AUSTIN – Have your SAT or ACT scores ready if you’re applying to the University of Texas at Austin this year.

The university announced Monday it will require standardized testing scores beginning for the fall 2025 semester.

The requirement was suspended in 2020 due to limited testing availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Our goals are to attract the best and brightest students and to make sure every student is successful once they are here,” said UT Austin President Jay Hartzell. “Standardized scores combined with high school GPA support this goal by improving early identification of students who demonstrated the greatest academic achievement, the most potential, and those who can most benefit from support through our student success programs.” 

“Our experience during the test-optional period reinforced that standardized testing is a valuable tool for deciding who is admitted and making sure those students are placed in majors that are the best fit,” Hartzell continued. “Also, with an abundance of high school GPAs surrounding 4.0, especially among our auto-admits, an SAT or ACT score is a proven differentiator that is in each student’s and the University’s best interest.”

According to UT Austin, on average, students who submitted standardized scores performed significantly better on those exams and in their first semester of college.

The university also says that students enrolled at the university have demonstrated that knowledge of standardized test scores contributes to higher graduation rates.

UT Austin says it will continue to conduct holistic reviews and consider standardized test scores and other performance metrics in light of each applicant’s background.

The university is making other changes to the application process, including the introduction of a waitlist for applicants who were not automatically admitted.

UT Austin isn’t the only university to reinstate the requirement. Dartmouth College announced last month they would require the test scores for prospective students for the Class of 2029. 

Yale University is also reversing its pandemic-era rule, although did not make it clear when it would begin looking at exam scores.

Harvard University also said it won’t require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores through 2026, meaning that students seeking entry into the classes of 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 won’t need to send Harvard an SAT or ACT score as part of their application.

Last year, while the university suspended the requirement, about 90% of applicants took a standardized exam. That same year, UT Austin recorded the highest number of applicants – 73,000.