Update on Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Testing Policy

Columbia College and Columbia Engineering are returning to required Standardized Testing for all first-year and transfer applicants, effective August 2027 for the 2027–2028 admissions cycle.

First-year and transfer applicants seeking to enroll for Fall 2028 will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores.

Applicants who face challenges in meeting this requirement may request a waiver at the time of their application.

Columbia College and Columbia Engineering will remain Test-Optional for the upcoming 2026–2027 admissions cycle.

In 2020, Columbia announced a Test-Optional policy on a provisional basis due to limited testing opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That policy was extended in 2023 with no stated end date, accompanied by a commitment to ongoing assessment to ensure that admitted students were successful within our academic environment.

Through a multi-year faculty review, it was determined that Test Scores, among other factors, were a useful indicator of potential student success.

Additional details about the testing policies are available on the Testing Policy web page.(https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/process/testing)

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June 12, 2026

Official Sourcehttps://communications.news.columbia.edu/news/update-columbia-college-and-columbia-engineering-testing-policy

Source: Columbia News