Does the University of Illinois require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants, the published policy as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1270 and 1510.

Illinois does not require a score for fall 2027 first-year applicants. Here is what the score bands say, when 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.

Test-optional for fall 2027, and many still send a score The University of Illinois is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants. In the fall 2023 class, 47 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 18 percent sent an ACT.

The SAT band runs from 1270 to 1510 The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1270 to 1510. On the ACT, the middle half scored from 29 to 34.

The admit rate was 43.7 percent In fall 2023, 67,398 students applied and 29,453 were admitted, for an admit rate of 43.7 percent.

Does the University of Illinois require the SAT or ACT?

This is the policy the university publishes for fall 2027 first-year applicants, in its own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Details	Source
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Test-optional	fall 2027 first-year applicants	Illinois is test-optional. You can choose whether to include ACT or SAT scores.	If no ACT/SAT is submitted, international/non-native-English applicants may still need TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo. Scores, if submitted, are not superscored.	Source

Test-optional means the university reads a score if one is sent.

What do the scores, odds and prices look like at the University of Illinois?

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	67398
admits, fall 2023	29453
admit rate, percent	43.7
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1270
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1510
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	29
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	34
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	47
share who sent an ACT, percent	18
application fee, dollars	50
full price of a year, dollars	33642
average net price after aid, dollars	14355

The bands describe the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent that test, not every applicant or every admitted student.

When are the University of Illinois deadlines for fall 2027?

These are the dates the university lists for fall 2027 entry.

College	Early Action	Regular Decision	In the university's words	Source
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	2026-11-01	2027-01-05	Early Action Deadline: Nov 1 ... Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 5	Source

No early decision date is listed.

Does the University of Illinois require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No, the University of Illinois does not require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027 first-year applicants. Its own admissions page says: "Illinois is test-optional. You can choose whether to include ACT or SAT scores." This is the published policy as of November 2026.

Yes, the University of Illinois is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants. That covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. Test-optional means the university reads a score if your child sends one.

Two details matter. The university states that scores, if submitted, are not superscored. And if no ACT or SAT is sent, international and non-native English applicants may still need TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo. For more on scores, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for the University of Illinois?

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

The University of Illinois names fall 2027 first-year applicants in its published policy, so test-optional is the rule it has stated for that term as of November 2026.

We still tell families to treat any policy as a snapshot. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. Juniors who will start college in fall 2028 do not yet have a stated rule from the university.

Our rule is simple. Reread the university's admissions page before your child applies, and plan for a score either way. A score in hand keeps every door open.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1270 and 1510, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 29 and 34.

These bands describe the fall 2023 class, the latest federal figures. They count only students who enrolled and chose to send a score. They do not describe everyone who applied or everyone who got in. A quarter of those submitters scored below the band, and a quarter scored above it.

Sending a score was common in that class. Of the enrolled first-years, 47 percent sent an SAT and 18 percent sent an ACT. That year, 67,398 students applied, 29,453 were admitted, and the admit rate was 43.7 percent.

Should my child send a score to the University of Illinois?

Our rule for the University of Illinois is plain: a score inside or above the 1270 to 1510 SAT band, or the 29 to 34 ACT band, is one to send.

A score below the band is one to think hard about, because the university is test-optional and sending no score is a real choice. We tell families that at a selective test-optional college like this one, it is nearly always good to have a score. A strong score bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

Because scores are not superscored, we tell our students to prepare for the whole test every sitting. Cost matters too. The full price of a year is $33,642, and the average net price after aid is $14,355. The university publishes a net price calculator, and we suggest families run it together at home.

When are the deadlines?

The University of Illinois lists an Early Action deadline of November 1, 2026, and a Regular Decision deadline of January 5, 2027.

For seniors reading this in November, the Early Action date has passed, so January 5 is the date to plan around. No early decision date is listed. The application fee is $50.

Juniors have more room. A junior who builds a score this spring and summer will have it ready well before senior-year deadlines arrive.

What should we do this month?

Sit a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus this month, then compare each result with the 1270 to 1510 SAT band and the 29 to 34 ACT band.

We find the test that feels better is usually the one to pick. Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, since the university does not superscore.

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 help your child set a plan that fits the January 5 deadline or a later cycle.

Questions parents ask

Does the University of Illinois require the SAT or ACT?
No, the University of Illinois does not require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027 first-year applicants.

Is the University of Illinois test-optional?
Yes, the University of Illinois is test-optional for fall 2027 first-year applicants.

Does the University of Illinois superscore the SAT or ACT?
The university states that scores, if submitted, are not superscored.

What SAT and ACT scores do enrolled first-years at Illinois have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1270 and 1510, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 29 and 34.

When are the University of Illinois application deadlines?
The University of Illinois lists an Early Action deadline of November 1, 2026, and a Regular Decision deadline of January 5, 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 the University of Illinois' own admissions page, which names fall 2027 first-year applicants as the term it covers; it is the published policy as of November 2026. The SAT and ACT bands describe the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, along with applicant, admit and score-sending figures from IPEDS. Prices come from the College Scorecard and describe a full year, not any one family's cost.