Does UChicago require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: No. UChicago is test-optional for the current application cycle, for all 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 between 1510 and 1570.

UChicago does not require a test score, but at a college this selective we tell families that a strong score still helps. Here is the policy, the score bands and what to do this month.

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

UChicago is test-optional, and many students still send a score. The college says a test score is optional for all applicants in the current cycle. Even so, 46 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 30 percent sent an ACT.

UChicago admitted 4.8 percent of applicants. In fall 2023, UChicago had 38,631 applicants and admitted 1,854. That makes it one of the hardest colleges in the country to get into.

The SAT band for enrolled first-years is 1510 to 1570. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 34 and 35. These are the scores we use when we help a family decide whether to send a score.

Does UChicago require the SAT or ACT?

This is the policy UChicago publishes on its own admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
University of Chicago	optional	current application cycle (all applicants)	Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission.	Source

Optional means a family may send a score or leave it out. This is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated.

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

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

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	38631
admits, fall 2023	1854
admit rate, percent	4.8
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1510
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1570
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	34
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	35
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	46
share who sent an ACT, percent	30
application fee, dollars	75
full price of a year, dollars	90360
average net price after aid, dollars	14860

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test, not everyone who applied or was admitted.

Does UChicago require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No, UChicago does not require the SAT or ACT for students applying in the current application cycle. Yes, UChicago is test-optional: its admissions page says, 'Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission.' The rule covers all applicants, and it is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated.

This is the rule that applies today for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. Your child may send an SAT score, an ACT score, or no score at all. The choice belongs to your family.

For a closer look at the scores themselves, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for UChicago?, at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-uchicago.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

UChicago names only the current application cycle and states no end date, so the rule could change for students who apply in a later year. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring.

If your child is a senior this year, the rule above is the one to plan around. It is the policy the college publishes today, and it covers every applicant this cycle.

If your child is a junior, who will apply in fall 2027 for fall 2028 entry, we tell families to plan as if a score will be needed. You can check UChicago's admissions page yourself each spring to see the rule for the next cycle. A junior who preps now is ready either way.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1510 and 1570, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 34 and 35. These are students who enrolled in fall 2023 and chose to send a score. A quarter of them scored below the band, and a quarter scored above it.

Sending a score was common. In that class, 46 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 30 percent sent an ACT.

Getting in is hard for everyone. In fall 2023, UChicago had 38,631 applicants and admitted 1,854, an admit rate of 4.8 percent.

Cost matters too. The application fee is $75. The full price of a year is $90,360, and the average net price after aid is $14,860. Like every US college, UChicago publishes a net price calculator, so your family can run its own numbers at home.

Should my child send a score to UChicago?

Our rule at UChicago is simple: an SAT score at or above 1510, or an ACT score at or above 34, is one to send. We tell families that at a selective test-optional college it is nearly always good to have a score, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

A score below the band is one to think hard about. It is not a reason to panic. It is a sign that more prep could move the score into the band before the deadline.

We also tell families not to wait for the final weeks to decide. Get a real score early, see where it lands, and then make the choice with time to improve.

What should we do this month?

Start with a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT from Test Prep Gurus. Compare each result with the UChicago bands of 1510 to 1570 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT, and pick the test where your child starts closer to the band.

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 the parts that felt hard last time. Steady, full-test practice is what moves a score.

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. We will go over the results with you and build a plan that fits your child's calendar.

Questions parents ask

Does UChicago require the SAT or ACT?
No, UChicago does not require the SAT or ACT for students applying in the current application cycle.

Is UChicago test-optional?
Yes, UChicago is test-optional: its admissions page says, 'Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission.'

What SAT and ACT scores do UChicago students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1510 and 1570, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 34 and 35.

Should my child send a test score to UChicago?
We tell families that at a selective test-optional college it is nearly always good to have a score, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

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 shown is the one the University of Chicago publishes on its own admissions page, which names the current application cycle and all applicants. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class, from the latest federal IPEDS file, and the applicant and admit figures come from the same file. Prices come from the College Scorecard.