Wegen Corona: Bei diesen US-Unis muss 2020 kein SAT eingereicht werden

Die University of California hat im April den Anfang gemacht, inzwischen haben mehr als 100 weitere Colleges und Universitäten nachgezogen: Weil es in diesem Jahr wegen der Covid-19-Pandemie vielerorts sehr schwierig ist, die vorgeschriebenen Studieneignungstests SAT und ACT (mehrfach) abzulegen, akzeptieren immer mehr US-Unis ausnahmsweise auch Bewerbungen ohne ein entsprechendes Testergebnis. Dies gilt auch für Studienbewerber aus dem Ausland!

Coronakrise verstärkt den Trend zu „test-optional admission“

Der Ansatz, es den den Bewerbern freizustellen, ob sie ein Ergebnis aus SAT oder ACT einreichen möchten, wird als „test-optional policy“ bezeichnet. Wer kein Testergebnis abliefern möchte, soll dadurch keinen Nachteil bei den Zulassungschancen haben. Es wird dann eben stärker auf die Schulnoten und andere Komponenten der Bewerbung geachtet. Bereits vor Corona gab es unter US-Hochschulen einen Trend, diese Tests nicht mehr zwingend zu verlangen, denn an ihrer Aussagekraft bestehen begründete Zweifel. Bislang hielt jedoch die Mehrzahl der US-Unis weiter daran fest. Dass jetzt aufgrund der Ausnahmesituation auch Verfechter der Tests zumindest vorübergehend darauf verzichten oder diese Situation nutzen, um ihre bisherigen Verfahren auf den Prüfstand zu stellen, zeigt dass es weiter in Richtung „test-optional“ gehen wird.

Die folgende Tabelle zeigt die amerikanischen Colleges und Universitäten, die als Reaktion auf Covid-19 vorübergehend oder dauerhaft keine Testergebnisse aus SAT oder ACT verlangen (Stand: 24. Juni 2020). Nicht aufgeführt sind die US-Hochschulen, die bereits vorher eine „test-optional policy“ umgesetzt hatten. Eine aktuelle Liste dieser Hochschulen gibt es auf der Webseite der Organisation FairTest.

Wichtig: „Test-optional“ ist nicht gleich „test-blind“

Dass SAT- oder ACT-Ergebnisse für die kommende Bewerbungsrunde und zum Teil darüber hinaus nicht verlangt werden, heißt natürlich nicht, dass man nicht trotzdem welche einreichen kann. Auf fast allen unten verlinkten Uni-Webseiten findet sich der Hinweis, dass Bewerber, die über SAT/ACT-Ergebnisse verfügen, diese gerne einreichen dürfen, und dass die Punktzahlen bei der Zulassungsentscheidung durchaus berücksichtigt werden. „Test-optional“ bedeutet also nicht, dass SAT/ACT überhaupt keine Rolle mehr spielen! Das wäre „test-blind“ (gibt es auch, aber selten, z.B. Caltech). Wer also gute oder sehr gute Ergebnisse in SAT oder ACT erzielt hat, kann der eigenen Bewerbung damit weiterhin einen positiven Kick geben.

Außerdem noch der Hinweis, dass die „test-optional“-Regelungen sich bei ausländischen Bewerbern nicht auf den Nachweis der Sprachkenntnisse beziehen. Ein Englischtest muss nach wie vor abgelegt werden, auch wenn SAT oder ACT nicht nötig sind. Die meisten Unis akzeptieren die Englisch Tests TOEFL oder IELTS sowieso zunehmend auch den Duolingo Test. Vom TOEFL gibt es derzeit eine At-Home-Variante, die zuhause abgelegt werden kann.


HochschuleRegelung laut WebsiteLink
Albion CollegeTest-optional for students applying for fall 2020How is COVID-19 Affecting Admission?
Alfred UniversityTest-optional for spring and fall 2021 „Test Scores“ (opens in a new tab)“>Siehe „Requirements“ > „Test Scores“
Alma CollegeSuspended SAT/ACT requirements for traditional first-year students between April 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021Admissions & Aid page
Amherst CollegeTest-optional for applicants for the first-year class during the 2020-21 admission cycle
The college has communicated with high schools, letting them know students will not be penalized in admissions for school closures, pass-fail grading, or other similar changes made in response to Covid-19
Amherst announcement
Amherst admissions site
Anderson UniversityTest-optional effective immediatelyAnderson announcement
Babson CollegeTest-optional for students applying for entry in fall 2021
English proficiency exams for non-native English speakers are still required; students can request waiver
Babson announcement
Baylor UniversityTest-optional for 2021Press release
Bentley UniversityTest-optional for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022First-year applicants
Bethany CollegeTest-optional for fall 2020Bethany announcement
Boston CollegeTest optional for first-year applicants during the 2020-21 admission cycle.  
Test-optional policy for 2020-21
Boston UniversityTest-optional for first-year students applying for fall 2021 and spring 2022.
Applies to all undergraduate schools and colleges at BU and all scholarship programs.
BU announcement
BU admissions site
Brandeis UniversityTest-optional for applicants entering fall 2021 and beyondBrandeis Test-Optional Policy
Brown UniversityTest-optional for first-year applicants during the 2020-21 admission cycle. This change is for one year only.Brown announcement
Briar Cliff UniversityWaiving SAT/ACT score requirement for current high school seniorsBriar Cliff announcement
Buena Vista UniversityTest-optional for 2021Test-optional announcement
Bucknell UniversityTest-optional beginning in fall 2020 for a 5 year pilot program.Announcement
Butler UniversityTest-optional beginning fall 2021 and beyond. Some programs may still require standardized test scores.Test-optional admission
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)Two-year moratorium on SAT and ACT requirements (test-blind)Caltech announcement
California State UniversityAll 23 CalState campuses: No SAT/ACT requirements for the academic year 2021-2022High School Guidance: Fall 2021 Prospective First-Time First-Year Students
Carleton CollegeAdopting a one-year test-optional policy for first-year applicants applying for admission for entry in Fall 2021Criteria for admission
Carnegie Mellon UniversityTest-optional policy for one year, removing the SAT/ACT standardized testing requirement for first-year Fall 2021 applicants.Carnegie Mellon announcement
Case Western Reserve UniversityTest-optional for students entering fall 2021CWRU announcement
Centre CollegeTest-optional for 2021, 2022, and 2023 admission cyclesCentre announcement
Claremont McKenna CollegeAdopting a one-year test-optional policy for all first-year students applying for admission in Fall 2021CMC announcement
Clarkson UniversityOne-year test-optional policy for all first-year students applying for admission in Fall 2021Clarkson announcement
Coastal Carolina UniversityTest-optional for fall 2021 applicants with a minimum 3.5 high school GPACCU announcement
College of CharlestonTest-optional for fall 2021. The pilot program will be evaluated next summer and a determination on whether or not to continue it will be made for the next admissions cycle.News release
College of Coastal GeorgiaTest-optional for summer and fall 2020Announcement
Colgate UniversityTest-optional for students entering fall 2021Colgate announcement
College of WoosterTest-optional for fall 2021 entering class and beyondWooster announcement
Columbia UniversityTest-optional for first year applicants to Columbia College and Columbia Engineering 2020-2021 admission cycle.Revised Testing Policy for 2020-2021 application cycle
The Cooper UnionTwo-year test-optional pilot program for students entering fall 2021 and fall 2022Applying to Cooper Union
Cornell UniversityTest-optional for 2021 applicantsAnnouncement
Dartmouth CollegeOne-year suspension of the university’s standardized testing requirement for candidates seeking undergraduate admission in 2021Dartmouth admissions blog
Davidson CollegeTest-optional for a three-year period, beginning with students entering fall 2021Davidson announcement
Drury UniversityTest-optional school, beginning with applications for fall 2021 and beyond. Test-optional applicants will have an additional 250 to 500-word essay as part of the scholarship and award process.Drury announcement
Duke UniversityOne-year test-optional policy for students applying for admission to the first-year undergraduate class in the 2020-21 admissions cycle.Duke statement
Eckerd CollegeTest-optional for two-year pilot program (fall 2021 – fall 2022)Announcement
Elon UniversityTest-optional beginning in fall 2021 in a three-year pilot programPress release
Fordham UniversityTest-optional for two-year period beginning with the fall 2021 classAnnouncement
Franklin CollegeTest-optional for current high school seniors for the remainder of the 2019-20 school yearFranklin announcement
Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown will be „flexible“ and fully consider applications from students who encounter difficulties completing standardized tests and are thus unable to provide SAT or ACT scores.Covid-19 admissions update
Gonzaga UniversityTest-optional for students applying for college admission for fall 2021. Gonzaga announcement
Grand Valley State UniversityTest-optional for fall 2021Undergraduate admissions requirements (under „Freshman requirements“)
Greenville UniversityTest-optional for 2021 and beyondPress release
Hamilton CollegeTest-optional for 2021-2022 academic yearHamilton announcement
Harvard UniversityTest-optional for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. „Harvard College will allow students to apply for admission to the Class of 2025 without requiring standardized test scores.“Admission application considerations
Haverford CollegeTest-optional for first-year and transfer applicants for a three-year trial beginning with students entering fall 2021Haverford admissions blog announcement
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignTests optional for fall 2021 freshman applicantsAnnouncement
Indiana University BloomingtonTest-optional beginning in 2021About test-optional admissions
IUPUITest-optional beginning 2021 and beyondAdmissions page (under „Regarding the SAT or ACT exam“)
Johns Hopkins UniversityOne-year test-optional policy for the Class of 2025 (students applying for entry in the fall of 2021)Standardized test information
Kenyon CollegeAdopting a one-year test-optional policy for all students applying for admission in fall 2021Standardized testing at Kenyon
Limestone CollegeTest-optional for students entering fall 2020. Students who have SAT and ACT scores are still encouraged to submit them.Limestone announcement
Loyola Marymount UniversityTest-optional for fall 2021 applicantsLMU announcement
Loyola University New OrleansTest-blind starting in fall 2021.Announcement
Macalester CollegeBeginning with the fall 2021 admission cycle, submission of ACT or SAT test results is optional.Standardized testing policy
Mansfield UniversityTest-optional for students entering fall 2020. Admitted students who did not submit SAT/ACT scores (1) may need to take placement tests during orientation and (2) eligible for a narrower range of merit awards.Mansfield announcement
McMurry University (TX)Test-optional for fall 2020McMurry announcement
Mercer UniversityTest-optional for first-year applicants for summer or fall 2020First-Year Admissions
Middlebury CollegeTest-optional policy for at least 3 years, through fall 2023, on a trial basisMiddlebury announcement
Millersville UniversityExpanding its test-optional policy (previously limited to local residents) to all students entering fall 2020Millersville Test-Optional FAQ page
MITSAT Subject Tests no longer used in undergraduate admissionsMIT announcement
NCAA Eligibility CenterWaiving SAT/ACT requirement for student-athletes entering Division I and II colleges in the 2020-2021 academic year (applies only to students graduating in spring/summer 2020).
The Eligibility Center will also adjust its approach to pass/fail grades received in spring/summer 2020 by students at all grade levels.
NCAA Eligibility Center COVID-19 FAQ

Announcement
Northeastern UniversityTest-optional for prospective students for the 2021-2022 academic year. Includes undergraduate and graduate students.Northeastern announcement
Northwestern UniversityTemporary test-optional policy for the 2020–2021 admission cycleNorthwestern announcement
Oberlin CollegeMoving to a test-optional model for the next three years starting with the 2020-2021 admissions cycle, and continuing as a pilot program through the 2022-2023 application year.Oberlin announcement
Oregon State UniversityTest-optional for undergraduates entering in fall 2021 and beyondOSU announcement
Penn State UniversityPenn State is making SAT/ACT score submissions optional for prospective students applying for summer or fall 2021 admission. Penn State news
Pepperdine UniversityTest-optional for undergraduate international students and US students studying outside of the United States for the 2021-2022 academic yearRevised Standardized Testing Policy
Pomona CollegeTest-optional for first-year and transfer students entering in fall 2021Pomona announcement
Princeton UniversityTest-optional for the 2020-2021 admission cycle. Applications without test scores will be considered complete. Covid-19 update
Purdue University NorthwestTest-optional for summer and fall 2020Admissions page
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTest-optional for fall 2021 and spring 2022Announcement
Rhodes CollegeTest-optional for three years, which will serve as a pilot project to determine if the test-optional policy should continueRhodes announcement
Rice UniversityTest-optional for 2020-2021 applicantsRice announcement
Rochester Institute of TechnologyTest scores can be self-reported on application for fall 2020. Students admitted will be required to submit official scores if they enroll. Test-optional for some programs for fall 2020. Fall 2021 and beyond, RIT will be test-optional.Press release
Rutgers University – CamdenTest-optional for fall 2020Camden Undergraduate Admissions
Rutgers University – NewarkTest-optional for fall 2020 and fall 2021Newark Undergraduate Admissions
Rutgers University – New BrunswickTest-optional for fall 2020 and fall 2021New Brunswick enrollment FAQs
Saint Louis UniversityTest-optional for 2021-2022 academic year for most programsAnnouncement
Santa Clara UniversityTest-optional for a two-year period for first-year and transfer students beginning with students entering in fall 2021. Will reassess whether to reinstate the testing requirement after the two-year period.Santa Clara announcement
Scripps CollegeTest-optional for students entering in fall 2021 and beyondScripps announcement
Seattle UniversityTest-optional starting fall 2021SU announcement
Southern Methodist UniversityTest-optional for spring 2021 and fall 2021Undergraduate Temporary Test-Optional Policy
St. Edward’s UniversityTest-optional for undergraduate applicants for fall 2021 and beyondSt. Edward’s announcement
St. Olaf CollegeTest-optional for fall 2021 and beyondSt. Olaf announcement
St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeTest-optional for fall 2020STAC announcement
Stanford UniversityTest-optional for applicants during the 2020-2021 admission cycleIn response to Covid-19
Swarthmore CollegeTest-optional for applicants during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 cyclesSwarthmore announcement
Tennessee State UniversityTest-optional for fall 2020Announcement
Texas Christian UniversityTest-optional for students entering in fall 2021TCU announcement
The College of New JerseyTest-optional beginning with 2020-2021 admission cycle for a three-year period. Does not apply to the seven-year medical program or optometry program.Announcement
Trinity University (TX)Test-optional for a three-year period starting with applicants for fall 2021. Applicants can self-report unofficial test scores via applicant portal.Trinity announcement
Tufts UniversityTest-optional for all undergraduates for a three-year period, beginning with students entering fall 2021. Will determine whether to reinstate testing requirement at the end of the three-year period.Tufts announcement
Tulane UniversityTest-optional for students applying for a spot in the class entering fall 2021Tulane announcement and FAQ
University of California System (UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego etc.)Test-optional for 2021-2022. Test-blind for 2023-2024. UC aims to develop their own admissions test for California students by 2025.UC announcement
University of Central MissouriTest-optional beginning in fall 2020 for students with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Announcement
University of CincinnatiTest-optional for a two-year period starting with 2021 applicantsAnnouncement
University of ConnecticutTest-optional beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year for the next three admission cyclesPress release
University of the CumberlandsAdopting a test-optional policy for current and future applicants.Cumberlands announcement
University of Hawai’i at ManoaTest-optional for 2021-2022 academic years.Announcement
University of HoustonTest-optional for summer and fall 2020Admissions: Freshmen: No Test Score
University of LouisvilleTest-optional for spring 2021, summer 2021 and fall 2021ACT/SAT information
University of MiamiPiloting test-optional policy for fall 2021Announcement
University of New EnglandPiloting a test-blind policy for 2020-2021 academic yearAnnouncement
University of MobileTest-optional for fall 2020University of Mobile announcement
University of North Carolina SystemChange in minimum admissions requirements: 2.5 GPA or 1010 combined SAT score/19 composite ACT score; applicants must submit test scores but system schools may choose to admit based on GPA alone. Each UNC system school has freedom to set its own requirements above these minimums.UNC System announcement

Daily Tar Heel article about the new policy
University of Notre DameTest-optional for the 2020-21 application yearNotre Dame announcement
University of OregonTest-optional for students entering fall 2021 and beyond. Standardized test scores will still be needed for certain automatic scholarships.UO announcement
University of PennsylvaniaUPenn will not require the SAT or ACT for the 2020-21 first-year and transfer admissions cycles (one-year policy)Announcement
University of Pittsburgh Bradford CampusTest-optional for fall 2020Announcement
University of RichmondTest-optional for fall 2021Announcement
University of Southern CaliforniaTest-optional for 2021-2022 academic yearAnnouncement
University System of GeorgiaTest-optional for students entering summer and fall 2021. Students without test scores must meet specific GPA thresholds. Applies to all USG schools except UGA and Georgia Tech, which have already fall class waitlists.USG announcement
University of Texas, AustinOne-year test-optional policy for first-year students in the 2020-21 admission cycle.UT Austin announcement
University of ToledoPiloting a test-optional admissions model for summer and fall 2020UToledo test-optional admissions page
University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia will not require that applicants submit standardized testing to be considered for admission for at least the next application cycleUVA announcement
University of WashingtonTest-optional for fall 2021Announcement
Vanderbilt UniversityFor the 2021-22 academic year, the admissions process will be test-optional for all first-year and transfer applicants, including international and homeschool students.Vanderbilt announcement
Vassar CollegePiloting a test-optional policy for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. Will evaluate after the one-year pilot to determine whether test-optional policy should continue.Vassar announcement
Villanova UniversityTest-optional for 2020-2021Announcement
Virginia TechTest-optional for 2020-2021.Announcement
Washington and Lee UniversityTest-optional for 2021 applicantsAnnouncement
Wellesley CollegeTest-optional for first-year applicants entering in fall 2021. Suspending the Regular Decision with Early Evaluation option for first-year applicants entering fall 2021.Wellesley admissions page
Western Michigan UniversityTest-optional admission policy for students applying for the remainder of fall 2020 and for 2021 entry termsAdmission criteria
Westminster College (PA)Waiving SAT/ACT requirements for students entering fall 2020Westminster announcement
West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeTest-optional for spring 2021 and fall 2021Announcement
William and MaryLaunching a three-year test-optional pilot program with the 2020-2021 academic yearAnnouncement
Williams CollegeTest-optional for students applying as freshmen or transfers during the 2020-21 admissions cycle. For students who choose to submit scores, results will be considered as part of the holistic admissions process. Williams announcement
Yale UniversityTest-optional policy for 2020-2021 undergraduate admissions cycleYale announcement

Stand: 24. Juni 2020. Kein Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit.