Six of Eight Ivy League Schools Now Require SAT/ACT for 2026-2027 Admissions

The pendulum has swung decisively back toward standardized testing requirements at the nation's most selective universities. For students targeting Ivy League institutions this fall, the landscape has fundamentally changed: six of the eight Ivies now require SAT or ACT scores for first-year applicants in the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, according to admissions consulting firm Oriel Admissions.

This represents a dramatic shift from the widespread test-optional policies adopted during the pandemic. The change means that students applying to enter the Class of 2031 at most Ivy League schools must now submit standardized test scores as a mandatory component of their applications. The trend is part of a broader movement among elite institutions, with sources noting that "several elite schools have reinstated test-required policies in 2026, and many others strongly encourage scores even while remaining technically test-optional," as reported by CollegeWise.

Yale University exemplifies this shift, having "reined in that flexibility and will require SAT or ACT scores for students applying in the 2026–2027 admission cycle," according to Compass Prep. The return to testing requirements at these institutions reflects growing consensus that standardized scores, when considered in context, provide valuable predictive data about college readiness.

Looking ahead, Columbia University has announced it will complete the Ivy League's full return to testing requirements next year, reinstating mandatory SAT or ACT scores starting in August 2027 for the 2027-2028 admissions cycle, according to its official admissions website. For current high school seniors, however, the message is clear: most Ivy League applications now demand test scores, making strategic test preparation and registration for remaining 2026 test dates essential components of the admissions process.