Applying Abroad? What U.S. Students Need to Know About Test Requirements

Over the past few years, we’ve started to see more of our students add international universities to their college lists (at St Andrews in Scotland, for example, nearly one in five students is American!)  And, naturally, that brings a whole new set of questions from families: Do international schools care about the SAT or ACT? Are scores required? What about AP exams? And does ACT Science matter?

Unfortunately, there isn’t one easy answer. Testing policies for U.S. applicants vary quite a bit from school to school. Some universities are truly test optional, while others use SAT or ACT scores as one possible way to meet their U.S. entry requirements, often in combination with AP scores. At some schools, strong test scores are expected, while others don’t accept the SAT or ACT at all. In other words, “test optional” in the U.S. and applying without test scores internationally can be two very different things.

To make this a little easier to navigate, we put together the graphic below comparing SAT and ACT policies at 20 of the top international universities for U.S. students. It shows whether each school accepts the SAT and ACT, how testing fits into admissions requirements, whether ACT Science matters, and what other qualifications, such as AP exams, may be required. Policies can change, so always check the requirements for your specific program and application year. We hope this gives families a good starting point as they build an international college list!