Test policy · 50 states · Texas
Do Texas's public universities require the SAT or ACT in 2026?
As of October 2026: It depends on the campus. Of the 7 Texas public universities we checked, 2 require a score (University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas at El Paso); 5 are test-optional (Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston and 2 more).
Texas has no single statewide SAT/ACT mandate for its public universities (apart from the class-rank-based automatic-admission statute); each university or system sets its own testing policy. UT Austin reinstated SAT/ACT as required for first-year applicants starting fall 2025, while Texas A&M, UT San Antonio, UT El Paso (for most applicants), Texas Tech, the University of Houston, and the University of North Texas are currently 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
No statewide rule. none - no Texas Education Code or Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) rule requires or forbids SAT/ACT submission system-wide; THECB does, however, administer the Texas Success Initiative and the class-rank-based automatic-admission statute (Texas Education Code 51.803/51.804) does not set a testing requirement; each public university in Texas sets its own policy.
Each university/system below sets and publishes its own test-score policy.
University of Texas System: Varies by campus, fall 2026 first-year applicants. No system-wide UT System testing mandate was found; each UT academic campus sets its own policy. UT Austin: required. UT San Antonio: optional. UT El Paso: scores not required for students meeting a class-rank threshold, otherwise required (varies by rank). UT Dallas, UT Arlington: could not confirm this session (gaps). Source
Texas A&M University System: Varies by campus, fall 2026 first-year applicants. Texas A&M University (College Station), the system's flagship, is test-optional. Other System member campuses (Corpus Christi, Prairie View A&M, West Texas A&M, Commerce, San Antonio, International) were not individually confirmed this session (see gaps). 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. 2 required · 5 test-optional · 0 test-blind.
| University | SAT / ACT | Applies to | CLT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Texas at Austin
Flagship
Austin
reinstated for fall 2025 after a pandemic-era test-optional period (exact announcement date/news URL not confirmed this session)
This requirement applies to all first-year applicants, including those who separately qualify for automatic admission by class rank; test scores are not used in the automatic-admission decision itself but are still required as an application component.
|
Required | fall 2025 applicants and later | — | “Send at least one official SAT or ACT score directly from the testing agency.” |
|
Texas A&M University
Flagship
College Station
Listed as an optional/circumstantial application material, not a requirement.
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 first-year applicants | — | “You can also choose to submit official test scores, a resume and up to two letters of recommendation.” |
|
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso
UTEP's own catalog states Texas high school graduates in the top 25% of their class are admitted with 'No minimum' SAT/ACT score required at all. Applicants outside the top 25% must meet a minimum score tied to rank to qualify via this table (Second 25%: SAT 920/ACT 19; Third 25%: SAT 970/ACT 20; Fourth 25%: SAT 1010/ACT 21; no rank, GED, unaccredited HS, or home-school: SAT 1070/ACT 23), or may instead be considered through UTEP's separate Reviewed Admission Programs. Labeled 'required' (with a class-rank exemption for the top 25%) rather than 'optional', since a qualifying score is mandatory for every rank tier below the top 25% under this table. CLT acceptance not mentioned on this page.
|
Required | 2026-2027 Academic Catalog, first-time first-year applicants | — | “SAT and ACT scores are not required under the Top 25% admissions criterion” |
|
Texas Tech University
Lubbock
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 first-year applicants | — | “Texas Tech University has a test optional admission policy. This policy allows students the option to apply without consideration of SAT or ACT scores.” |
|
University of Houston
Houston
University of Houston has extended test-optional admission through the 2030 entering cycle.
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 first-year applicants (through June 1, 2030) | — | “Freshman applicants have the option to apply for admission with or without a test score through June 1, 2030.” |
|
University of North Texas
Denton
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 first-year applicants | — | “UNT is test-score-optional, however, submitting test scores can help determine admission decisions, testing exemptions and scholarship opportunities.” |
|
University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 first-year applicants | — | “You do not need to submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered for admission.” |
Other public colleges in Texas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Star College System | 45,188 | — | — | — · — |
| Dallas College | 43,869 | — | — | — · — |
| Houston Community College | 40,503 | — | — | — · — |
| Texas State University | 36,177 | 90% | Test-optional | 47% · 7% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | 32,294 | 81% | Test-optional | 69% · 12% |
| Austin Community College District | 30,189 | — | — | — · — |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28,666 | 85% | Test-optional | 28% · 26% |
| Collin County Community College District | 26,449 | — | — | — · — |
| San Jacinto Community College | 22,969 | — | — | — · — |
| The University of Texas at Dallas | 21,751 | 66% | Test-optional | 79% · 15% |
| Sam Houston State University | 17,743 | 85% | Test-optional | 48% · 7% |
| San Antonio College | 16,416 | — | — | — · — |
| South Texas College | 15,856 | — | — | — · — |
| Tarleton State University | 12,673 | 94% | Test-optional | 48% · 18% |
| University of Houston-Downtown | 12,555 | 91% | Test-optional | 43% · 4% |
| Texas A & M University-Commerce | 9,912 | 93% | Test-optional | 23% · 7% |
| Del Mar College | 9,501 | — | — | — · — |
| Tyler Junior College | 9,087 | — | — | — · — |
| Prairie View A & M University | 8,877 | 75% | Required | 85% · 24% |
| Texas Woman's University | 8,767 | 95% | Test-optional | — · — |
| Stephen F Austin State University | 8,728 | 88% | Test-optional | 50% · 14% |
| Lamar University | 8,150 | 86% | Test-optional | 45% · 6% |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | 8,034 | 90% | Test-optional | 49% · 9% |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | 7,440 | 92% | Test-optional | 40% · 19% |
| West Texas A & M University | 6,917 | 97% | Test-optional | 45% · 31% |
| Texas Southern University | 6,844 | 93% | Test-optional | 48% · 18% |
| Texas A & M International University | 6,667 | 46% | Required | 48% · 10% |
| Texas A&M University-San Antonio | 6,599 | 92% | Test-optional | 39% · 6% |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | 6,078 | 75% | Test-optional | 75% · 7% |
| Laredo College | 5,818 | — | — | — · — |
| Trinity Valley Community College | 5,655 | — | — | — · — |
| Angelo State University | 5,643 | 79% | Test-optional | 46% · 31% |
| Midland College | 5,542 | — | — | — · — |
| Weatherford College | 5,094 | — | — | — · — |
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 7 Texas public universities we checked, 2 require a score (University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas at El Paso); 5 are test-optional (Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston and 2 more).
There is no statewide rule in Texas; each public university sets its own policy.
University of Texas at Austin, the flagship, is required for fall 2025 applicants and later.
University of Texas at Austin: reinstated for fall 2025 after a pandemic-era test-optional period (exact announcement date/news URL not confirmed this session).
Checked against each university's own admissions page, October 2026. Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach).
Questions families ask
Is Texas test-optional for its public universities in 2026? It depends on the campus. Of the 7 Texas public universities we checked, 2 require a score (University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas at El Paso); 5 are test-optional (Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston and 2 more).
Does University of Texas at Austin require the SAT or ACT in 2026? Required for fall 2025 applicants and later. This requirement applies to all first-year applicants, including those who separately qualify for automatic admission by class rank; test scores are not used in the automatic-admission decision itself but are still required as an application component. Source: admissions.utexas.edu.
Should my child take the SAT or ACT if Texas'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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