Does Ohio State Require SAT? Yes, SAT or ACT for Columbus

Yes, for the Columbus campus. Ohio State requires an SAT or ACT score from first-year applicants to Columbus, and it superscores both tests. Its regional campuses and ATI are a different story.

Yes. Ohio State requires SAT or ACT scores from every first-year applicant to its Columbus campus, including this year's seniors applying for autumn 2027. The rule covers all programs and degree types at Columbus, and there is no test-optional box to tick there. The main exception is time: applicants who will have been out of high school for two or more years by their term of enrollment do not have to send scores. Ohio State's regional campuses (Lima, Mansfield, Marion and Newark) and Ohio State ATI in Wooster work differently, and so does the timing now that the November 1 early action deadline has passed.

This page is about the rule and the deadlines. If you want to know whether your number is competitive, that lives on Ohio State SAT and ACT score requirements. Policy source: Ohio State's Columbus first-year application steps, which we checked on October 26, 2026.

Ohio State's SAT Requirement, in Plain Words

Ohio State answers the question itself on its application page: standardized test scores from the ACT or SAT are required for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus. Here is how that plays out for each type of applicant:

Ohio State also says it has no minimum requirements for ACT or SAT scores. The score is one of several criteria in its holistic review, alongside your college prep courses, your grades and class rank, your activities and your personal qualities. A valid score is still a hard requirement, though: if a testing agency cancels your score, Ohio State says you must have the agency send a valid one, or your admission or enrollment can be canceled.

Why Ohio State Brought the Test Back

If you remember Ohio State as test-optional, you are remembering the pilot. Ohio State adopted test-optional admissions in 2020 because of the pandemic. On March 12, 2025, the university announced the reinstatement of the ACT/SAT requirement for new first-year applicants to Columbus "in the 2026 admissions cycle and beyond." That first cycle was the class that applied in fall 2025 for autumn 2026, so this year's seniors are the second class under the rule.

The reason Ohio State gave was its own data. Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management James Orr said its analysis shows that students who submit test scores "have higher grade point averages" and are more likely to progress through the university. The university also said it will not rely solely on test scores and will keep reviewing each applicant as a whole.

So a page or a forum post that calls Ohio State test-optional is out of date for Columbus. It is still accurate for the regional campuses, which is where most of the confusion comes from.

Superscoring, Score Sending and the ACT Science Question

Ohio State's testing rules are short, and a few of them work in your favor:

• SAT or ACT, your choice. Ohio State's pages name only those two tests for admission. Neither essay is required.
• Superscoring on both tests. Ohio State uses your highest section scores from multiple test attempts, so your best overall score is considered. It says testing more than once is not required but "may work to your advantage." If the idea is new, how SAT superscoring works and how the ACT superscore works walk through the math.
• ACT Science is not needed. Because Science is no longer part of the ACT composite, Ohio State says you do not need to send the optional Science section. Is ACT Science optional explains the change.
• Official scores only. Scores must come directly from the testing agency. On the regional campus page Ohio State adds that scores from transcripts will not be considered. There is no self-reporting step, so order the official report.
• School codes: SAT 1592 and ACT 3312. Choose Ohio State when you register and the scores go straight there. If you already tested without sending them, you can order them for a fee; how to send SAT scores covers that route.

Ohio State Test Deadlines for Early Action and Regular Decision

Ohio State's rule on timing is one sentence: it must receive your scores by your application deadline. The deadlines for this cycle are on its application page:

February 1 is not an admissions deadline at Ohio State. It is the priority date for the FAFSA and for scholarship applications in Scholarship Universe. Early action also carried a scholarship edge: Ohio State lists university merit scholarships, the Morrill Scholarship Program, Honors and Scholars, and engineering majors among the reasons to apply by November 1.

If you are applying regular decision and still need a score, these national dates can still reach Ohio State before January 15, and both report scores to students in December:

• SAT, December 5, 2026. Register by November 20 (late registration November 24). Scores release December 18, per College Board. The November 7 SAT also works if you are already registered; its registration has closed.
• ACT, December 12, 2026. Register by November 6 (late registration November 29). Scores start releasing December 17 for online testers and December 22 for paper testers, per ACT.

The next dates after that, the February 27 ACT and the March 6 SAT, release scores in March, after the January 15 deadline. Ohio State does not publish a last test date for regular decision, so choose Ohio State as a score recipient when you register for December rather than ordering a report after your scores come out. For every SAT date and registration deadline in one place, see SAT test dates.

Regional Campuses and Ohio State ATI

Ohio State's four regional campuses and ATI in Wooster are open-access for Ohio residents. The university's announcement says they do not consider test scores for admission, and the regional application page calls submitting scores "optional but strongly encouraged." Counselors were told last cycle that a regional application needs only the application and the fee, with no test scores required.

A few details that matter if this is your path:

• Who can apply: Ohio residents who are graduating (or have graduated) from high school and have never enrolled at a college, not counting college classes taken in high school.
• Deadlines: December 1, 2026 for spring 2027, April 15, 2027 for summer 2027 and July 15, 2027 for autumn 2027.
• One exception: students from an unaccredited high school must send an official ACT, SAT or GED score.
• One application: Ohio residents interested in more than one Ohio State campus apply once, to their first-choice campus.
• No fee before December 1: Ohio State is covering the $60 application fee for first-year applicants who apply directly to a regional campus before December 1.

If you start at a regional campus, you do not need a score to get in. If Columbus is the goal for autumn 2027, you do.

What Score to Aim For

Ohio State publishes the test score ranges of its admitted students on its own admissions site. We keep those numbers, and what they mean for your target, on Ohio State SAT and ACT score requirements. Remember that Ohio State sets no minimum, and the score is reviewed alongside your courses and grades.

Superscoring changes the plan. Since Ohio State keeps your best section scores across sittings, a December retake can only add to what it sees. Spend the weeks before it on your weaker section. Larry Learns has 30,000+ SAT and ACT practice questions on the web, iPhone and Android, with a score estimate that tracks your progress and 3 free quizzes a day. If you are still deciding which test to take, SAT vs ACT compares them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ohio State's SAT Policy

Does Ohio State require the SAT for fall 2027?

Yes, for the Columbus campus. First-year applicants for autumn 2027 must submit SAT or ACT scores. Applicants who will have been out of high school for two or more years by enrollment are not required to.

Is Ohio State test-optional?

Not at Columbus. Ohio State ran a test-optional pilot from 2020 and reinstated the requirement for the 2026 admissions cycle and beyond. The regional campuses and ATI remain open-access for Ohio residents, and scores are optional there.

Does Ohio State superscore the SAT and ACT?

Yes. Ohio State superscores both tests, using your highest section scores from multiple test dates so your best overall score is considered.

Does Ohio State accept self-reported SAT scores?

No. Ohio State says scores must come directly from the testing agency. Use school code 1592 for the SAT or 3312 for the ACT.

What is the last SAT date for Ohio State regular decision?

Ohio State does not name one; it says scores must arrive by January 15, 2027. On the national calendar, the December 5 SAT (scores December 18) and the December 12 ACT are the last dates that report scores before that deadline.

Is the ACT Science section required at Ohio State?

No. Ohio State says you do not need to send the optional Science section, because Science is no longer part of the ACT composite.

If Columbus is on your list, a December score is still in reach, and every point counts with superscoring. Start a free practice quiz now, or create a free account to track your progress.