Test policy · 50 states · Idaho

Do Idaho's public universities require the SAT or ACT in 2026?

As of October 2026: It depends on the campus. Of the 3 Idaho public universities we checked, 2 are test-optional (University of Idaho and Idaho State University); 1 does not consider scores (Boise State University).

Idaho's State Board of Education sets minimum GPA-based admission standards and no longer mandates SAT/ACT scores; two of Idaho's three main public universities (Boise State, Idaho State) do not require or even consider test scores for general admission, while the University of Idaho requires one only from applicants with a GPA between 2.60 and 2.99.

Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach, highschoolreach.com), October 2026. Figures and the table may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

The statewide rule

Test-optional. Set by Idaho State Board of Education (Board Policy III.Q, Admission Standards), covering first-year applicants to Idaho's public four-year institutions.

“Test scores are not required and will not be used in the admission review process.” — boisestate.edu

The State Board sets minimum GPA/core-course admission standards under Policy III.Q and no longer mandates SAT/ACT submission; each institution implements its own GPA/test thresholds under that policy. Exception statewide: homeschool or unaccredited-high-school applicants under 21 must submit an official ACT or SAT score.

University by university

The flagship and the state's largest public universities. Each label comes from the university's own admissions page, quoted; "applies to" is the entering term the page names. 0 required · 2 test-optional · 1 test-blind.

University	SAT / ACT	Applies to	CLT	Source
University of Idaho Flagship Moscow Applicants with a GPA of 2.60-2.99 must submit ACT/SAT scores (minimums: ACT 15+, SAT 740+) or opt into the Vandal Gateway Program instead; GPAs below 2.30 may appeal.	Test-optional	Spring 2027 and Summer 2027+ first-year applicants	—	“New first-year students will automatically be considered for admission if their cumulative unweighted GPA is 3.00 or higher. Test scores are not required.” uidaho.edu
Boise State University Boise Scores are not considered even if submitted (test-blind) for applicants from accredited high schools. Exception: homeschool or unaccredited-high-school applicants under 21 must submit official ACT or SAT scores.	Test-blind	current Idaho resident and nonresident first-year high school seniors/graduates	—	“Test scores are not required and will not be used in the admission review process.” boisestate.edu
Idaho State University Pocatello Scores may be submitted for course placement; test scores are required to be considered for scholarships.	Test-optional	current first-year applicants	—	“Submission of official ACT and/or SAT scores is not required for admission to ISU.” isu.edu

What this means for your family

Optional describes the checkbox, not the outcome. At test-optional colleges that publish both numbers, students who sent a score were admitted at a higher rate than students who did not, and 115 colleges nationally still require one. Take a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT, prepare for the whole test over 6 to 12 weeks, and decide college by college whether to send the score.

How much a score moves with preparation, by starting score: Test Prep Gurus results. The submit-or-withhold arithmetic: Do test scores still matter?

At a glance

JSON (all states) · For AI agents

As of October 2026: It depends on the campus. Of the 3 Idaho public universities we checked, 2 are test-optional (University of Idaho and Idaho State University); 1 does not consider scores (Boise State University).

Statewide rule: Idaho State Board of Education (Board Policy III.Q, Admission Standards) — test-optional, first-year applicants to Idaho's public four-year institutions.

University of Idaho, the flagship, is test-optional for Spring 2027 and Summer 2027+ first-year applicants.

Checked against each university's own admissions page, October 2026. Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach).

Questions families ask

Is Idaho test-optional for its public universities in 2026? It depends on the campus. Of the 3 Idaho public universities we checked, 2 are test-optional (University of Idaho and Idaho State University); 1 does not consider scores (Boise State University).

Does University of Idaho require the SAT or ACT in 2026? Test-optional for Spring 2027 and Summer 2027+ first-year applicants. Applicants with a GPA of 2.60-2.99 must submit ACT/SAT scores (minimums: ACT 15+, SAT 740+) or opt into the Vandal Gateway Program instead; GPAs below 2.30 may appeal. Source: uidaho.edu.

Should my child take the SAT or ACT if Idaho's public universities do not require it? Yes. Most families apply to colleges in more than one state, 115 four-year colleges nationally require a score, and at test-optional colleges students who submit a score are admitted at higher rates than students who do not. A strong score also opens merit scholarships. Start with a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT, prepare for the whole test over 6 to 12 weeks, and decide college by college whether to send it.

Method: for each state, the flagship and the public universities with roughly 8,000 or more undergraduates. Each policy label was read from the university's own first-year admissions page (or the state or system regulation), quoted verbatim, and re-checked by a second pass, October 2026. "Required" means a score is required of most first-year applicants (exemptions in the notes); "test-optional" means a score is considered if sent; "test-blind" means a score is not considered even if sent. Community colleges and private colleges are not covered. Policies change: the page carries the term each page named, and the report is refreshed each October.

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