Yale Reinstates SAT/ACT Requirement, Ending Test-Flexible Policy in May 2026

Yale University has made a definitive return to requiring standardized test scores for undergraduate admissions, announcing in late May 2026 that it will mandate SAT or ACT submissions for all first-year and transfer applicants. The policy change, which affects applicants to the Class of 2031, ends Yale's brief experiment with a test-flexible approach that had allowed alternatives like AP or IB scores.

According to Yale's official announcement on May 27, 2026, the university is "restoring a policy of requiring the ACT or SAT that was in place prior to 2020" [Yale News]. The decision makes Yale the latest elite institution to reverse pandemic-era testing policies, joining peers like Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, and Caltech in reinstating testing requirements [Progress Learning].

The shift leaves only two Ivy League institutions—Columbia and Princeton—as test-optional for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, though both have announced they will reinstate requirements for the 2027-2028 cycle [Collegewise, Oriel Admissions]. Yale's decision represents a significant consolidation of the return-to-testing trend among highly selective universities, with the institution citing research on the predictive value of standardized tests in identifying promising students from all backgrounds.

Applicants targeting Yale for fall 2027 admission should note that the requirement applies to both the SAT and ACT, with the digital SAT format and recently revised ACT (featuring a shorter test duration and modified scoring) both being accepted [YouTube]. The policy change underscores the continued importance of standardized testing in elite college admissions, even as the format and administration of these exams continue to evolve.