Is Boston University Test Optional? SAT, ACT Scores (2026)

Boston University does not require the SAT or ACT, and it has already said so through fall 2028. The decision that matters is whether to send your score, and BU makes you choose once, when you submit.

Yes, Boston University is test optional for the 2026-27 cycle, and its first-year admissions page says BU is "test optional for first-year applicants applying through fall 2028 and spring 2029." For students who do send scores, BU's most recent Common Data Set (2025-26) shows that the middle 50 percent of enrolled fall 2025 first-years who submitted the SAT scored 1420 to 1510, and ACT submitters scored 33 to 34.

Below are the full score ranges, how many BU students submit, the early decision dates for this cycle, the one rule about testing that BU applicants most often miss, and a simple way to decide whether your score helps.

Boston University's Testing Policy for Fall 2027

BU's policy covers every undergraduate school and college and all of its scholarship programs. In a letter on the standardized test policy page, Dean of Admissions Kelly A. Walter writes that the choice to include scores "rests in your hands." The details that matter if you send scores:

• You choose once, at submission. The application asks whether you want BU to consider your test scores. BU states that once you submit, "this answer cannot be changed."
• Self-reporting is accepted. You can self-report scores on the application, send official scores from the testing agency, or use the self-report form on the MyBU Applicant Portal. If you enroll after self-reporting, BU requires an official score report, and a mismatch between the two can put your enrollment at risk of being rescinded.
• BU superscores both tests. It uses your highest score in each section regardless of test date, and recommends sending all your scores if you tested more than once. The codes are SAT 3087 and ACT 1794.
• English proficiency is separate. International students still submit the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test.

How much does a score count when you send one? In section C7 of the 2025-26 Common Data Set, BU lists standardized test scores as "considered," a lighter weight than the "very important" it gives to the rigor of your high school record and your GPA. That is a different signal from some nearby schools: our page on Northeastern's SAT and ACT scores shows Northeastern rating scores as very important.

Boston University SAT and ACT Scores: The Middle 50 Percent

These figures come from section C9 of the Boston University Common Data Set 2025-2026, published by BU's Analytical Services and Institutional Research office. Every number describes first-time, first-year students who enrolled in fall 2025 and submitted that test, not all admitted students.

The SAT median is 1470. The ACT range is unusually tight: a 33 puts you at the 25th percentile of enrolled submitters and a 34 is both the median and the 75th percentile. For this group, SAT Math runs higher than Reading and Writing, with a 750 median against 730.

If you want to see where a practice score sits nationally, our guide to whether 1450 is a good SAT score and the score calculator help you read it against these ranges.

How Many BU Students Submit Test Scores?

Fewer than half. The numbers come from two of BU's own sources, and each describes a slightly different group:

So more than half of BU's fall 2025 class enrolled without a score on file. Applying test optional is a common, ordinary path at BU, and the score ranges above describe the students who chose to send one, which is a stronger group than the class as a whole.

Boston University Acceptance Rate and Early Decision

BU's Common Data Set 2025-26 reports 76,776 first-year applicants and 9,853 admits for fall 2025, an acceptance rate of about 12.8 percent (calculated). The same report shows 6,907 early decision applications and 2,165 early decision admits, about 31 percent. BU's Class of 2029 profile adds that 59 percent of the 3,450 enrolled students applied early decision, and the class's middle 50 percent GPA was 3.7 to 4.0.

Read the early decision rate with care. Early applicants choose themselves, so the higher rate partly reflects who applies early. What the numbers do show is that early decision fills most of BU's class.

Deadlines for 2026-27

BU has two binding early decision rounds and regular decision, with no early action option. These dates are from BU's Important Deadlines page:

BU also notes that some merit scholarships require you to apply by December 1, and its test optional policy applies to those scholarships too. If BU has become your first choice since the November 2 deadline, early decision 2 is the binding route still open; our early decision 2 guide explains how ED II works across colleges.

When to Test, Given BU's One-Time Choice

Because the testing question locks when you submit, a student who plans to apply by January 5 and is still waiting on a score has to decide at submission whether BU should consider scores. Two test dates are still open for registration this fall. The December 5, 2026 SAT has a registration deadline of November 20, per the College Board's SAT dates page. The December 12 ACT has a regular registration deadline of November 9 and late registration (with a fee) through November 29, and ACT lists initial scores for that date on December 17 for online testers and December 22 for paper testers, both before BU's January 5 deadline. See our ACT test dates guide for the full year.

If you answer yes to having scores considered, BU's page notes you can self-report on the application or use the portal form, and our walkthrough on how to self-report SAT scores covers the Common App side.

Should You Submit Your Score to Boston University?

BU publishes no cutoff, so the enrolled ranges are the best guide. A practical rule of thumb (our own, not BU's):

• SAT 1470 or higher, or ACT 34 or higher: submit. You are at or above the median of enrolled submitters.
• SAT 1420 to 1460, or ACT 33: usually submit. You are inside the middle 50 percent, and BU superscores, so your best sections count.
• SAT below 1420, or ACT below 33: leaving it off is a reasonable choice. More than half of BU's enrolled class had no score, and BU weighs scores as "considered" rather than very important.
• Undecided and still testing: remember the choice is final at submission, so settle it before you click submit rather than after.

Your school context still matters, and a score near the line reads differently next to a demanding course load. For a broader framework, see Should I Submit My SAT Scores?

Frequently Asked Questions About Boston University SAT and ACT Scores

Is Boston University test optional for fall 2027?

Yes. BU is test optional for first-year applicants applying through fall 2028 and spring 2029, which includes the 2026-27 cycle for fall 2027 entry. The policy covers all undergraduate schools and scholarship programs.

What SAT score do you need for Boston University?

There is no minimum. Among enrolled fall 2025 first-years who submitted the SAT, the middle 50 percent scored 1420 to 1510 and the median was 1470, according to BU's 2025-26 Common Data Set.

What ACT score do you need for Boston University?

There is no minimum. Enrolled fall 2025 ACT submitters had a middle 50 percent composite of 33 to 34, with a median of 34. Only 10 percent of enrolled first-years submitted an ACT.

Does Boston University superscore the SAT and ACT?

Yes. BU superscores both tests, using your highest score in each section regardless of test date.

Can I change my test optional choice after applying to BU?

No. BU asks on the application whether you want your scores considered, and once you submit, that answer cannot be changed.

What is Boston University's acceptance rate?

For fall 2025, BU's Common Data Set reports 9,853 admits from 76,776 applicants, about 12.8 percent. Early decision admitted 2,165 of 6,907 applicants, about 31 percent.

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