Does Auburn require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: Yes, Auburn University requires an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants for fall 2027 and beyond, according to its published policy as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1380.

Auburn says test scores are required for fall 2027 and beyond, so every applicant sends one. Here is what the score bands show and what your family can do this month.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

Every fall 2027 applicant to Auburn sends a score Auburn's published policy as of November 2026 requires an SAT or ACT score for fall 2027 and beyond. For families, that means the work is not about whether to send a score but about how strong it will be.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1240 to 1380 Among enrolled first-years in fall 2023 who sent an SAT, the middle half scored between 1240 and 1380. The middle half of ACT senders scored between 25 and 31.

71 percent of enrolled first-years sent an ACT The ACT is the more common test at Auburn. Of enrolled first-years, 71 percent sent an ACT and 17 percent sent an SAT.

Does Auburn require the SAT or ACT?

Here is Auburn's testing policy in its own words, with the term it covers.

College	Policy	Applies to	In Auburn's words	Source
Auburn University	Required	fall 2027 first-year applicants	We are continuing a test-optional pathway for Fall 2026, but test scores will be required for Fall 2027 and beyond.	Source

Required means a score must be sent with the application.

Auburn: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

These numbers describe the fall 2023 class and current prices.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	48178
admits, fall 2023	24330
admit rate, percent	50.5
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1240
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1380
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	25
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	31
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	17
share who sent an ACT, percent	71
application fee, dollars	50
full price of a year, dollars	34919
average net price after aid, dollars	24323

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023.

Does Auburn require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

Yes, Auburn University requires an SAT or ACT score from every first-year applicant for fall 2027. Auburn's admissions site says it plainly: "test scores will be required for Fall 2027 and beyond." That is the published policy as of November 2026.

This rule covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who apply this year and start college in fall 2027. Because Auburn's sentence says "and beyond," juniors who are planning ahead should expect to send a score as well.

If you want to know what score to aim for, our companion page walks through it: What SAT or ACT score do you need for Auburn? (https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-auburn).

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Auburn has already stated that scores are required for Fall 2027 and beyond, so we plan on that rule. No, Auburn is not test-optional for students who start college in fall 2027. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring, but we do not plan around a change that has not been announced.

Our rule is simple: plan for the policy as it is written today. Before your child submits, open Auburn's admissions site and read the testing line yourself. If the wording ever did change, a family with a strong score in hand would lose nothing.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1380, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 25 and 31. These bands come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers. A quarter of those who sent a score came in below the band, and a quarter came in above it.

The ACT is the more common test at Auburn. Of enrolled first-years, 71 percent sent an ACT and 17 percent sent an SAT. Either test meets the requirement, so we tell families to pick the test their child does better on.

For fall 2023, Auburn had 48,178 applicants and admitted 24,330 students, an admit rate of 50.5 percent. The application fee is $50. The full price of a year is $34,919, and the average net price after aid is $24,323. Auburn publishes a net price calculator, and we suggest families run it with their own numbers.

Should my child send a score to Auburn?

Yes, every applicant to Auburn for fall 2027 sends a score, so the only question is how strong it is. At a test-required college there is no choice about sending. The real work is in making the score as good as it can be.

Our rule for Auburn is this: a score inside or above the band is a solid one to send. That means 1240 to 1380 or higher on the SAT, or 25 to 31 or higher on the ACT. A score in that range places your child with the middle half or better of enrolled first-years who sent a score.

If a first score lands below the band, we do not panic, and neither should you. We look at which sections cost the most points, build a plan around them, and set a retake date. A score below the band still gets sent at a test-required college, so the goal is to raise it before your child applies.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT with Test Prep Gurus, then compare each result with Auburn's bands of 1240 to 1380 and 25 to 31. Side by side, the results show which test fits your child better.

Next, pick the test and a test date that counts. We tell families to plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the section that went worst last time, because every section adds to the total.

To book your free mock SAT or free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and map out the weeks ahead.

Questions parents ask

Does Auburn require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
Yes, Auburn University requires an SAT or ACT score from every first-year applicant for fall 2027.

Is Auburn test-optional for fall 2027?
No, Auburn is not test-optional for students who start college in fall 2027.

What SAT and ACT scores do Auburn students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1380, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 25 and 31.

Should my child send a score to Auburn?
Yes, every applicant to Auburn for fall 2027 sends a score, so the only question is how strong it is.

How long should my child prep before the SAT or ACT?
We tell families to plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts.

Ready to plan the next test date? Free mock SAT and free mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus, then a plan built on the result: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or 949.229.5359.

Method and sources: The policy comes from Auburn University's own admissions site, which states that test scores are required for Fall 2027 and beyond. The SAT and ACT bands and the share who sent each test describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal IPEDS data, and the applicant and admit counts come from the same year. Prices come from the College Scorecard and may differ from what any one family pays.