Standardized Testing

Standardized Testing Policy Beginning With 2027-28 Admission Cycle

Princeton will return to requiring standardized testing for undergraduate admission beginning with the 2027-28 admission cycle. First-year and transfer applicants seeking to enroll in fall 2028 will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores.

Standardized testing is just one element of the University’s comprehensive and holistic application review. There are no minimum test score requirements for admission. All information in each student’s application is considered in the student’s individual context. 

Princeton will not require active military personnel to submit standardized test scores, because lack of regular access to testing facilities and other logistical constraints associated with their service may prevent them from testing at times aligned with Princeton’s application deadlines. 

Active members of the military who opt to apply to Princeton without an SAT or ACT score will not be at a disadvantage in our process.

The University paused the standardized testing requirement for undergraduate admission in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of access to testing centers. The University later extended the pause for several academic years. 

The decision to resume testing requirements follows a review of five years of data from the test-optional period, which found that academic performance at Princeton was stronger for students who chose to submit test scores than for students who did not. The review concluded that standardized testing is among the tools that can be helpful in indicating potential for academic success at Princeton. 
 

Standardized Testing Policy for 2025-26 and 2026-27 Admission Cycles

For first-year and transfer applicants seeking to enroll in fall 2026 or fall 2027, Princeton remains test optional. Students who opt to apply to Princeton in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles without an ACT or SAT score will not be at a disadvantage in our process.  

For those who do submit standardized test scores, you must submit your SAT and/or ACT scores to Princeton directly from the testing firms. We allow applicants to use the score choice feature of the SAT and accept only the highest composite score of the ACT, but we encourage the submission of all test scores. Note: We do not superscore between the paper test and the digital test; you can only utilize score choice if the tests are in the same format. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the following codes to ensure your scores are sent to Princeton: SAT: 2672 and ACT: 2588. 

Beginning in the 2025-2026 application cycle, Princeton will accept scores from both the original and redesigned versions of the ACT. Also beginning in the 2025-26 application cycle, the science section of the redesigned ACT is optional. All exams taken prior to April 2025 should be reported with all four sections (EMRS). We understand that the differences in timing for US and international regions may impact the ACT’s availability to students during the transition period. We will accept the old ACT with all four sections (EMRS) or the new ACT with three sections (EMR) equally and have no preference for one over the other.

Notes on additional testing:

• If you sat for an Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) test, we recommend that you self-report all of your AP or IB scores on your application. For those who do submit standardized test scores, you must submit your SAT and/or ACT scores to Princeton directly from the testing firms.
• If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic), the Duolingo English Test (DET) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic).

Testing Deadlines

• If you choose to submit testing, applicants should take the SAT or the ACT by the October test date for single-choice early action and the December date for regular decision.
• Students taking standardized tests in December or later should have their scores sent directly to Princeton.
• Transfer applicants who choose to sit for the test must complete all SAT testing by the March test date. All ACT testing must be completed by the February test date