UT Austin is not test optional. The university requires all freshman applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application. After a brief period of flexible testing policies during the pandemic, UT Austin reinstated its standardized testing requirement and has maintained it for all subsequent admission cycles.
What UT Austin Requires
Every freshman applicant must submit at least one official SAT or ACT score. You can self-report scores on your application, but official scores sent directly from the testing agency are still required by the application deadline to complete your file. Scores from third parties or school transcripts do not satisfy this requirement.
This applies broadly. Whether you’re applying through the automatic admission pathway (top 6% of your Texas high school class) or through holistic review, you need test scores on file. There is no exemption based on GPA, class rank, or the major you choose.
How Test Scores Factor Into Admission Decisions
UT Austin uses a holistic review process that weighs class rank, strength of coursework, test scores, essays, extracurricular achievements, and the competitiveness of your chosen major. No single factor other than automatic admission based on class rank guarantees a spot.
That said, test scores clearly carry weight. When UT Austin announced the return of its testing requirement, the university noted a significant gap between applicants who had submitted scores voluntarily during the test-optional window and those who had not: students who opted in had a median SAT score of 1420, compared with 1160 among those who didn’t. That gap signaled to admissions officials that scores provided meaningful information about academic preparation.
For students applying to highly competitive programs like engineering, computer science, or business, strong test scores become even more important because those programs receive far more qualified applicants than they can admit.
Automatic Admission and Test Scores
Texas law guarantees automatic admission to UT Austin for students who graduate in the top 6% of their public high school class (the exact percentage is set annually by the university). Even if you qualify for automatic admission, you still need to submit test scores to complete your application. Automatic admission also does not guarantee placement into your preferred major.
Homeschooled students and those with non-traditional secondary educations face a slightly different path. For the 2026-2027 admission cycle, these applicants can earn automatic admission by submitting an SAT composite score of 1570 or higher, or an ACT composite of 36. Hitting those thresholds assigns an equivalent class rank of 94th percentile or above, which qualifies for automatic admission.
Sending Your Scores
You must have scores sent directly from the College Board (for the SAT) or ACT to UT Austin. Plan ahead, because it can take several weeks for testing agencies to process and deliver official score reports. If you’re testing close to the application deadline, check the latest test dates whose scores will arrive in time.
UT Austin will consider scores from multiple test sittings, so if you take the SAT or ACT more than once, send all your results. The admissions office reviews your strongest performance.
What This Means for Your Application Strategy
Since there’s no way around the testing requirement, build SAT or ACT prep into your application timeline early. Take your first official test by the spring of junior year so you have time to retake it in the summer or fall if needed. Waiting until the last possible test date leaves no room for delays or a lower-than-expected score.
If you’re deciding between the SAT and ACT, take a practice version of each and go with whichever format feels more natural. UT Austin accepts both equally and does not prefer one over the other. Submitting scores from both tests is allowed but not necessary.