Does Virginia Tech require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: No -- Virginia Tech is test-optional for first-year applicants entering through fall 2028, which covers fall 2027 entry, and that is its published policy as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1420 in fall 2023.

Virginia Tech's test-optional policy covers students who start college in fall 2027. Here is what that means, what the score bands say, and what we tell families to do now.

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

Test-optional through fall 2028 Virginia Tech's published policy covers first-year applicants entering through fall 2028, so students who start college in fall 2027 are covered.

An SAT band of 1240 to 1420 The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023 scored in this range. On the ACT, the band was 27 to 32.

43 percent sent an SAT In the fall 2023 class, 43 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 7 percent sent an ACT.

Does Virginia Tech require the SAT or ACT?

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

Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Source
Test-optional	fall 2021 through fall 2028 entering first-year classes	Virginia Tech remains test-optional for first-year applicants entering through Fall 2028.	Source

Published policy as of November 2026.

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

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

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	47,208
admits, fall 2023	26,909
admit rate, percent	57
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,240
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,420
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	27
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	43
share who sent an ACT, percent	7
application fee, dollars	60
full price of a year, dollars	36,951
average net price after aid, dollars	24,953

Fall 2023 class, the latest federal file. Prices from the College Scorecard.

Does Virginia Tech require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No -- Virginia Tech is test-optional for first-year applicants entering through fall 2028, and that covers students who start college in fall 2027. This is the published policy as of November 2026. It applies to high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, and to juniors who are planning ahead for fall 2028.

Test-optional means your child decides whether to send an SAT or ACT score. The policy covers every major, so there is no separate rule for engineering or any other program. If you want the score side of the story in more depth, our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Virginia Tech? (https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-virginia-tech), walks through it.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Virginia Tech's own page says it remains test-optional for first-year applicants entering through fall 2028. That end date reaches past fall 2027, so seniors applying this year are covered by what the university has already put in writing.

Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. We tell families to read the university's test-optional page each spring and once more before they hit submit, since that page is the final word. A plan built on today's policy is a sound plan for this year's seniors and for juniors alike.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1420 in fall 2023. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored between 27 and 32. A quarter of submitters scored below each band.

Not every student sent a score. In that fall 2023 class, 43 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 7 percent sent an ACT. These bands describe students who enrolled and chose to send a score. They are not a line your child must clear, and they are not a cutoff.

For context, Virginia Tech had 47,208 applicants for fall 2023 and admitted 26,909, an admit rate of 57 percent. The application fee is $60. The full price of a year is $36,951, and the average net price after aid is $24,953. The university publishes a net price calculator, and we suggest families run it with their own income and savings.

Should my child send a score to Virginia Tech?

Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below it is one to think hard about.

At a selective test-optional college like Virginia Tech, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score in hand. A strong score bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

That is why our students prepare and sit the test even when a college does not require it. A score your child chooses not to send costs nothing. A strong score your child never earned cannot help at all.

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 the bands above. Many students find that one test simply fits them better, and a mock of each is the fastest way to see which.

Once you pick a test, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section, so each result shows your child's best work.

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

Questions parents ask

Does Virginia Tech require the SAT or ACT in 2027?
No -- Virginia Tech is test-optional for first-year applicants entering through fall 2028, and that covers students who start college in fall 2027.

Could Virginia Tech's test policy change before fall 2027?
Virginia Tech's own page says it remains test-optional for first-year applicants entering through fall 2028.

What SAT scores do enrolled first-years at Virginia Tech have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1420 in fall 2023.

Should my child send a score to Virginia Tech?
Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below it is one to think hard about.

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 comes from Virginia Tech's own admissions page, which names the term it covers: first-year applicants entering through fall 2028. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, and say nothing about students who chose not to send a score. Applicant and admit counts come from that same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.