Johns Hopkins University Reinstates SAT/ACT Requirement for Fall 2026 Entry

Johns Hopkins University has joined the ranks of highly selective institutions reinstating standardized testing requirements, announcing that first-year applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores for admission beginning with the fall 2026 entry cycle. The policy reversal, announced in August 2024, marks a significant shift for one of the nation's premier research universities.

According to the university's testing policy, applicants must submit SAT scores from the Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections or ACT scores from Math, Reading, and English sections. The requirement applies to applicants to both the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering, though hardship exceptions will be available for students with documented barriers to testing access.

The move follows a broader trend among elite institutions returning to test-required admissions. As noted by Applerouth Tutoring Services, "Top engineering programs are moving back to test-required admissions. In August, Johns Hopkins University joined the ranks of other highly selective schools" reinstating testing requirements. The university had maintained a test-optional policy since 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions to testing availability.

For students targeting fall 2026 admission, this policy change means standardized test preparation has returned to the forefront of application planning. The requirement takes effect for the 2025-2026 application cycle, with students enrolling in fall 2026 and beyond needing to submit scores. Johns Hopkins becomes one of several top-tier universities to reverse test-optional policies in recent years, signaling a potential shift in elite admissions strategy toward more traditional metrics of academic preparation.