Test policy · 50 states · Maine
Do Maine's public universities require the SAT or ACT in 2026?
As of October 2026: It depends on the campus. Of the 2 Maine public universities we checked, 1 is test-optional (University of Maine); 1 does not consider scores (University of Southern Maine).
The University of Maine System made test-optional admission permanent system-wide in 2020. The flagship, UMaine, says it is test-optional (scores considered if sent); the second-largest campus, University of Southern Maine, goes further and says ACT/SAT scores simply do not factor into its admission decision at all, which functions as test-blind even though UMS describes the system policy as 'test-optional.'
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
Varies by campus. Set by University of Maine System Board of Trustees, covering undergraduate admission, permanent since 2020.
“all of them adopted an SAT/ACT test-optional policy in 2020. The policy is now permanent on the undergraduate side” — maine.edu
Described system-wide as 'test-optional,' but individual campus language varies: UMaine's own page says test-optional (scores considered if submitted), while University of Southern Maine's own page says scores 'do not influence' the admission decision at all -- effectively test-blind in practice despite the system-level 'test-optional' label.
University of Maine System: Varies by campus, all seven UMS universities, undergraduate admission, permanent since 2020. Covers UMaine (Orono), University of Southern Maine, and five smaller campuses (Farmington, Augusta, Fort Kent, Machias, Presque Isle) not individually profiled here due to small enrollment. Source
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 · 1 test-optional · 1 test-blind.
| University | SAT / ACT | Applies to | CLT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Maine
Flagship
Orono
adopted test-optional in 2020, now permanent
Candidates may submit SAT or ACT results; submission is suggested but not required.
|
Test-optional | all applicants, current cycle | — | “UMaine has adopted a test optional status for all of its programs.” |
|
University of Southern Maine
Portland/Gorham
This is stricter than 'optional': USM's own wording says scores are not used in the decision at all, even if submitted, which matches this project's 'blind' label rather than 'optional.' Labeled separately from the UMS system-wide 'test-optional' description above.
|
Test-blind | undergraduate applicants, current cycle | — | “Undergraduate applicant SAT and ACT test scores do not influence our admission decision.” |
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 agentsAs of October 2026: It depends on the campus. Of the 2 Maine public universities we checked, 1 is test-optional (University of Maine); 1 does not consider scores (University of Southern Maine).
Statewide rule: University of Maine System Board of Trustees — varies by campus, undergraduate admission, permanent since 2020.
University of Maine, the flagship, is test-optional for all applicants, current cycle.
University of Maine: adopted test-optional in 2020, now permanent.
Checked against each university's own admissions page, October 2026. Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach).
Questions families ask
Is Maine test-optional for its public universities in 2026? It depends on the campus. Of the 2 Maine public universities we checked, 1 is test-optional (University of Maine); 1 does not consider scores (University of Southern Maine).
Does University of Maine require the SAT or ACT in 2026? Test-optional for all applicants, current cycle. Candidates may submit SAT or ACT results; submission is suggested but not required. Source: umaine.edu.
Should my child take the SAT or ACT if Maine'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.
Every state
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming · The 50-state report →
Read next on Test Prep Gurus
As of October 2026, no. UC and CSU are test-blind, and the UC faculty review does not report until February 12, 2027. What fall 2027 applicants should expect.
Common App, UC and Cal State Apply all opened August 1, 2026 for fall 2027. The November and January deadlines, and the last SAT and ACT date whose scores arrive in time.