Does Indiana University require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: No -- Indiana University is test-optional for current first-year applicants, which is its published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1170 to 1400 in the fall 2023 class.

Indiana University does not require a test score. Here is what the score bands say, when we tell families to send a score, and what to do this month.

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

Indiana University is test-optional, and 41 percent of enrolled first-years still sent an SAT. Students choose when they apply whether to have SAT or ACT scores considered. Even so, 41 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 16 percent sent an ACT.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1170 to 1400. That band describes enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in the fall 2023 class. For the ACT, the middle half of senders scored 27 to 32.

Indiana University admitted 80.4 percent of applicants. For fall 2023, the university had 54,279 applicants and admitted 43,640.

Indiana University test policy

This is the policy Indiana University publishes for current first-year applicants as of November 2026.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Source
Indiana University-Bloomington	Test-optional	current first-year applicants	students can choose at the point of application whether to have SAT and/or ACT scores considered	Source

Test-optional means the university reads a score if one is sent, and a score does not have to be sent.

Indiana University scores, odds and cost

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class. Prices are for a full year.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	54279
admits, fall 2023	43640
admit rate, percent	80.4
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1170
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1400
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	27
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	41
share who sent an ACT, percent	16
application fee, dollars	65
full price of a year, dollars	28801
average net price after aid, dollars	16264

The bands describe enrolled first-years who sent a score, not every student who applied or was admitted.

Indiana University deadlines for fall 2027 entry

These are the dates Indiana University lists for students starting college in fall 2027.

Early Action	Regular Decision	In the university's words	Source
2026-11-01	2027-02-01	Early Action (Non-binding): November 1 ... Regular Decision: February 1	Source

Early Action at Indiana University is non-binding.

Does Indiana University require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No, Indiana University does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional for current first-year applicants, the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. That covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

Yes, Indiana University is test-optional. In the university's own words, students can choose at the point of application whether to have SAT and/or ACT scores considered. If your child sends a score, it is read. If your child does not, the application goes in without one.

For a closer look at the numbers, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Indiana University? at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-indiana-university.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Indiana University has stated no end date, so its test-optional policy as of November 2026 is the rule we plan around for fall 2027. We do not guess at rules the university has not stated.

Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. That matters most for juniors who are planning ahead. We tell juniors and their parents to read the university's admissions page again in the spring, before they lock in a test plan.

Seniors can rely on the policy as it reads today. The bigger question for them is whether their score helps, and that is what the next two sections cover.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1170 to 1400 in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file. For the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored 27 to 32.

A quarter of submitters scored below each band, and a quarter scored above it. These are not cutoffs. They show where most students who sent a score landed.

Among enrolled first-years, 41 percent sent an SAT and 16 percent sent an ACT. Indiana University had 54,279 applicants for fall 2023 and admitted 43,640, for an admit rate of 80.4 percent.

The full price of a year is $28,801, and the average net price after aid is $16,264. The application fee is $65. Like every US college, Indiana University publishes a net price calculator, and we tell families to run it with their own numbers.

Should my child send a score to Indiana University?

Our rule for Indiana University is simple: an SAT of 1170 or higher, or an ACT of 27 or higher, sits inside or above the band, and that is a score to send.

A score below the band is one to think hard about. At a test-optional college, your child can choose to leave it off.

We tell families that at a test-optional college it is nearly always good to have a score in hand. A strong score can bolster the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

That is why our students prepare and test even when a college does not require it. Leaving a score off is an easy choice once your child has one. Sending a strong score is only possible if your child has taken the test.

When are the deadlines?

Indiana University lists Early Action (non-binding) on November 1, 2026 and Regular Decision on February 1, 2027.

No early decision date is listed. For seniors who have not applied yet, Regular Decision on February 1, 2027 is the date to plan around.

A senior who wants to send a new score should plan the test date so the score arrives before that deadline. We tell families to put the deadline on the calendar now and work back from it.

What should we do this month?

Have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, which Test Prep Gurus offers free, and compare each result with the band of 1170 to 1400 on the SAT or 27 to 32 on the ACT.

Pick the test that fits your child better. Then plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section.

To book a free mock SAT or a free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step.

Questions parents ask

Does Indiana University require an SAT or ACT score for fall 2027?
No, Indiana University does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional for current first-year applicants, the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated.

Is Indiana University test-optional?
Yes, Indiana University is test-optional.

What SAT scores do enrolled first-years at Indiana University have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1170 to 1400 in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file.

When are the Indiana University application deadlines?
Indiana University lists Early Action (non-binding) on November 1, 2026 and Regular Decision on February 1, 2027.

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 is what Indiana University publishes on its own admissions page as of November 2026, and it names current first-year applicants as the group it covers. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file, so they say nothing about students who applied without a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.