The cancellations of the SAT and ACT tests due to Covid-19 has left many students in the class of 2021 worried they may not be able to complete testing in time in order to apply at the school of their choice. However, colleges have taken the concerns into consideration and are adapting their admissions testing policies. Some have adopted a temporary test-optional stance during this uncertain time. Others have moved toward permanent test-optional policies.
Colleges are making announcements frequently, updating their testing policies and the specifics of the policies differ by school. In an effort to make the research a little easier, we made a list of colleges that have announced a change to their admission policies in response to Covid-19. This list is not exhaustive, so please be sure to check with the school you are considering if it is not on this list.
| COLLEGE | POLICY IN BRIEF | HELPFUL LINKS |
| Albion College | Test optional for students applying for Fall 2020 | How is COVID-19 Affecting Admission? |
| Alfred University | Test-optional for spring and fall 2021 | Here (under Test Scores) |
| Alma College | Suspended SAT/ACT requirements for traditional first-year students between 1 April 2020 and 30 September 2021 | Admissions & Aid page |
| Amherst College | Test-optional policy extended to students entering in 2021, 2022, and 2023. | Admissions site |
| Anderson University | Test-optional effective immediately | Announcement |
| Angelo State University | Test-optional for 2020-2021. | Announcement |
| Austin Peay State University | Test-optional for fall and summer 2021 for standardized testing (SAT, ACT, and GRE). | Announcement |
| Babson College | Test-optional for 2022-23. 2023-24, and 2024-25 academic years. | Update |
| Barnard College | Test optional for 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. | Announcement |
| Barrett, The Honors College of Arizona State University | Test blind for Spring and Fall 2021. | Admissions FAQs |
| Baylor University | Test-optional for 2021. Extended for the Fall 2022 and 2023. | Press release |
| Bentley University | Test-optional for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. | First-year Applicants |
| Bloomberg University | Test-optional for 2020-2021 admissions cycle. | Announcement |
| Boston College | Test-optional for the 2021-22 admission cycle. | Announcement |
| Boston University | Test-optional for first-year students applying for fall 2022 and spring 2023. Applies to all undergraduate schools and colleges at BU and all scholarship programs. | BU admissions site Update |
| Briar Cliff University | Waiving SAT/ACT score requirement for current high school seniors | Briar Cliff announcement |
| Bucknell University | Test-optional beginning in fall 2020 for a 5 year pilot program. | Announcement |
| Buena Vista University | Test-optional for 2021 | Test-Optional Announcement |
| California Institute of Technology | Two year moratorium on SAT and ACT requirements (for Fall 2021 and Fall 2022). | First-Year Application Requirements |
| California State University | Suspends use of SAT/ACT requirements for the academic year 2021-2022 | High School Guidance – First-Time First-Year Students |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Test-optional for fall 2021. | Standardized Testing Requirements |
| Centre College | Test-optional for 2021, 2022, and 2023 admissions cycles | Centre announcement |
| Clemson University | Test-optional for 2021-22. | Announcement |
| Coastal Carolina University | Test-optional for Fall 2021 applicants with a minimum 3.5 high school GPA | CCU announcement |
| College of Charleston | Test-optional for fall 2021, fall 2022, and fall 2023. Scores are still required for homeschooled students. | Test-optional FAQs |
| College of Coastal Georgia | Test-optional for summer and fall 2020 | Announcement |
| Columbia University | Test-optional policy for first year applicants to Columbia College and Columbia Engineering extended through 2021-2022 admissions cycle. | Extension announcement |
| College of Wooster | Test-optional for fall 2021 entering class and beyond | Wooster announcement |
| Dartmouth College | Test-optional for the class of 2025. | Announcement |
| Drury University | Test-optional school, beginning with applications for fall 2021 and beyond. Test-optional applicants will have an additional 250 to 500-word essay as part of the scholarship and award process | Drury announcement |
| Duke University | Test-optional for 2021-2022 admissions cycle. | Announcement |
| East Tennessee State university | Test-optional for 2021. Scores still required for scholarships. | Undergraduate Admissions: Provide Test Scores |
| Eastern Illinois University | Test-optional for fall 2021. | Admissions Requirements |
| Eastern Michigan University | Test-optional for fall 2020. Applies only to incoming first-year domestic students. | Policy |
| Elizabethtown College | Test optional for fall 2021. | Announcement |
| Elmhurst University | Test-optional for 2020-21. | Announcement |
| Emory University | Test-optional for 2020-2021 academic year. Test optional policy extended to Fall 2022. | Policy |
| Fordham University | Test-optional for two year period beginning with the fall 2021 class. | Announcement |
| Fort Lewis College | Test-optional for 2021. | Announcement |
| Georgetown College | Test-optional for 2021. | Announcement |
| Georgetown University | Test-flexible for 2021 (class of 2025). | A Flexible Approach to Testing Requirements |
| Grand Valley State University | Test-optional for fall 2021 | Undergraduate Admissions Requirements (under Freshman Requirements) |
| Greenville University | Test-optional for 2021 and beyond | Press release |
| Hamilton College | Test-optional for 2021-2022 academic year | Hamilton announcement |
| Harvard University | Test-optional for those applying for admission to the class of 2025 | Admissions Application Considerations for the Class of 2025 |
| Haverford College | Test-optional for first year and transfer applicants for a three year trial beginning with students entering Fall 2021 | Haverford Admissions blog announcement |
| Howard University | Test-optional for 2020-2021 admission cycle. Does not extend to the Karsh STEM program. | Domestic Undergraduate Admissions (#4) |
| Indiana University Fort Wayne | Test-optional beginning with spring 2021 and beyond | Admissions steps page (under “Take the SAT or ACT exam) |
| Indiana University Northwest | SAT/ACT scores requirements waived for students entering fall 2020 | IU Northwest announcement |
| Indiana University Southeast | Test-optional for summer and fall 2020 enrollment | ACT/SAT waiver |
| Iowa State University | Test-optional for 2021 academic year | Announcement from the Board of Regents |
| IUPUI | Test-optional beginning 2021 and beyond | Admissions page (under “Regarding the SAT or ACT exam”) |
| Jacksonville State University | SAT and ACT requirements waived through Fall 2021 | Announcement |
| Johns Hopkins University | Test-optional for the fall 2021 | Announcement |
| Loyola Marymount University | Test-optional for fall 2021 applicants | Announcement page |
| Loyola University New Orleans | Test blind starting in fall 2021. Students hoping to receive state-funded scholarships will still need to submit SAT and ACT scores to determine scholarship eligibility. | Announcement |
| Marietta College | Test-optional for 2021-2022. | Test Optional Admission FAQ |
| Marymount University | Adopting a complete test-optional policy stating with the Fall 2021 semester | Announcement |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Test-optional for 2021-2022 application cycle. | Tests & Scores |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | Test-optional beginning Fall 2020 and beyond. | Announcement |
| Missouri State University | Test-optional for students with a 3.25 high school GPA or higher. The university will also accept ACT/SAT superscores. | Announcement |
| NCAA Eligibility Center | Waiving SAT/ACT requirement for student-athletes entering Division I and II colleges in the 2020-21 academic year (applies only to students graduating in spring/summer 2020). The Eligibility Center will also adjust it’s approach to pass/fail grades received in spring/summer 2020 by students at all grade levels. Update: Waiving SAT/ACT requirement for student-athletes entering Division I and II colleges in the 2021-22 academic year. | NCAA Eligibility Center COVID-19 FAQ |
| North Dakota State University | Test-optional for Fall 2020-Spring 2022. | ACT/SAT Frequently Asked Questions |
| Northeastern University | Test-optional for prospective students for the 2021-2022 academic year. Includes undergraduate and graduate students. | Announcement page |
| Northwestern University | Announcement page | |
| Oakland University | Test-optional for Fall 2021 and 2022 | Test-Optional Admission |
| Ohio University- Athens Campus | Adopted a permanent test-optional policy | Announcement |
| Oregon State University | Test-optional for undergraduates entering in fall 2021 and beyond | OSU announcement |
| PennState | Test-optional policy extended through 2023 | Extension Announcement |
| Princeton University | Test-optional pause extended through the 2021-22 application cycle. | Update |
| Purdue University Northwest | Test-optional for summer and fall 2020 | Admissions page |
| Rhodes College | Test-optional for 3 years, which will serve as a pilot project to determine if the test-optional policy should continue | Rhodes announcement |
| Rice University | Test-optional for 2020-2021. | Announcement |
| Rivier University | Test-optional policy extended to nursing program for fall 2021. | Announcement |
| Rutgers University- Camden | Test-optional for Fall 2021 | Announcement about 2021 |
| Rutgers University- Newark | Test-optional for Fall 2021 | Announcement |
| Rutgers University- New Brunswick | Test-optional for Spring and Fall 2021 | New Brunswick enrollment FAQs |
| Saint Louis University | Test-optional for 2021-2022 academic year for most programs | Announcement |
| Seattle University | Test-optional starting fall 2021. GRE and GMAT will be optional for non-law graduate programs for the 2020-21 academic year. | SU announcement |
| Southeast Missouri State University | Expanded its test-optional admissions policy beginning in fall 2021. With the expansion of the policy, some scholarships are now test-optional (list on the test-optional page). | Announcement |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Test-optional Spring and Fall 2021. | Announcement |
| Southern Methodist University | Test-optional for Spring 2021 and Fall 2021. | Undergraduate Temporary Test-Optional Policy |
| Southwest Baptist University | Test-optional policy extended to Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 semesters May take online Classic Learning Test (CLT) to potentially improve academic scholarship eligibility | Extension announcement |
| Stanford University | Test-optional for 2021-2022 admission cycle. | Announcement |
| State University of New York | SAT/ACT requirements suspended for 2021-2022. | Announcement |
| Stephen F. Austin State University | Test-optional for 2020-2021 academic year. | Freshman Students |
| St. Edward’s University | Test-optional for undergraduate applicants for fall 2021 and beyond | St. Edward’s announcement |
| Swarthmore College | Test-optional for applicants during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 cycles Students can now choose to report results from previous tests, including the PSAT and PreACT In fall 2022, the college will assess the policy and determine whether to continue | Swarthmore announcement |
| Syracuse University | Test-optional for fall 2021 and 2022. | Announcement |
| Tennessee State University | Test-optional for fall 2020 | Announcement |
| Texas A&M University | Test-optional for spring, summer, and fall of 2021 | Announcement |
| Texas Christian University | Test-optional for students entering in fall 2021 Students should consider their academic record and co-curricular experiences when deciding whether to submit test scores | TCU announcement |
| Texas Tech University | Test-optional for 2021 and 2022 terms. | Test Optional Information |
| The College of New Jersey | Test-optional beginning with 2020-2021 admission cycle for a three year period. Does not apply to the seven year medical program or optometry program. | Announcement |
| Trinity University-TX | Test-optional for a 3-year period starting with applicants for Fall 2021 Applicants can self-report unofficial test scores via applicant portal TOEFL, IELTS, DET still required | Trinity announcement |
| Tulane University | Test-optional for 2021-2022. | Tulane Announcement |
| University of Alabama | Test-optional for 2021. | Announcement |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Test-optional for 2021 and 2022. | Announcement |
| University of Arkansas | Test-optional for summer and fall 2021. | Test Score Policy |
| University of Central Missouri | Test-optional beginning in fall 2020 for students with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Scores still required for Direct Entry Nursing Program, Education majors, Honors College, NCAA Athletics, and automatic merit scholarships. | Announcement |
| University of Central Oklahoma | Test-optional for 2021. Homeschooled students or students who attend unaccredited high schools are still required to submit SAT or ACT scores. | Announcement |
| University of Cincinnati | Test-optional for a two year period starting with 2021 applicants. Test scores are still required for the Honors Program, the College of Nursing Direct-Admit BSN program, and the Early Childhood Education Program. | Test-Optional FAQ Announcement |
| University of Connecticut | Test-optional beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year for the next three admission cycles. | Press release |
| University of Deleware | Test-optional for 2021 applicants, regardless of residency. | Announcement |
| University of Hawai’i at Manoa | Test-optional for 2021-2022 academic years. | Announcement |
| University of Houston System | Test-optional through summer 2022. | Announcement |
| University of Illinois System | Test-optional for 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024. | Announcement |
| University of Iowa | Test-optional for 2021 academic year. | Board of Regents Announcement |
| University of Kentucky | Test-optional for 2021-2022, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25. | Announcement |
| University of Louisville | Test-optional for Spring 2021, Summer 2021 and Fall 2021. | ACT/SAT Information |
| University of Memphis | Test-flexible policy for fall 2021 | Press release |
| University of Miami | Piloting test-optional policy for fall 2021. | Announcement |
| University of Minnesota Duluth | Test-optional starting with applicants for the spring and fall 2021 | Announcement |
| University of Minnesota- Twin Cities | Test-optional for 2021. | Freshman Requirements |
| University of Nebraska- Lincoln | Test-optional policy adopted August 2020. | Announcement |
| University of New England | Piloting a test-blind policy for 2020-2021 academic year. | Announcement |
| University of Mobile | Test-optional for Fall 2020 | University of Mobile announcement |
| University of Northern Iowa | Test-optional for 2021. | Announcement from the Board of Regents |
| University of Notre Dame | Test-optional for 2022 and 2023 application cycles. | Evaluation Criteria |
| University of Oklahoma | Test-optional through the 2025 admissions cycle. | Announcement |
| University of Oregon | Test-optional for students entering fall 2021 and beyond. Standardized test scores will still be needed for certain automatic scholarships. | UO announcement |
| University of Pennsylvania | Test-optional policy extended through 2021-2022 admissions cycle. | Announcement |
| University of Pittsburgh | Test-optional through Fall 2023. | Test-Optional |
| University of Rhode Island | Test-optional for 2021. | First-Year Student Admission |
| University of Richmond | Test-optional for 2021. | Announcement |
| University of San Diego | Test-blind for 2020-2021 admissions cycle. | Announcement |
| University of South Carolina | Test-optional for 2021. | Requirements for Freshmen |
| University of Southern California | Test-optional policy extended for 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years. | Update |
| University of Tennessee | Test-optional for 2021.* *Test scores are still required for homeschooled students, students who attended a school that did not use alpha/numerical grades, and student athletes held to NCAA eligibility standards. | Test Score Policy |
| University of Texas at Austin | Test-optional for fall 2021 | Announcement |
| University of Toledo | Piloting a test-optional admissions model for summer and fall 2020 Test-optional NOT available to: ・Home-schooled students ・Students who attend high schools that do not report grades ・Students applying for majors in the colleges of Nursing, Engineering, and Health and Human Services Will use self-reported grades and GPAs to conditionally admit students until final transcripts are available | UToledo test-optional admissions page |
| University of Utah | Test-optional for 2021-2023. | Test-Optional FAQ |
| University of Vermont | Test-optional for 2020-2021. | Announcement |
| University of Virginia | Test-optional for 2021, 2022, and 2023. | Announcement |
| University of Washington | Test-optional for fall 2021 and beyond. The change is immediately in effect for the Seattle campus. The standardized testing policies for UW Bothell and UW Tacoma will be reviewed. | Announcement |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Test-optional policy extended through summer 2023. | Announcement |
| Virginia Tech | Test-optional for 2021-2022. | Update for 2021-2022 |
| Washington State University Vancouver | Test-optional for Fall 2020 | News article |
| Wellesley College | Test optional for first-year applicants entering in fall 2021 Suspending the regular Decision with Early Evaluation option for first-year applicants entering fall 2021 Regular decision deadline moved to January 8 from January 15 | Wellesley admissions page |
| West Point | Test-flexible for 2021 admissions cycle (class of 2025). Students unable to submit SAT or ACT will be required to submit a PSAT score. For students seeking consideration for admission without an SAT or ACT score and without a PSAT score, supporting information should be provided for consideration. | Steps to Admission |
| William and Mary | Launching a three-year test-optional pilot program with the 2020-2021 academic year. | Announcement |
| Williams College | Test-optional for students applying for entry in fall 2021, 2022, or 2023. | Announcement |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Piloting an eight-year test blind admissions process starting with applicants for Fall 2022. | Test-Blind Admissions |
| Wright State University | Test-optional for summer 2021, fall 2021, and fall 2022. The application fee has been waived for summer and fall 2021. | Announcement |
| Yale University | Test-optional for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 admissions cycles. | Announcement |
| Vanderbilt University | Test-optional for fall 2022. | Vanderbilt Update |
| Yeshiva University | Test-optional for fall 2021. | Testing Policy for 2021 |