Does Tennessee require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: Yes, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville requires an SAT or ACT score from all first-year applicants for fall 2026 and fall 2027 entry, the published policy as of November 2026. Enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score had a middle half of 1190 to 1340.

Tennessee requires a test score for fall 2027 first-year applicants. Here is the rule, the score bands, the deadlines and what your family can do this month.

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

A score is required for fall 2027 entry. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville says all first-year applicants must submit ACT or SAT scores, and its rule names fall 2026 and fall 2027 applicants. In fall 2023, it admitted 46 percent of its 50,488 applicants.

The middle SAT band is 1190 to 1340. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1190 to 1340. On the ACT, the middle half scored from 25 to 31.

The ACT is the more common test here. Among enrolled first-years, 78 percent sent an ACT and 28 percent sent an SAT. Either test meets the rule.

Does Tennessee require the SAT or ACT?

This is the rule as the university states it on its own admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	Required	fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants	UT requires all first-year applicants to submit ACT/SAT scores as part of their application for admission.	Source

Required means a score must be sent with the application.

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

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	50,488
admits, fall 2023	23,224
admit rate, percent	46
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,190
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,340
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	25
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	31
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	28
share who sent an ACT, percent	78
application fee, dollars	50
full price of a year, dollars	33,678
average net price after aid, dollars	18,976

The middle half of submitters sits inside each band. A quarter scored below it.

Tennessee deadlines for fall 2027 entry

These are the dates the university lists for students who start in fall 2027.

Early action	Regular decision	Source
2026-11-01	2027-01-05	Source

Early decision and priority dates are not listed.

Does Tennessee require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

Yes, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville requires an SAT or ACT score from all first-year applicants for fall 2026 and fall 2027 entry. Its admissions page says, "UT requires all first-year applicants to submit ACT/SAT scores as part of their application for admission." That is the published policy as of November 2026.

No, Tennessee is not test-optional for fall 2027 applicants. The rule covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. If your child is in that group, a test score is part of the plan, not an extra.

For a closer look at the scores of students who enroll, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Tennessee?

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Tennessee's published rule already names fall 2027 applicants, so seniors applying this school year should plan to send a score.

Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. The policy today names no term past fall 2027, so juniors who will apply next year do not yet have a stated rule. We tell those families to plan for a score anyway and to read the Tennessee admissions page themselves each spring.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

Enrolled first-years at Tennessee who sent an SAT score had a middle half of 1190 to 1340, and those who sent an ACT had a middle half of 25 to 31.

These bands describe the fall 2023 class, the latest federal figures. The middle half of submitters sits inside each band, and a quarter scored below it. The bands are not cutoffs. They show where students who enrolled landed.

Among enrolled first-years, 78 percent sent an ACT and 28 percent sent an SAT. In fall 2023, Tennessee had 50,488 applicants and admitted 23,224, an admit rate of 46 percent.

A full year costs $33,678 at full price, and the average net price after aid was $18,976. Tennessee publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must, so your family can see an estimate for your own case. The application fee is $50.

Should my child send a score to Tennessee?

Yes, every applicant to Tennessee sends a score, so the question is only how strong it is.

Our rule is simple. A score inside or above the 1190 to 1340 SAT band, or the 25 to 31 ACT band, is a solid one to send. A score below the band still goes in, because the application needs one, so the work is to raise it before the deadline.

We tell families to pick the test that fits their child best. Tennessee takes either the ACT or the SAT, so a full-length practice run of each will show which one suits your child. Our students often find that one test simply feels more natural, and that is the one we build a plan around.

When are the deadlines?

Tennessee lists November 1, 2026 for early action and January 5, 2027 for regular decision.

As of early November 2026, the early action date has passed. Seniors who have not yet applied are now aiming at January 5, 2027. Plan for the test score to be in hand before that date, and read the deadlines page yourself so nothing slips.

Early decision and priority dates are not listed on that page.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, both free at Test Prep Gurus.

Compare each result with the Tennessee bands of 1190 to 1340 on the SAT and 25 to 31 on the ACT. Then choose the test that fits best and plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not only the part that felt hardest last time.

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

Questions parents ask

Does Tennessee require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
Yes, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville requires an SAT or ACT score from all first-year applicants for fall 2026 and fall 2027 entry.

Is Tennessee test-optional?
No, Tennessee is not test-optional for fall 2027 applicants.

What SAT and ACT scores do Tennessee first-years have?
Enrolled first-years at Tennessee who sent an SAT score had a middle half of 1190 to 1340, and those who sent an ACT had a middle half of 25 to 31.

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

When are the Tennessee application deadlines?
Tennessee lists November 1, 2026 for early action and January 5, 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 is the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's own admissions page, which names fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, and the applicant and admit counts are from the same year. Prices come from the College Scorecard and are averages, not a quote for any one family.