Columbia Reinstates SAT/ACT Requirement for Class of 2031 Applicants

Columbia University has announced it will reinstate a requirement for SAT or ACT scores for undergraduate applicants, marking a significant policy reversal for the Ivy League school. The change will take effect for students applying in August 2027 for admission to the Class of 2031, according to a report from Higher Ed Dive.

The decision aligns Columbia with a majority of its Ivy League peers. As noted by Oriel Admissions, six of the eight Ivy League schools now require standardized test scores for first-year applicants in the 2026-2027 cycle. This trend among highly-selective institutions has been widely documented, with Pathivy noting that "the majority of top-tier universities are reinstating mandatory standardized testing" for the upcoming application season.

Columbia's specific policy shift was detailed in a recent news article, which serves as the primary source for this announcement. The university's move away from a test-optional policy, which many institutions adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflects a broader reassessment within elite admissions. The Compass Education Group highlighted a similar recent shift at Yale University, which "reined in that flexibility and will require SAT or ACT scores for students applying in the 2026–2027 admission cycle."

For families planning applications to Columbia and other selective schools, this reinstatement underscores the renewed importance of standardized testing in the competitive admissions landscape. Students targeting the Class of 2031 should plan their testing timeline accordingly, noting key registration deadlines such as the College Board's August 22, 2026, deadline for changes and late registration for the SAT.