Test policy · 50 states · New Jersey

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

As of October 2026: It depends on the campus. Of the 10 New Jersey public universities we checked, 9 are test-optional (Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Kean University, Montclair State University and 6 more); 1 does not consider scores (Rutgers University-Newark).

New Jersey has no statewide testing mandate for its public universities; each sets its own policy. As of the 2026 check, every NJ public four-year university researched is test-optional (not required) for most applicants, except Rutgers-Newark, which is test-blind for most undergraduate applicants.

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 New Jersey sets its own policy.

No statewide testing statute or Office of the Secretary of Higher Education regulation found; each public university sets its own SAT/ACT policy.

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 · 9 test-optional · 1 test-blind.

University	SAT / ACT	Applies to	CLT	Source
Rutgers University-New Brunswick Flagship New Brunswick Rutgers-Camden BS/DO and Rutgers-Newark 7-year BA/MD joint-degree programs require at least one test score.	Test-optional	through 2027 (per page: "maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027")	—	“The SAT and ACT test submissions are optional for undergraduate applicants.” admissions.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University-Newark Newark Rutgers-Newark 7-year BA/MD joint-degree program requires at least one standardized test score.	Test-blind	through 2027 (per page: "maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027")	—	“Rutgers University–Newark is test blind.” admissions.rutgers.edu
Kean University Union Home-school students and GED applicants are required to submit test scores. Kean is in the process of absorbing New Jersey City University (NJCU) as 'Kean Jersey City,' launching July 2026; NJCU is no longer a separate independent public university as of this check, so it is not listed separately in this file.	Test-optional	unknown - page does not state a specific entering term	—	“Submitting standardized testing scores from the SAT and/or ACT is optional.” kean.edu
Montclair State University Montclair No program-specific exceptions found on the page.	Test-optional	unknown - page does not state a specific entering term for the policy	—	“Submitting SAT or ACT scores is optional at Montclair.” montclair.edu
New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark Albert Dorman Honors College and accelerated program applicants are required to submit test scores. NJIT has no minimum GPA or test-score requirement and will superscore SAT/ACT if submitted.	Test-optional	Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 entering classes	—	“First-year students applying to NJIT for Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 can choose not to submit SAT and/or ACT scores.” njit.edu
Rowan University Glassboro 3+4 BS/MD or BS/DO and 3+2 Physician Assistant program applicants are required to submit test scores. Enrolled students may still need placement tests.	Test-optional	unknown - page lists fall 2026/fall 2027 application deadlines but does not tie the testing policy itself to a specific entering term	—	“Rowan University offers a test-optional admissions policy, allowing prospective students to apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores.” admissions.rowan.edu
Rutgers University-Camden Camden Rutgers-Camden BS/DO program requires at least one standardized test score.	Test-optional	through 2027 (per page: "maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027")	—	“The SAT and ACT test score submissions are optional for undergraduate applicants.” admissions.rutgers.edu
Stockton University Galloway Accelerated 7-year Medical (BS/DO), Pharmacy (BS/PharmD), Nursing (BSN), and Direct Admit Physical Therapy (BS/DPT) require scores; certain Natural Sciences/Health Sciences/Computer Science majors require proof of math readiness via scores or Stockton's own placement test. All other programs are test-optional.	Test-optional	unknown - page does not state a specific entering term	—	“Stockton University is SAT/ACT Optional for incoming first-year applicants!” stockton.edu
The College of New Jersey Ewing Seven-Year Medical Programs (BS/MD, Optometry) and Nursing (starting 2024-2025 cycle) require test scores; Engineering applicants are strongly encouraged to submit scores for math placement.	Test-optional	2026-2027 admissions cycle	—	“TCNJ is test-optional through the 2026-2027 admissions cycle.” admissions.tcnj.edu
William Paterson University Wayne Nursing applicants with a weighted GPA of 3.0-3.49 must submit scores; merit scholarships give extra funds for an SAT of 1130+/ACT of 23+; Honors College and international applicants have their own separate requirements, but scores remain optional for general admission.	Test-optional	unknown - page does not state a specific entering term	—	“William Paterson University is pleased to offer a test-optional admissions policy.” wpunj.edu

Other public colleges in New Jersey 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
Thomas Edison State University	6,707	—	—	— · —

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 10 New Jersey public universities we checked, 9 are test-optional (Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Kean University, Montclair State University and 6 more); 1 does not consider scores (Rutgers University-Newark).

There is no statewide rule in New Jersey; each public university sets its own policy.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the flagship, is test-optional for through 2027 (per page: "maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027").

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

Questions families ask

Is New Jersey test-optional for its public universities in 2026? It depends on the campus. Of the 10 New Jersey public universities we checked, 9 are test-optional (Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Kean University, Montclair State University and 6 more); 1 does not consider scores (Rutgers University-Newark).

Does Rutgers University-New Brunswick require the SAT or ACT in 2026? Test-optional for through 2027 (per page: "maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027"). Rutgers-Camden BS/DO and Rutgers-Newark 7-year BA/MD joint-degree programs require at least one test score. Source: admissions.rutgers.edu.

Should my child take the SAT or ACT if New Jersey'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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