Does UVA require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: UVA is test-optional for the Fall 2026 cycle, the term its own admissions page names, and that is the published policy as of November 2026; the page does not yet name fall 2027. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1410 to 1530.

UVA's own page says it is test-optional for the Fall 2026 cycle. Here is what that means for families applying for fall 2027, what the score bands say, and what we tell our students to do this month.

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

UVA is test-optional for the Fall 2026 cycle. That is the term UVA's own page names, and it is the published policy as of November 2026. The page does not yet name fall 2027.

The SAT band at UVA is 1410 to 1530. That is the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in the fall 2023 class. The ACT band is 32 to 34.

UVA admitted 16.9 percent of applicants. UVA had 56,528 applicants and 9,553 admits for fall 2023. At a college this selective, we tell families a strong score helps.

Does UVA require the SAT or ACT?

This is the policy UVA publishes on its own admissions page, with the term it names.

College	Policy	Term covered	In UVA's words	Source
University of Virginia-Main Campus	Test-optional	Fall 2026 cycle (page does not explicitly extend the statement to fall 2027)	We are test optional for the Fall 2026 cycle and have no preference between the SAT and ACT.	Source

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

UVA: 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 from the College Scorecard.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	56528
admits, fall 2023	9553
admit rate, percent	16.9
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1410
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1530
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	34
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	50
share who sent an ACT, percent	16
application fee, dollars	75
full price of a year, dollars	39926
average net price after aid, dollars	21565

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

UVA deadlines for fall 2027 entry

UVA's fall 2027 dates are not listed here as of November 2026. Check UVA's admissions site for each one.

Regular	Early action	Early decision	Source
--	--	--	Source

A blank date means it is not listed here, not that the round is not offered.

Does UVA require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

UVA's published policy as of November 2026 is test-optional, and the term it names is the Fall 2026 cycle. UVA's admissions page says, "We are test optional for the Fall 2026 cycle and have no preference between the SAT and ACT." Yes -- UVA is test-optional under the policy it publishes as of November 2026. Test-optional means UVA reads a score if one is sent.

The same page says applicants have "the choice of sharing or not sharing results from the SAT and ACT." UVA says it has no preference between the SAT and ACT.

This page is for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, and for juniors planning ahead. For a closer look at scores, see our companion page, "What SAT or ACT score do you need for UVA?"

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

UVA's page names only the Fall 2026 cycle, so the rule for fall 2027 is not yet stated as of November 2026. That means a change is possible. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring.

We tell families to check admission.virginia.edu each spring and to plan as if a score will be sent. If the policy stays test-optional, a strong score is still one your child can choose to send. If the policy changes, your child is already ready.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1410 to 1530, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored 32 to 34. These figures come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal figures. A quarter of those submitters scored below the band.

In that class, 50 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 16 percent sent an ACT. These bands describe students who enrolled and sent a score, not every student who was admitted. UVA had 56,528 applicants and 9,553 admits for fall 2023, an admit rate of 16.9 percent.

The application fee is $75. The full price of a year is $39,926, and the average net price after aid is $21,565. UVA, like every US college, publishes a net price calculator, so you can run your own family's numbers.

Should my child send a score to UVA?

Our rule for UVA is simple: an SAT of 1410 or higher, or an ACT of 32 or higher, is a score to send. A score below that is one to think hard about, since UVA gives applicants the choice.

We tell families that at a selective test-optional college like UVA, 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. That is our advice, not UVA's policy.

So the real goal is a score your child is proud to send. We tell our students to practice first and decide later, once they know where they stand.

When are the deadlines?

As of November 2026, we do not have UVA's fall 2027 deadline dates to share, so go straight to admission.virginia.edu for each one. A missing date here does not mean a round is not offered. It only means we have not printed it.

Our advice is to write each deadline on a family calendar. Then find the last test date whose score will arrive in time, and build prep before it.

What should we do this month?

Book a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT with Test Prep Gurus this month. Then compare each result with UVA's band of 1410 to 1530 on the SAT and 32 to 34 on the ACT.

Pick the test that fits your child better. 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 they like best.

To set up the free mock SAT and free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will help you read the results and pick a plan.

Questions parents ask

Is UVA test-optional?
Yes -- UVA is test-optional under the policy it publishes as of November 2026.

Will UVA be test-optional for fall 2027?
UVA's page names only the Fall 2026 cycle, so the rule for fall 2027 is not yet stated as of November 2026.

What SAT and ACT scores do UVA students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1410 to 1530, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored 32 to 34.

Does UVA prefer the SAT or the ACT?
UVA says it has no preference between the SAT and ACT.

What score should my child send to UVA?
Our rule for UVA is simple: an SAT of 1410 or higher, or an ACT of 32 or higher, is a score to send.

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 UVA's own admissions page, which names the Fall 2026 cycle as test-optional and does not yet name fall 2027. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, not every admitted student. Applicant and admit counts are from IPEDS for fall 2023, and prices are from the College Scorecard.