Does Wisconsin require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: No -- the University of Wisconsin-Madison is test-optional for first-year applicants through the spring 2028 term, including fall 2027, according to its published policy as of November 2026. Enrolled first-years who sent an SAT for fall 2023 had a middle-half band of 1360 to 1510.

Wisconsin has named fall 2027 in its test-optional policy, so the real question for your family is whether your child's score is one to send.

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

Scores are optional through the spring 2028 term. Wisconsin's published policy as of November 2026 says students applying for Spring 2027, Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 will not be required to submit an ACT or SAT score.

The middle half of SAT submitters scored 1360 to 1510. On the ACT, the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent a score for fall 2023 scored 28 to 32.

Wisconsin had 63,505 applicants and 27,498 admits for fall 2023. That is an admit rate of 43.3 percent, which is why we treat a strong score as a real asset here.

Wisconsin's test policy for fall 2027

This is the policy the University of Wisconsin-Madison publishes as of November 2026.

College	Policy	Who it covers	In the college's words	Source
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Test-optional	first-year applicants through the spring 2028 term, explicitly including fall 2027	ACT/SAT scores are optional through the spring 2028 term.	Source

Test-optional means a score is considered if one is sent. Official scores only.

Wisconsin scores, odds and costs

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023. Prices are for one year.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	63505
admits, fall 2023	27498
admit rate, percent	43.3
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1360
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1510
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	28
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	14
share who sent an ACT, percent	30
application fee, dollars	70
full price of a year, dollars	28679
average net price after aid, dollars	17354

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

Wisconsin deadlines for fall 2027 entry

These are the dates the college lists for fall 2027 first-year applicants.

Early action	Regular decision	Source
2026-11-01	2027-01-15	Source

Early decision and priority dates are not listed.

Does Wisconsin require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No, the University of Wisconsin-Madison does not require the SAT or ACT for students who apply for fall 2027 entry. Its published policy as of November 2026 reads: "ACT/SAT scores are optional through the spring 2028 term." The page names Spring 2027, Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 as terms where first-year applicants will not be required to submit an ACT or SAT score. That covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

Yes, Wisconsin is test-optional, and a score is considered if your child sends one. Test-optional is not the same as test-blind. Wisconsin takes official scores only, not self-reported ones. Scores play no part in transfer admission, even when a transfer student sends them.

For the score side of the story, see our companion guide, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Wisconsin?, at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-university-of-wisconsin.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has already named Fall 2027 in its published policy, so a senior applying for that term can plan on scores being optional. The policy runs through the spring 2028 term.

Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. Juniors planning for terms after spring 2028 should reread the admissions page then. Our rule for every family is the same: read the policy page again right before your child hits submit.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT for fall 2023 scored between 1360 and 1510. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored between 28 and 32. A quarter of submitters scored below each band, and a quarter scored above it.

Not everyone sent a score. Among enrolled first-years, 14 percent sent an SAT and 30 percent sent an ACT. These bands describe only the students who enrolled and chose to send a score, so read them as a picture of that group and nothing more.

Should my child send a score to Wisconsin?

Our rule for Wisconsin is simple: an SAT inside or above 1360 to 1510, or an ACT inside or above 28 to 32, is a score to send. A score below the band is one to think hard about, because at a test-optional college your child can apply without it.

For fall 2023, Wisconsin had 63,505 applicants and 27,498 admits, an admit rate of 43.3 percent. At a selective test-optional college like this one, we tell families 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.

Cost belongs in this choice too. The full price of a year is $28,679, and the average net price after aid is $17,354. Wisconsin publishes a net price calculator, so you can run your own family's numbers at home.

When are the deadlines?

The early action deadline for fall 2027 entry at Wisconsin was November 1, 2026, and the regular decision deadline is January 15, 2027. Early decision and priority dates are not listed. The application fee is $70.

The early action date has already passed for this cycle, so a senior who has not applied yet is aiming at January 15. If your child plans to send a score, pick a test date that leaves room for the official score to arrive before that deadline.

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, then compare each result with Wisconsin's bands of 1360 to 1510 and 28 to 32. Whichever test puts your child closer to the band is the one to focus on.

Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the section that went worst last time. Our students who train on every section walk in steadier and walk out with scores they are glad to send.

To book a 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 Wisconsin require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
No, the University of Wisconsin-Madison does not require the SAT or ACT for students who apply for fall 2027 entry.

Is Wisconsin test-optional?
Yes, Wisconsin is test-optional, and a score is considered if your child sends one.

What SAT scores do Wisconsin first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT for fall 2023 scored between 1360 and 1510.

Can my child self-report scores to Wisconsin?
Wisconsin takes official scores only, not self-reported ones.

When are Wisconsin's deadlines for fall 2027?
The early action deadline for fall 2027 entry at Wisconsin was November 1, 2026, and the regular decision deadline is January 15, 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 one the University of Wisconsin-Madison publishes on its own admissions page as of November 2026, and it names the terms it covers, through spring 2028. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, so they do not describe students who applied without a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.