The University of Alabama System board of trustees announced a big change to college admissions processes Thursday.
The system’s three campuses in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Huntsville will start requiring standardized tests again.
“We have found that standardized test scores provide valuable insight into academic success at our universities and as part of a holistic review process, serve as a predictor that is helpful to ensure the success of our students,” Tonjanita Johnson, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, told the board during a special-called meeting Dec. 18.
The current test-optional program will be phased out over the next couple of years. Students applying for the 2026-27 academic year don’t need to supply a standardized test score.
The University of Alabama enrolled a record 42,360 students this fall.
When will the University of Alabama require standardized test scores?
For the 2028-29 academic year, first-year undergraduate students must submit a standardized test score as part of their admissions package.
The change applies to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama at Huntsville.
The University of Alabama system implemented a test-optional pilot program in 2020 during the pandemic.
For students starting the 2027-28 academic year, “campuses will set minimum high school GPA thresholds for test optional eligibility and expectations for testing requirements,” Johnson said.
Auburn University admissions announced the end of the test-optional program in August for students applying for the 2027-28 academic year.
