University of Michigan SAT & ACT Score Requirements: What You Need to Get In (2026)

Last Updated: April 28, 2026

Key Takeaways

• The University of Michigan's admitted-student SAT middle 50 is 1360 to 1530 and ACT middle 50 is 31 to 34 for the most recent class. Enrolled-student GPA averages roughly 3.9 unweighted.
• UMich is test-optional for the 2026 application cycle, a policy U-M formally adopted as permanent in February 2024. Strong scores still help. Roughly 70 percent of recent admits submitted SAT or ACT scores, so test-optional in practice means tested-applicant majority.
• UMich superscores both SAT and ACT across test dates. You can self-report scores; official reports are only required after you enroll.
• The most recent class drew ~98,000 applications with a ~15 percent overall admit rate, an all-time low. In-state admit rate is roughly 39 percent; out-of-state is roughly 18 percent.
• Score deadlines: November 1 for Early Action, February 1 for Regular Decision. UMich's Early Action is non-binding and non-restrictive.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for the University of Michigan?

The University of Michigan does not publish a competitive minimum and reads applications holistically. What it does publish, through the UMich Office of Budget and Planning and the most recent admitted-class profiles, are the middle 50 percent score ranges of admitted students:

Half of UMich's admitted students with scores landed inside those bands. Practical target: aim for a 1445 SAT or a 32 ACT to sit in the middle of the admitted pool. A 1360 or 31 keeps you competitive. A 1530 or 34 puts you at or above most admits.

UMich's admitted SAT 25th percentile (1360) is meaningfully higher than most flagship publics in the Big Ten. Among public universities, UMich's admitted-student test profile is matched by Berkeley, UCLA, UNC, Virginia, and a handful of other top-tier publics. If your score is below 1360 SAT or 31 ACT and you choose to submit it, the rest of your file needs to be exceptionally strong.

UMich Is Test-Optional (But Most Admits Still Submit Scores)

The University of Michigan formally adopted a permanent test-optional policy in February 2024. For the 2026 application cycle, students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Three implications:

• You can apply without scores. If your testing is meaningfully below the admitted middle 50, omitting scores is a legitimate strategic choice. Your transcript, essays, and rigor will be weighed harder.
• Most admits still submit. In recent cycles roughly 51 percent of admits sent SAT scores and 18 percent sent ACT, so the majority of the admitted class is tested. A strong score remains a positive signal, especially for out-of-state applicants competing for a tighter pool.
• Score thresholds for submitting. A common decision rule among counselors: submit if your superscored SAT is at or above 1360 (UMich's 25th percentile) or your ACT is at or above 31. Below those, withholding scores is often the better play, especially if your transcript and rigor are strong.

Test-optional is not test-blind. UMich considers scores when submitted; it does not penalize their absence; and it does not assume a low score for non-submitters. But because so many admits do submit, treating UMich as fully test-optional and skipping the SAT or ACT is a strategic risk for borderline applicants.

UMich Superscores Both SAT and ACT

UMich's superscoring policy is straightforward and applicant-friendly:

• SAT superscore. UMich combines your highest Reading & Writing and your highest Math scores across all SAT sittings into a new superscored total. Lower section scores from other dates do not count against you.
• ACT superscore. UMich uses the highest English, Math, Reading, and Science subscores across dates to build a new superscored composite. Same principle as the SAT.
• Self-reporting is sufficient. Scores can be self-reported through the application. Admitted students who self-report must send official reports that match their highest self-reported scores in order to enroll.
• You can submit both tests. UMich will use whichever superscore helps you most.

Because UMich superscores generously, multiple sittings are a clear net positive. A two- to three-test strategy (junior spring, senior fall, optional retake) is the right default if your first sitting lands below your target.

UMich Most Recent Admission Profile

UMich's most recent admission cycle, summarized from the UMich Office of Budget and Planning and cycle reporting:

The numbers describe a flagship that has tightened steeply. The overall admit rate is the lowest in UMich's history, and the SAT middle 50 has climbed roughly 100 points over the last decade. UMich now sits in a competitiveness band typically associated with private peers like Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern rather than other Big Ten publics.

In-State vs Out-of-State: The Most Important Number

The single biggest factor in UMich admission, after academic strength, is residency. The gap between Michigan-resident and out-of-state admit rates is roughly two to one:

For Michigan residents, UMich is a realistic high-target school with a reasonable admit rate at the admitted middle 50. For out-of-state applicants, UMich functions closer to a private reach: 18 percent overall, even tighter for popular majors. Out-of-state applicants should plan for the upper end of the middle 50, ideally 1480+ SAT or 33+ ACT, plus strong rigor and essays.

UMich GPA and Course Rigor: The Real Bar

UMich does not publish a recalculated GPA scale, but the admitted-class profile is unusually strong:

• Average enrolled GPA: ~3.9 unweighted. Roughly 39 percent of admitted students earned a 4.0 or higher, indicating a transcript dominated by A's in core academic courses.
• Course rigor is non-negotiable. UMich expects four years of English, math, science, and a foreign language, plus three years of social studies. AP, IB, dual enrollment, or honors participation is essentially universal in the admitted pool.
• Curriculum signal matters. Going light on math or science (e.g., stopping at Algebra II or skipping a fourth year of science) makes you visibly less competitive against admitted-pool peers.
• Honors College and direct-admit programs (Ross, Engineering, Music) are tighter still. Ross BBA direct admit and Engineering admit profiles run higher than the all-university middle 50.

Practically, the admitted-pool transcript looks like: A's in nearly every academic course, four years of advanced math through Calculus or Statistics, three to four years of science including a hard science (Chemistry or Physics), four years of English including AP Lang or AP Lit, and at least one year of an honors- or AP-level humanities sequence.

UMich Application Deadlines for Fall 2026

UMich uses Early Action plus Regular Decision. Both Early Action options are non-binding:

Early Action is the strategic default for most applicants. UMich's EA admit rate has historically been higher than the RD rate, and EA decisions arrive in time to compare with other admits during the spring. UMich EA is non-binding and non-restrictive, so you can apply EA to UMich and Early Decision or Early Action elsewhere, with the exception of restrictive REA programs (Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Harvard) which prohibit you from applying EA to UMich.

What UMich Weighs Beyond Test Scores

UMich's holistic review weighs, in rough order of importance:

1. Academic transcript. The single strongest signal: course rigor and grades in core academic subjects across four years.
2. Course rigor. AP, IB, honors, dual enrollment. UMich wants to see the most challenging available curriculum your high school offers.
3. Standardized test scores (when submitted). Superscored SAT or ACT, contextualized against your submitted profile.
4. Essays. UMich requires the Common App essay plus two UMich-specific supplements (community essay and "why Michigan"). These are weighted more heavily than at many peer publics.
5. Activities and leadership. Sustained, deep involvement beats a long shallow list. Selective summer programs, research, and elite-level achievement carry weight.
6. Letters of recommendation. Counselor letter required; one teacher letter required (preferably from a core-academic teacher).
7. Demonstrated interest. UMich does not formally track demonstrated interest, but campus-fit signals in the "why Michigan" essay matter.

Race and ethnicity are not considered in admissions decisions following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling.

UMich vs Peer Public Flagships

How UMich compares to peer flagships in 2026:

UMich's test profile sits in the same band as UVA, UNC, and the top UC campuses. The ~15 percent overall admit rate is more selective than every public peer except Berkeley and UCLA. For applicants comparing UMich to Wisconsin or other Big Ten flagships, UMich is a meaningful step up in academic profile.

A Realistic Prep Plan for UMich-Level Scores

If UMich is your target and your current practice SAT is 1250 or ACT is 28, here is a reasonable pathway:

1. Sophomore spring. Take one timed official SAT (Bluebook) and one ACT. Pick the higher percentile test and stick with it. Do not switch back and forth between SAT and ACT during junior year.
2. Junior fall. Structured prep. Three to four hours per week plus a full timed test every two weeks. Focus on your weakest section first; UMich superscores, so building one section at a time works.
3. Junior spring. First official sitting. Lock in your strongest section and use the score report to target the next.
4. Summer before senior year. Heavy prep. Aim for one full timed practice per week with precision review. Out-of-state applicants should target 1480+ SAT by end of summer.
5. Fall senior year. Second sitting, ideally with results back by mid-October so you can submit Early Action by November 1. A third sitting is reasonable if you are still chasing the 1445 SAT or 32 ACT admitted-middle target.

Score targets to anchor on: 1360 SAT or 31 ACT for UMich admitted 25th percentile, 1445 SAT or 32 ACT for the admitted middle, and 1480 SAT or 33 ACT as the practical out-of-state safety target. For adaptive practice, try the Larry Learns SAT platform or the Larry Learns ACT platform. If you are still deciding which test fits you, see our SAT vs ACT guide, and use the SAT score calculator to convert practice raw scores to scaled scores.

Frequently Asked Questions About UMich SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for the University of Michigan?

Approximately 1445, based on the most recent admitted middle 50 of 1360 to 1530. The 25th percentile is 1360; the 75th percentile is 1530. SAT Reading & Writing middle 50 is 680 to 750; SAT Math middle 50 is 680 to 780.

What is the average ACT score for the University of Michigan?

Approximately 32 composite, with a middle 50 of 31 to 34. The 25th percentile is 31; the 75th percentile is 34.

What are UMich's SAT requirements?

UMich is test-optional, so SAT scores are not required. Among admitted students who submitted, the middle 50 SAT is 1360 to 1530. UMich superscores the SAT across test dates, and lower section scores from other dates do not count against you.

What are UMich's ACT requirements?

UMich is test-optional. Among admitted students who submitted, the middle 50 ACT composite is 31 to 34. UMich superscores the ACT and uses whichever submitted test (SAT or ACT) helps you most.

Does the University of Michigan require the SAT or ACT?

No. UMich's Board of Regents formally adopted a permanent test-optional policy. SAT or ACT scores are not required for the 2026 application cycle. However, roughly 70 percent of recent admits did submit scores, and a strong score remains a positive signal.

Should I submit my SAT score to UMich?

A common decision rule: submit if your superscored SAT is at or above 1360 (UMich's 25th percentile) or your ACT is at or above 31. Below those thresholds, withholding scores is often the better play, especially if your transcript and rigor are strong. Out-of-state applicants generally benefit from submitting if scores are at all defensible, since the out-of-state admit pool is tighter.

Does UMich superscore the SAT?

Yes. UMich combines your highest Reading & Writing and your highest Math scores across all SAT sittings into a new superscored total. Multiple sittings only help.

Does UMich superscore the ACT?

Yes. UMich uses the highest English, Math, Reading, and Science subscores across dates to build a new superscored composite.

Can I self-report SAT and ACT scores to UMich?

Yes. Scores can be self-reported through the application. Admitted students who self-report must send official reports that match their highest self-reported scores in order to enroll.

What GPA do I need for the University of Michigan?

UMich does not publish a formal minimum. The average enrolled-student GPA is approximately 3.9 unweighted, with roughly 39 percent of admitted students earning a 4.0 or higher. Course rigor (AP, IB, honors, dual enrollment) is essentially universal in the admitted pool.

What is UMich's acceptance rate?

Approximately 15 percent overall, the lowest in UMich's history. In-state admit rate is roughly 39 percent; out-of-state admit rate is roughly 18 percent.

Is it harder to get into UMich as an out-of-state student?

Yes, materially. The out-of-state admit rate is roughly 18 percent versus 39 percent for Michigan residents. Out-of-state applicants should target the upper end of the admitted middle 50 (1480+ SAT or 33+ ACT) and have strong course rigor, essays, and activities.

When is the UMich application deadline?

Early Action is November 1 with decisions in late January. Regular Decision is February 1 with decisions in early April. Both are non-binding. Early Action is the strategic default for most applicants.

Is UMich Early Action binding?

No. UMich Early Action is non-binding and non-restrictive. You can apply EA to UMich and Early Decision or Early Action to other schools, with the exception of restrictive Single-Choice EA programs at a few private universities.

Does UMich consider legacy status or demonstrated interest?

UMich does not formally track demonstrated interest. Race and ethnicity are not considered in admissions decisions following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling.

How does UMich compare to other Big Ten flagships?

UMich is the most selective Big Ten flagship by a wide margin. UMich's 15 percent admit rate is roughly one-third of Wisconsin's 43 percent, and UMich's SAT 25th percentile (1360) sits roughly 20 to 60 points above peer flagships in the conference. UMich's academic profile is closer to UVA, UNC, and the top UC campuses than to other Big Ten publics.