Vanderbilt Will Again Require Standardized Test Scores Starting With Fall 2029 Applicants

On July 23, 2026, Vanderbilt University announced that it will again require standardized test scores from students applying for the undergraduate class entering in fall 2029. In its announcement, Vanderbilt said it "will return to a policy requiring standardized test scores for students applying for undergraduate admission to the class entering in fall 2029." The university said its "current test-optional policy will remain in place for students applying for undergraduate admission in the fall of 2027 or 2028," so those two application cycles are not affected by the new requirement. Vanderbilt noted that its test-optional policy "was implemented in 2020 to support students applying for fall 2021," and said this change follows a review of that policy. Vanderbilt said testing "provides valuable information that can help identify students who are best positioned to thrive at Vanderbilt" when considered alongside the rest of a student's application.

Vanderbilt's announcement does not say which tests will satisfy the new requirement or whether a minimum score will be expected. We also don't see anything about whether the requirement applies to homeschooled applicants, international applicants, or students applying to transfer from another college. The announcement doesn't say whether the test requirement is meant to be permanent or whether Vanderbilt could revisit it again after the fall 2029 class enrolls. We don't know yet whether other parts of the application, such as essays or interviews, will change alongside this one.

If your student is still years away from applying to Vanderbilt, it makes sense to plan on taking a standardized test, since scores are likely to become part of a complete application again. If your student is closer to applying, check which application cycle their class falls into before changing any testing plans, since the rules are different depending on when they apply. Because Vanderbilt hasn't spelled out every detail yet, such as which tests will count or how the policy applies to every kind of applicant, it's worth checking Vanderbilt's own admissions site again before your student submits an application, rather than relying on what was true for an older class year.