What SAT or ACT score do you need for the University of Arizona?

As of November 2026: The University of Arizona is test-optional for current first-year applicants, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023 scored 1160 to 1420. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored 21 to 30.

The University of Arizona does not require a score for general admission. Here is what enrolled students sent, how many sent one, and what we tell families to do now.

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

The SAT band at the University of Arizona runs from 1160 to 1420. That is the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored 21 to 30.

Only 13 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT. Another 22 percent sent an ACT. The bands describe the students who chose to send a score, not the whole class.

The University of Arizona admitted 85.7 percent of applicants. For fall 2023, 56,466 students applied and 48,391 were admitted. For most families, the score question here is about placement and a strong file, not about clearing a high bar.

Does the University of Arizona require the SAT or ACT?

The policy as the university states it on its first-year admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Source
University of Arizona	Test-optional	current first-year applicants (page did not state a specific entering term)	SAT and ACT scores are not required for general admission to the university; however, if you choose to submit official scores, they may be used to assist with class placement at orientation or to help fulfill our Core Competency Requirements.	Source

Test-optional means a family chooses whether to send a score.

The University of Arizona: scores, odds and cost

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in the fall 2023 class. Prices are for a year of study.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	56466
admits, fall 2023	48391
admit rate, percent	85.7
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1160
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1420
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	21
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	30
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	13
share who sent an ACT, percent	22
application fee, dollars	50
full price of a year, dollars	29423
average net price after aid, dollars	16674

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test, fall 2023, the latest federal year.

When are the University of Arizona deadlines for fall 2027?

Dates the university lists for students who start college in fall 2027.

College	Early action	Regular	In the university's words	Source
University of Arizona	2026-11-01	--	November 1, 2026: Early Action Application Deadline	Source

A blank date means it is not listed here.

Does the University of Arizona require the SAT or ACT?

No, the University of Arizona does not require the SAT or ACT for general admission. Its first-year admissions page says scores are not required for general admission to the university.

Yes, the University of Arizona is test-optional, which means your family chooses whether to send a score. The same page says that if you choose to send official scores, they may be used to help with class placement at orientation or to help meet its Core Competency Requirements.

The page speaks to current first-year applicants and does not name a specific entering term. That includes high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. We tell families to read that page again on the day they apply, so they see the policy in the university's own words.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at the University of Arizona carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1160 and 1420. These are students from the fall 2023 class, the latest year in federal data.

The lower number, 1160, is the 25th percentile. Some students who enrolled scored below it. The upper number, 1420, is the 75th percentile. Some students scored above it.

We tell families to read the band as a picture of who enrolled and sent a score. It is not a line your child must clear. It is a way to see where your child's score sits next to the students who are already there.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at the University of Arizona carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 21 and 30. Like the SAT band, this comes from the fall 2023 class.

The 25th percentile is 21 and the 75th percentile is 30. That is a wide band. It tells us that students with a broad range of ACT scores enrolled and chose to send them.

Our students often find they do better on one test than the other. That is one reason we have them try both before they pick one to prepare for.

How many University of Arizona students send a score?

Only 13 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 22 percent sent an ACT. So the ACT was the more common test among students who sent one. At a selective test-optional college like this one, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score: a strong one bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to a score.

This matters when you read the bands. They describe the students who chose to send a score. They do not describe every student in the class. A family should keep that in mind before deciding what a given score means.

Should my child send a score to the University of Arizona?

Our rule is simple: if your child's score is inside or above the band, send it. On the SAT, that means 1160 or higher. On the ACT, that means 21 or higher.

If the score is below the band, think hard before sending it. Look at the rest of your child's file, and ask whether the score adds to the story or pulls attention away from it.

We tell families that a solid score is still good to have here, even though one is not required for general admission. The university says official scores may be used to help with class placement at orientation and to help meet its Core Competency Requirements. A good score can save your child time in the right first classes.

How hard is it to get into the University of Arizona?

The University of Arizona admitted 85.7 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That year, 56,466 students applied and 48,391 were admitted.

That is a high admit rate. For most of our students, the score question here is less about getting in and more about placement and a strong overall application. We still tell families to treat every part of the application with care, from grades to essays.

What does it cost to apply to and attend the University of Arizona?

The application fee at the University of Arizona is $50. The full price of a year is $29,423, and the average net price after aid is $16,674.

The average net price is what families paid on average once grants and scholarships came off the full price. Your own number may be higher or lower. Every US college publishes a net price calculator, and the University of Arizona does too. We tell families to sit down together and run it with their own income and savings before they decide where to apply.

When are the University of Arizona deadlines?

The University of Arizona lists November 1, 2026, as its early action deadline for fall 2027 entry. As of this writing in November 2026, that date has passed.

A regular deadline and a priority date are not listed here. If your child has not applied yet, open the university's deadlines page yourself and check the current dates before you plan the rest of the fall.

What should we do this month?

Start with a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT from Test Prep Gurus. Have your child sit a full-length version of each, under real timing, so the result tells you something true.

Then compare each score with the University of Arizona band: 1160 to 1420 on the SAT and 21 to 30 on the ACT. Pick the test where your child scored higher or felt more at ease.

Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section. That way each attempt is a full, honest try.

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 choose a plan.

Questions parents ask

Does the University of Arizona require the SAT or ACT?
No, the University of Arizona does not require the SAT or ACT for general admission.

Is the University of Arizona test-optional?
Yes, the University of Arizona is test-optional, which means your family chooses whether to send a score.

What SAT scores do University of Arizona students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1160 and 1420.

What ACT scores do University of Arizona students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 21 and 30.

What percent of applicants get into the University of Arizona?
The University of Arizona admitted 85.7 percent of applicants for fall 2023.

When is the University of Arizona early action deadline?
The University of Arizona lists November 1, 2026, as its early action deadline for fall 2027 entry.

Method and sources: The policy is taken from the University of Arizona's own first-year admissions page, which speaks to current first-year applicants and does not name a specific entering term. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal data, so they leave out students who did not send a score. Applicant and admit counts come from the same federal data, and prices come from the College Scorecard.