Test policy · 50 states · Minnesota
Do Minnesota's public universities require the SAT or ACT in 2026?
As of October 2026: No. All 4 Minnesota public universities we checked are test-optional: a score is considered if sent, but not required (University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minnesota State University, Mankato, St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth).
Every Minnesota public university checked, across both the University of Minnesota system and the Minnesota State system, is currently test-optional: first-year applicants choose whether to submit an ACT or SAT score, and GPA/class rank alone can qualify for admission.
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
No statewide rule. each public university in Minnesota sets its own policy.
No single statewide testing mandate was found covering both the University of Minnesota system and the Minnesota State system; each is a separate constitutional/statutory system with its own Board (Board of Regents for UMN; Board of Trustees for Minnesota State) and each campus checked publishes its own test-optional policy.
University of Minnesota system: Varies by campus, freshman applicants through at least fall 2027. Twin Cities and Duluth campuses (both checked) are test-optional; no single system-wide policy page was found, each campus publishes its own. Source
Minnesota State system (Board of Trustees): Varies by campus, first-year applicants. Both Minnesota State universities checked (Mankato, St. Cloud) are test-optional; no single system-wide policy document was located, so this is reported per campus rather than confirmed as a formal system mandate. 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 · 4 test-optional · 0 test-blind.
| University | SAT / ACT | Applies to | CLT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Flagship
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Policy coverage window has been repeatedly extended; most recent page checked extends it through fall 2029
Applicants indicate on their application whether a submitted score should be considered; this choice is final once submitted. Scholarships and Honors program eligibility are unaffected by the choice.
|
Test-optional | freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term (per the dedicated ACT/SAT policy page); a separate freshman checklist page on the same site states 'through fall 2027' | — | “Freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term are not required to submit an ACT or SAT test score.” |
|
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato
Automatic admission via 3.0+ GPA, top-50% class rank, OR a 21+ ACT composite with 2.7+ GPA; those below these thresholds go through a comprehensive application review instead of being required to submit test scores.
|
Test-optional | first-year undergraduate applicants | — | “Minnesota State Mankato is test-optional for admissions.” |
|
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud
Guaranteed admission with a 2.5+ GPA and no college credits; ACT/SAT may still be used for course placement purposes (not admission) alongside Accuplacer/ALEKS/MCA.
|
Test-optional | undergraduate first-year applicants | — | “SCSU is completely test optional.” |
|
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth
Page states the policy applies to NCAA-bound athletes too (see FAQ), though NCAA eligibility center rules are separate from UMD admission.
|
Test-optional | undergraduate first-year applicants | — | “The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) utilizes a test-optional undergraduate admission policy.” |
Other public colleges in Minnesota with 5,000 or more students
Not individually checked for this report. The policy flag and the share of enrolled first-years who submitted a score are what each college reported to the federal government for the 2023 admissions cycle (IPEDS); check the college's own page before relying on it.
| College | Students | Admit rate | Reported to IPEDS, 2023 | Submitted SAT · ACT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan State University | 5,616 | 96% | Test-optional | — · 8% |
| Winona State University | 5,144 | 68% | Test-optional | 2% · 44% |
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: No. All 4 Minnesota public universities we checked are test-optional: a score is considered if sent, but not required (University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minnesota State University, Mankato, St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth).
There is no statewide rule in Minnesota; each public university sets its own policy.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the flagship, is test-optional for freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term (per the dedicated ACT/SAT policy page); a separate freshman checklist page on the same site states 'through fall 2027'.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities: Policy coverage window has been repeatedly extended; most recent page checked extends it through fall 2029.
Checked against each university's own admissions page, October 2026. Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach).
Questions families ask
Is Minnesota test-optional for its public universities in 2026? No. All 4 Minnesota public universities we checked are test-optional: a score is considered if sent, but not required (University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minnesota State University, Mankato, St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota Duluth).
Does University of Minnesota Twin Cities require the SAT or ACT in 2026? Test-optional for freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term (per the dedicated ACT/SAT policy page); a separate freshman checklist page on the same site states 'through fall 2027'. Applicants indicate on their application whether a submitted score should be considered; this choice is final once submitted. Scholarships and Honors program eligibility are unaffected by the choice. Source: admissions.tc.umn.edu.
Should my child take the SAT or ACT if Minnesota'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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