Test policy · 50 states · Vermont
Do Vermont's public universities require the SAT or ACT in 2026?
As of October 2026: No. All 2 Vermont public universities we checked are test-optional: a score is considered if sent, but not required (University of Vermont and Vermont State University).
Vermont has no statewide SAT/ACT mandate; its two public universities each set their own admissions policy. For fall 2026 and 2027, both the University of Vermont and Vermont State University are test-optional, though some specific programs may still require scores.
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 - Vermont has no single statewide admissions-testing statute; UVM (its own independent Board of Trustees, a land-grant institution) and Vermont State University (governed by the Vermont State Colleges System board) each set their own policy does not set a testing requirement; each public university in Vermont sets its own policy.
No Vermont State Colleges System-wide testing-policy page was located this session distinct from Vermont State University's own admissions page; both Vermont public universities currently report test-optional policies in practice.
Vermont State Colleges System: Optional, fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants. Vermont State University (vermontstate.edu) is the single institution formed in 2023 from the merger of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University (Johnson and Lyndon), and Vermont Technical College; it is governed by the Vermont State Colleges System board. Community College of Vermont, also part of VSCS, is excluded per spec (community college). 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 · 2 test-optional · 0 test-blind.
| University | SAT / ACT | Applies to | CLT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Vermont
Flagship
Burlington
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants | — | “UVM's admissions process is test-optional. Applicants who want to include their ACT and/or SAT scores may self-report their scores on their admissions application.” |
|
Vermont State University
multi-campus (Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, Randolph Center)
formed in 2023 from the merger of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University (Johnson + Lyndon), and Vermont Technical College
Page notes certain specific majors/programs do have their own testing requirements, e.g. Accuplacer placement testing for Dental Hygiene, Nursing (A.S. and degree completion), Practical Nursing Certificate, Radiologic Science, and Respiratory Therapy.
|
Test-optional | fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants | — | “Scores are optional for most scholars seeking admission. Scores will be considered in review if submitted.” |
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 2 Vermont public universities we checked are test-optional: a score is considered if sent, but not required (University of Vermont and Vermont State University).
There is no statewide rule in Vermont; each public university sets its own policy.
University of Vermont, the flagship, is test-optional for fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants.
Vermont State University: formed in 2023 from the merger of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University (Johnson + Lyndon), and Vermont Technical College.
Checked against each university's own admissions page, October 2026. Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach).
Questions families ask
Is Vermont test-optional for its public universities in 2026? No. All 2 Vermont public universities we checked are test-optional: a score is considered if sent, but not required (University of Vermont and Vermont State University).
Does University of Vermont require the SAT or ACT in 2026? Test-optional for fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants. Source: uvm.edu.
Should my child take the SAT or ACT if Vermont'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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Read next on Test Prep Gurus
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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.