year, including Princeton University's October 2025 announcement.

Context and Implications

The return to mandatory testing at Columbia signals a definitive shift away from the test-optional policies that proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbia had been "the last Ivy League university to remain indefinitely test-optional," according to the Columbia Spectator, but now joins its peers in requiring scores. The university's undergraduate admissions website now states: "Columbia will require applicants to submit standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) for the 2027-2028 admissions cycle and beyond."

For families targeting elite universities, this development means that high school students graduating in 2027 and beyond must prepare for and submit standardized test scores when applying to all Ivy League institutions. The policy change affects applicants to both Columbia College and Columbia Engineering.