What SAT or ACT score do you need for UConn?

As of November 2026: UConn is test-optional for students starting in fall 2026, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1210 to 1420 in fall 2023. We tell families a score inside or above that band is one to send.

UConn reads a score if you send one. Here is where enrolled first-years landed, what UConn lists for Storrs, and what our students do next.

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

Enrolled SAT senders scored 1210 to 1420. That is the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023. The ACT band for the same class was 29 to 33.

Only 37 percent sent an SAT. In fall 2023, 37 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 4 percent sent an ACT. Many students enrolled at UConn without sending either test.

The Storrs ranges run higher: SAT 1320 to 1460. UConn lists that SAT range, and an ACT range of 29 to 34, for students offered a place at the Storrs campus for fall 2026 who chose to send scores.

Does UConn require the SAT or ACT?

UConn's testing policy, in the college's own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	What UConn says	Score ranges UConn lists	Source
University of Connecticut	Test-optional	fall 2026 admitted students (Class of 2030)	UConn is a test-optional institution for the foreseeable future.	Page gives middle-50% score ranges only for the subset of fall 2026 admits who chose to submit scores (Storrs: SAT 1320-1460 / ACT 29-34; regional campuses: SAT 970-1250 / ACT 19-28).	Source

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

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

Score bands and shares describe enrolled first-years in fall 2023. Prices are for a year.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	46645
admits, fall 2023	25142
admit rate, percent	53.9
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1210
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1420
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	29
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	33
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	37
share who sent an ACT, percent	4
application fee, dollars	80
full price of a year, dollars	39426
average net price after aid, dollars	25097

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class.

Does UConn require the SAT or ACT?

No, UConn does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional for students starting in fall 2026. The admissions page puts it plainly: "UConn is a test-optional institution for the foreseeable future."

Yes, UConn is test-optional, and the college reads a score if one is sent. Your child can apply with an SAT score, with an ACT score, or with no score at all.

The page names the fall 2026 entering class. If your child is a high school senior in the 2026-27 school year, who would start college in fall 2027, open the UConn first-year admissions page again before applying and read the testing line for yourself.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years carry at UConn?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1210 and 1420 in fall 2023. That is the latest federal count of the class. Some students who sent a score sat below 1210, and some sat above 1420. The band does not set a floor; it shows where the middle of the class landed.

UConn also lists its own ranges for the students offered admission for fall 2026 who chose to send scores. At the main Storrs campus, that SAT range is 1320 to 1460. At the regional campuses, it is 970 to 1250.

We tell families to keep both sets of numbers in view. If Storrs is the goal, the 1320 to 1460 range is the one to measure against. If a regional campus is the goal, the 970 to 1250 range matters more.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years carry at UConn?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 29 and 33 in fall 2023. Only 4 percent of enrolled first-years sent an ACT, so this band rests on a small group of students.

UConn's own ranges for fall 2026 run 29 to 34 at Storrs and 19 to 28 at the regional campuses. Those ranges cover students offered admission who chose to send scores.

If your child does better on the ACT, it is a fine test to send. We tell families to pick the test that fits the student, not the test more people happen to send.

How many UConn first-years send a score?

In fall 2023, 37 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 4 percent sent an ACT. Many students enrolled at UConn without sending either test. That is what test-optional looks like in practice.

This does not make a score a waste. It means the choice is real, and it belongs to your family. A strong score can still help your child stand out, as the next section explains.

Should my child send a score to UConn?

Our rule for UConn is simple: send a score that sits inside or above the 1210 to 1420 SAT band or the 29 to 33 ACT band. A score below the band is one to think hard about. Look at the rest of the application, look at the campus your child wants, and decide together whether the score helps tell the story.

At a selective test-optional college like UConn, 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.

For Storrs, we also suggest checking the score against the 1320 to 1460 SAT range or the 29 to 34 ACT range that UConn lists. A score that sits well in that range is one we would send without much worry.

How hard is it to get into UConn?

UConn offered admission to 25,142 of 46,645 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 53.9 percent. A good share of applicants hear yes, and many others do not.

We tell families to treat UConn as a real choice that still takes a careful application. The test score is one piece your child can still shape this fall, so it makes sense to give it real effort.

What does it cost to apply to and attend UConn?

The UConn application fee is $80. The full price of a year is $39,426. The average net price after aid is $25,097, which is what families paid on average once grants and scholarships came off.

Your own number may be higher or lower. UConn publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must, and you can run it at home with your tax forms in hand. Since most merit scholarships are keyed to a score, a strong result on test day can matter for cost as well as for getting in.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, and Test Prep Gurus offers both free. Then compare each result with the UConn bands: 1210 to 1420 on the SAT and 29 to 33 on the ACT, plus 1320 to 1460 and 29 to 34 if Storrs is the goal. The test that lands closer to the band, or above it, is usually the one to prepare for.

Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our rule is to prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just a single section, so each sitting can stand on its own.

To book 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 go over the results with you and help you pick a plan and a test date.

Questions parents ask

Does UConn require the SAT or ACT?
No, UConn does not require the SAT or ACT; it is test-optional for students starting in fall 2026.

Is UConn test-optional?
Yes, UConn is test-optional, and the college reads a score if one is sent.

What SAT score do UConn first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1210 and 1420 in fall 2023.

Should my child send a score to UConn?
Our rule for UConn is simple: send a score that sits inside or above the 1210 to 1420 SAT band or the 29 to 33 ACT band.

How hard is it to get into UConn?
UConn offered admission to 25,142 of 46,645 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 53.9 percent.

How much is the UConn application fee?
The UConn application fee is $80.

Method and sources: The policy comes from UConn's own first-year admissions page, which names the fall 2026 entering class and also lists score ranges for Storrs and the regional campuses among fall 2026 students offered admission who chose to send scores. The SAT and ACT bands and the shares who sent each test describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal IPEDS file, so they do not include students who applied without a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal file, and prices come from the College Scorecard.