Johns Hopkins Reinstates SAT/ACT Requirement for Fall 2026 Applicants

Johns Hopkins University has formally reinstated a standardized testing requirement for undergraduate applicants, joining a decisive shift among top-tier institutions. Starting with the fall 2026 entry cycle, all first-year applicants will be required to submit SAT or ACT scores, according to the university's admissions website and independent admissions advisors [Source 1, Source - Web Search 1].

The policy change, announced by the university in August 2024 for implementation in the 2026 cycle, marks a significant reversal from its prior test-optional stance [Source - Web Search 1]. Admissions resource Oriel Admissions confirms the shift, listing Johns Hopkins as a school that "now requires the SAT or ACT starting with fall 2026 entry" [Source 4].

The Broader Trend

This move places Johns Hopkins firmly within a cohort of elite universities that have recently reinstated testing mandates, a list that includes Ivy League members like Dartmouth, Brown, Harvard, and Yale, as well as MIT, Caltech, and Georgetown [Source 7]. The policy bifurcation noted in search results—where some top schools remain test-optional while others revert to requiring scores—creates a complex landscape for applicants targeting the most selective institutions [Source 6]. While Johns Hopkins moves to a required policy, other highly-selective schools like the University of Michigan have announced they will remain test-optional for the 2026 cycle [Source 5].

For families navigating the 2026 admissions season, this underscores the critical importance of verifying the specific testing policy—required, optional, or recommended—for each target school, as these requirements continue to evolve and diverge.