Columbia to Require Standardized Tests Starting August 2027, Completing Ivy League Reversal

Columbia University will require standardized testing for undergraduate applicants beginning in August 2027, becoming the final Ivy League institution to reinstate a testing mandate and solidifying a major reversal of pandemic-era policies across the most selective universities. The private New York institution announced the change in June 2026, stating it will remain test-optional for the current 2026-2027 admissions cycle before the requirement takes effect for students applying in the fall of 2027 for entry in 2028, as reported by [Higher Ed Dive](https://www.highereddive.com/news/columbia-reinstates-sat-act-requirements-for-2027-28/822957/). The university's admissions website confirms the timeline: "Columbia will require standardized testing starting in August 2027. We will remain test optional for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle" ([Columbia Undergraduate Admissions](https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/process/testing)).

This announcement completes a sweeping shift among elite colleges. For the ongoing 2026-2027 cycle, six of the eight Ivy League schools—Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania—have already reinstated test-required policies, as noted by multiple admissions advisors ([Oriel Admissions](https://orieladmissions.com/colleges-require-sat-act/)). Columbia and Princeton were the remaining holdouts, with Princeton's status for future cycles still unconfirmed. The broader movement was highlighted in an August 10, 2026, analysis titled "Elite colleges are returning to the SAT and ACT" ([Higher Ed Dive](https://www.highereddive.com/news/elite-colleges-are-returning-to-the-sat-and-act-will-others-follow/827299/)), which framed Columbia's decision as part of a decisive trend. The policy change means that current high school juniors (Class of 2028) will be the first cohort required to submit scores when they apply in fall 2027, adding urgency to test preparation for students targeting Columbia and other Ivies that have already reinstated requirements.