Does Ohio State require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: Yes, Ohio State requires an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants to its Columbus campus for the 2026 admissions cycle and beyond, the published policy as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1330 and 1480.

Ohio State's Columbus campus requires a test score, while its regional campuses stay optional. Here is what the policy says, what the score bands mean and what to do next.

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

Ohio State requires a score at Columbus for the 2026 cycle and beyond First-year applicants to the Columbus campus must send an SAT or ACT score under the published policy as of November 2026.

The SAT band runs from 1330 to 1480 The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored in that range, and on the ACT the middle half scored between 29 and 32.

Ohio State admitted 50.8 percent of applicants For fall 2023, Ohio State had 70,028 applicants and admitted 35,574.

Does Ohio State require the SAT or ACT?

This is Ohio State's policy in its own words, as published in November 2026.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
Ohio State University-Main Campus	Required	2026 admissions cycle and beyond (Columbus campus); current policy as published (regional campuses)	Yes, standardized test scores from ACT or SAT are required for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus.	Source

Required means a score must be sent. The regional campuses are optional, which means the college reads a score if one is sent.

Ohio State scores, odds and costs

These figures show the score bands of enrolled first-years who sent a score, how many students applied and got in, and what a year costs.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	70028
admits, fall 2023	35574
admit rate, percent	50.8
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1330
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1480
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	29
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	14
share who sent an ACT, percent	35
application fee, dollars	60
full price of a year, dollars	30305
average net price after aid, dollars	17339

The bands describe enrolled first-years in the fall 2023 class who sent that test.

When are Ohio State's deadlines for fall 2027?

These are the dates Ohio State lists for students starting college in fall 2027.

Early action	Regular decision	In the college's words	Source
2026-11-01	2027-01-15	Early action: Nov. 1, 2026 ... Regular decision: Jan. 15, 2027	Source

No early decision or priority date is listed.

Does Ohio State require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

Yes, Ohio State requires an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants to its Columbus campus. Its admissions page says it plainly: "Yes, standardized test scores from ACT or SAT are required for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus." This is the published policy as of November 2026, and it covers the 2026 admissions cycle and beyond.

No, the Columbus campus is not test-optional, but the regional campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark and ATI in Wooster are. For those campuses, the college says that "Submission of test scores for regional campus applicants is optional but strongly encouraged." Homeschooled students and students from unaccredited high schools must still send a score to a regional campus. At Columbus, applicants who will have been out of high school for 2 or more years by enrollment are an exception to the rule.

Yes, Ohio State superscores the SAT and ACT for the Columbus campus. That means a strong section on one test date can count alongside a strong section from another. For a closer look at the score side, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Ohio State? at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-ohio-state.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Ohio State's published policy names the 2026 admissions cycle and beyond, with no end date stated. This page is for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, and for juniors who are planning ahead.

Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. We tell families to plan on the requirement as written. Then check the Ohio State admissions page again each spring, so nothing catches your family by surprise.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1330 and 1480. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored between 29 and 32. These bands come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal release, and a quarter of submitters scored below each band.

In that class, 14 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 35 percent sent an ACT. For fall 2023, Ohio State had 70,028 applicants and admitted 35,574, an admit rate of 50.8 percent.

A full year costs $30,305 at full price, and the average net price after aid is $17,339. The application fee is $60. Ohio State publishes a net price calculator, and we tell families to run it with their own numbers.

Should my child send a score to Ohio State?

At the Columbus campus, every applicant sends an SAT or ACT score, so the only question is how strong it is. Our rule is simple. A score inside or above the band of 1330 to 1480 on the SAT, or 29 to 32 on the ACT, puts your child in line with the enrolled first-years who sent a score.

A score below the band still goes in at Columbus, so the goal is to raise it before the deadline. That is where steady practice helps most, and it is the work we do with our students every week.

For a regional campus, the college's own words are "optional but strongly encouraged." We tell families to send a score their child is proud of.

When are the deadlines?

Ohio State lists Nov. 1, 2026, for early action and Jan. 15, 2027, for regular decision. The early action date has passed for seniors this fall, so regular decision is the date to plan around now. No early decision or priority date is listed.

For seniors, pick a test date that lets scores arrive before Jan. 15. For juniors, we suggest spring and summer test dates, so a strong score is in hand before senior fall begins.

What should we do this month?

Start with a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, which Test Prep Gurus offers free. Compare each result with the Ohio State bands of 1330 to 1480 on the SAT and 29 to 32 on the ACT. Then choose the test that fits your child better.

Next, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. We ask our students to 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 Ohio State require the SAT or ACT for the Columbus campus?
Yes, Ohio State requires an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants to its Columbus campus.

Is Ohio State test-optional?
No, the Columbus campus is not test-optional, but the regional campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark and ATI in Wooster are.

What SAT scores do Ohio State students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1330 and 1480.

Does Ohio State superscore?
Yes, Ohio State superscores the SAT and ACT for the Columbus campus.

When are Ohio State's application deadlines?
Ohio State lists Nov. 1, 2026, for early action and Jan. 15, 2027, for regular decision.

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 Ohio State's own admissions page, which names the 2026 admissions cycle and beyond for the Columbus campus and keeps the regional campuses optional. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, and they say nothing about students who did not send a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal data, and prices come from the College Scorecard.