SAT and ACT scores are central again at most Ivy League universities for the 2026-27 admissions cycle: six of the eight Ivies now require them, and the final two remain test-optional for one last year. For a Singapore JC or IB family, the key move is simple — check each university's exact policy, then plan SAT or ACT testing no later than October–December 2026 to keep all selective US options open.
Source: Harvard College — Application Requirements
Ivy League Testing Policies for 2026-27
Six Ivies require the SAT or ACT for the 2026-27 cycle (autumn 2027 entry): Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell and Penn. Princeton and Columbia remain test-optional for this cycle, but both have announced they will require testing from 2027-28 onward.
| University | 2026-27 testing policy | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | RequiredSAT or ACT; other exams only in exceptional cases | Harvard College |
| Yale | RequiredSAT or ACT; AP/IB no longer listed as alternatives | Yale News |
| Dartmouth | RequiredFor non-US schools, SAT/ACT or AP/IB/A-Levels/national exams can meet it | Dartmouth Admissions |
| Brown | RequiredSAT or ACT | Brown Admission |
| Cornell | RequiredSAT or ACT | Cornell Admissions |
| Penn | RequiredSAT or ACT; hardship waiver available | Penn Admissions |
| Princeton | Test-optional · UNVERIFIED from official pageTest-optional for 2026-27; required from 2027-28 | Daily Princetonian |
| Columbia | Test-optional · UNVERIFIED from official pageTest-optional for 2026-27; required from 2027-28 | Higher Ed Dive |
Sources: Harvard College — Application Requirements ; Yale News — Testing policy update (27 May 2026) ; Dartmouth Admissions — Testing Guidelines ; Brown Undergraduate Admission — Standardized Tests ; Cornell Undergraduate Admissions — Standardized Testing Policy ; Penn Admissions — Testing ; The Daily Princetonian (secondary) ; Higher Ed Dive (secondary)
University-by-University Detail
Harvard
Harvard's application-requirements page states it “requires the SAT or ACT to meet its standardized testing requirement.” Other exams (AP, IB, A-Levels, national leaving exams) can satisfy it only “in exceptional cases” when SAT/ACT are genuinely inaccessible; students holding those other scores “are still expected to take an SAT or ACT” unless cost or access truly prevents it.
Source: Harvard College — Application Requirements
Yale
Yale announced on 27 May 2026 that “beginning with the next admissions cycle, applicants will be required to submit scores from the ACT or SAT,” replacing its post-pandemic test-flexible policy. AP and IB scores — previously accepted alternatives — are no longer listed as substitutes.
Source: Yale News — Testing policy update (27 May 2026)
Dartmouth
Dartmouth states “standardized testing is a required element” of its application. For US-schooled students it requires SAT or ACT (auto-superscored). Crucially for Singapore: students schooled outside the US can meet the requirement five ways — SAT/ACT, three AP scores, predicted/final IB Diploma results, predicted/final A-Level results, or an equivalent national exam. So a Singapore student can meet Dartmouth's requirement through strong IB or A-Levels without SAT/ACT.
Source: Dartmouth Admissions — Testing Guidelines
Brown
Brown “has returned to its previous policy requiring standardized test scores — either SAT or ACT — for first-year applicants.” It superscores both, accepts self-reporting (official scores only after admission), and sets last October (Early Decision) / December (Regular) test dates.
Source: Brown Undergraduate Admission — Standardized Tests
Cornell
Cornell's policy: “Effective for Fall 2026 and beyond, first-year applicants are required to submit the SAT or ACT.” Self-reporting is allowed (official scores required to enrol; inaccurate self-reports can void admission); it superscores both, and the ACT science section is not required.
Source: Cornell Undergraduate Admissions — Standardized Testing Policy
Penn
Penn: “applicants are required to submit scores for the SAT or ACT.” Self-reported scores at application, official before enrolment. For 2026-27: latest SAT 7 Nov 2026 / ACT 17 Oct 2026 (Early Decision); SAT 5 Dec 2026 / ACT 12 Dec 2026 (Regular). Penn superscores both, and offers a hardship waiver.
Source: Penn Admissions — Testing
Princeton and Columbia (test-optional for 2026-27)
Both are reported to remain test-optional for 2026-27 and to require SAT/ACT from 2027-28 (Columbia described as the last Ivy to reinstate). Their official policy pages did not load at the time of writing, so treat these two as indicative and confirm on each university's admissions site.
Sources: The Daily Princetonian (secondary) ; Higher Ed Dive (secondary)
Can AP, IB or A-Levels Replace the SAT/ACT?
At the Ivies that require SAT/ACT, AP/IB/A-Levels generally do not substitute — they add context, and are accepted instead only in narrow hardship cases. Dartmouth is the exception for non-US students (IB/A-Levels/AP/national exams can fulfil the requirement). So relying on IB or A-Levels alone keeps Dartmouth open but may close off Yale, Harvard, Brown, Cornell and Penn unless a documented hardship applies.
Sources: Harvard College — Application Requirements ; Dartmouth Admissions — Testing Guidelines
What “Test-Required” Means for a Singapore Applicant
Four things Singapore families need to know
- Registering: the College Board and ACT run international test centres in Singapore; Ivies accept Singapore sittings the same as US ones and do not differentiate by country.
- Score reporting: several Ivies (Harvard, Brown, Cornell, Penn, Dartmouth) accept self-reported scores at application, with official reports only after admission — saving international reporting fees. Keep accurate records; official reports are required for every superscored sitting once admitted.
- Superscoring: Penn, Brown, Cornell and Dartmouth explicitly superscore SAT and ACT (best section scores across sittings); Harvard/Yale focus on highest scores in practice.
- Hardship waivers: Penn and Harvard describe narrow waiver/exception routes for genuine inability to test; for most Singapore students, with reliable local test access, these will not apply.
Sources: Penn Admissions — Testing ; Brown Undergraduate Admission — Standardized Tests ; Cornell Undergraduate Admissions — Standardized Testing Policy
Practical Timeline for JC2/IB2 Applicants (2026-27 Cycle)
Timeline at a glance
- JC1 / IB Year 1 (2025): strong grades + subject rigour; explore SAT vs ACT (Ivies have no preference).
- March–August 2026: first SAT/ACT sitting — plan it well before September to allow a retake.
- July–September 2026: optional second sitting to improve superscored sections.
- October–December 2026: scores must be on record. Penn's latest SAT dates: 7 Nov (ED) / 5 Dec (RD); Brown sets final October (ED) / December (RD) dates.
- Nov 2026 – Jan 2027: early deadlines ~1 Nov; Regular Decision clusters late Dec–early Jan.
Source: Penn Admissions — Testing
The takeaway for parents: waiting until JC2 Term 1 to “see how it goes” is risky — treating the SAT/ACT as JC1-level planning gives two realistic sittings before deadlines.
Assume the SAT or ACT will be required at most Ivy League and highly-selective US universities, schedule testing by mid-2026, and treat strong scores as a core part of your child's academic story alongside excellent school results.
Note on completeness: Policies for six Ivies are quoted from their official admissions pages; Yale's change is confirmed from Yale News. Princeton and Columbia's official testing pages did not load at the time of writing, so those two entries rely on recent reputable reporting and are marked unverified-from-source — re-check each university's admissions website before committing to a test-optional strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Singapore students need the SAT/ACT if they have strong IB or A-Levels?
In most cases, yes — Harvard, Yale, Brown, Cornell and Penn require SAT or ACT and treat IB/A-Levels as additional evidence, not a substitute (except in rare hardship). Dartmouth is the main exception: non-US students can meet its requirement with IB, AP, A-Levels or national exams instead of SAT/ACT.
Princeton and Columbia are test-optional — should my child still submit scores?
Where possible, yes. Both are expected to stay test-optional for 2026-27 but require scores from 2027-28, and most admitted students still submit strong scores. A Singapore applicant with robust scores is generally better off sending them, unless results are clearly below a university’s typical range.
How many times should my child sit the SAT or ACT?
Ivies do not cap retakes, and several superscore. A practical plan is one main sitting in the first half of 2026 and one follow-up later in the year if needed — benefiting from superscoring without over-testing or hurting JC/IB grades.
How are scores sent from Singapore?
List the universities as score recipients when you register, so official scores are sent automatically; many Ivies also accept self-reported scores via the Common App or their portals at application, with official reports only after admission.
What if a Singapore test centre is full or closed?
Harvard, Brown and Penn provide ways to explain a genuine inability to test, sometimes allowing alternatives or a waiver — but these are for exceptional circumstances. With reliable local centres, Singapore families are expected to plan ahead and use multiple dates.
Related Resources
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What the new US student visa rule means for Singaporean students planning to study abroad from 15 September 2026.
QS World University Rankings 2027
See how NUS and NTU compare globally against Ivy League and other US universities Singaporean students consider.
The bottom line
For Singapore JC and IB families, the safest approach is clear: assume the SAT or ACT will be required at most Ivy League and highly-selective US universities, schedule testing by mid-2026, and treat strong scores as a core part of your child's academic story alongside excellent school results.
Sources
- 1.Harvard College — Application Requirements. college.harvard.edu
- 2.Yale News — Undergraduate admissions updates testing policy (27 May 2026). news.yale.edu
- 3.Dartmouth Admissions — Testing Guidelines. admissions.dartmouth.edu
- 4.Brown Undergraduate Admission — Standardized Tests. admission.brown.edu
- 5.Cornell Undergraduate Admissions — Standardized Testing Policy. admissions.cornell.edu
- 6.University of Pennsylvania — Testing. admissions.upenn.edu
- 7.The Daily Princetonian — Princeton to require SAT/ACT from 2027-28 (secondary). dailyprincetonian.com
- 8.Higher Ed Dive — Columbia reinstates SAT/ACT requirements for 2027-28 (secondary). highereddive.com
Cite this page: SGSchoolKaki Education Team, “Ivy League SAT/ACT 2026-27: Singapore Testing Guide,” SGSchoolKaki, 10 Sept 2026, https://sgschoolkaki.com/blog/ivy-league-sat-act-required-2026-2027.