Yale Reinstates SAT/ACT Requirement for Fall 2026 Applicants

Yale University has reinstated a standardized testing requirement for all undergraduate applicants, ending the flexible policy it adopted in 2020. The change, announced on May 27, 2026, will affect students applying for entry in the fall of 2026 and beyond, according to the university's official news site [Yale News](https://news.yale.edu/2026/05/27/undergraduate-admissions-updates-testing-policy).

The policy shift means that all first-year and transfer applicants to Yale College must now submit scores from either the SAT or ACT. This restores the requirement that was in place prior to the pandemic. The announcement makes Yale the latest elite institution to move away from test-optional admissions, following similar decisions by peers like Dartmouth, Brown, Harvard, and MIT, as noted in recent policy roundups [ProgressLearning](https://progresslearning.com/news-blog/colleges-dropping-reinstating-act-sat-requirements).

The decision arrives as other highly-selective universities solidify their testing policies for the 2026-2027 cycle. For instance, Duke University has announced it will continue its test-optional policy [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/165408995514788/posts/1259388016116875/), while the University of Michigan will also remain test-optional [U-M Admissions](https://admissions.umich.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/requirements-deadlines/application-changes). However, the broader trend among the most competitive schools appears to be a return to requiring scores. Yale's move is particularly significant as it represents a complete reversal, not merely an extension of a temporary policy. This development underscores the evolving and increasingly consequential role of standardized testing in the admissions landscape for students targeting the nation's most selective universities.