Does applying to college make you feel like you're trying to walk through a door but don't yet have the keys? To gain access, first you need to understand exactly what the colleges you're interested in require. This can be tricky with the SAT Subject Tests, as different colleges have different policies.
We've compiled a comprehensive list of all the colleges that require SAT Subject Tests, along with others that recommend or consider them as part of your application. As policies are continually changing, always double-check with the school about their standardized testing requirements. Let us know in the comments if we need to make any updates!
UPDATE: SAT Subject Tests No Longer Offered or Required
In January 2021, the College Board announced that, effective immediately, no further SAT Subject Tests will be offered in the United States (and that SAT Subject Tests will only be offered internationally only through June 2021). It is now no longer possible to take SAT Subject Tests.
In the past several years, many schools have dropped their Subject Test requirements, and by the time the College Board made their announcement, nearly no schools required them. With this news, no colleges will require Subject Tests, even from students who could have hypothetically taken the exams a few years ago. Some schools may consider your Subject Test scores if you submit them, similar to how they consider AP scores, but you should contact the specific schools you're interested in to learn their exact policies.
Many students were understandably confused about why this announcement happened midyear and what this means for college applications going forward. Read more about the details of what the end of SAT Subject Tests means for you and your college apps here.
Colleges That Consider SAT Subject Tests
This chart shows the standardized testing policies for 2021/2022. We've marked four policies towards the Subject Tests: required, recommended, considered, and alternative.
- Required means you have to take the SAT Subject Tests. As we mentioned above, with SAT Subject Tests no longer being offered, we expect school who haven't already to end their Subject Test requirement.
- Recommended is a little vague, as it leaves the decision up to you whether or not to send SAT Subject Test scores. If you can achieve high scores or want to make up for a low SAT score, then it's a good idea to send Subject Test scores to these schools. If your scores are low and will look like an outlier on your application, you might be better served not sending them. In most of these cases, though, colleges will likely appreciate that you took on the extra challenge and can demonstrate subject mastery.
- Considered means that the colleges do not necessarily expect your SAT Subject Test scores, but they will factor them in if you decide to send them. If you have a real interest in a particular subject or it's connected to your future academic and/or professional goals, then it may enhance your application to send a (strong) Subject Test score.
- Alternative means that colleges have unique policies that may be test flexible. For more on this, check out the full list of test optional and test flexible schools here.
We've sorted the list alphabetically for your convenience. Find all your schools of interest, and scroll down to the end to read our tips on SAT Subject Tests.
| College | Category | Policy |
| Boston College | Considered | SAT II Subject Tests are optional. If you would like to highlight a talent in a specific area, you are welcome to submit SAT Subject Tests for consideration with your application. Subject Tests, particularly in foreign languages and the sciences, may be used for placement during the first year. |
| Bowdoin College | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. |
| Brown University | Considered | If submitted, Subject Tests will be considered as part of your application. Students who have not taken the Subject Tests will be at no disadvantage in Brown's admission process. |
| Bucknell University | Considered | Students may submit their SAT Subject Test scores as supplemental information to their application. Bucknell does recommend the test in foreign language for any student planning to enroll in foreign language coursework. |
| California Institute of Technology | Considered | Caltech recently dropped its requirement of 2 subject tests and now only considers them. |
| Carleton College | Considered | Applicants may submit the results of their SAT subject tests. "We have found these tests valuable aids in the assessment of the quality of student achievement in a wide variety of secondary school programs. It has been our experience that SAT subject test results usually enhance a candidate's credentials and only rarely constitute a negative factor." |
| Claremont McKenna | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. Homeschooled students are recommended to submit two SAT Subject Tests, one of which must be math. |
| Colby College | Considered | Colby is test optional. Students may choose whether to submit the results of their standardized test scores with their application for admission. |
| College of the Holy Cross | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. |
| Colorado College | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. |
| Columbia University | Considered | The SAT Subject Test scores are not required, but Columbia will accept scores from the exams if you choose to submit them. You will not be at a disadvantage should you choose not to take the tests or submit the scores to Columbia. |
| Connecticut College | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. |
| Dartmouth College | Considered | "Not submitting scores will not prevent your candidacy from receiving a full review by the Admissions Committee. If you submit subject test scores, we will include them in our review of your application." |
| Davidson College | Considered | If applicants have taken SAT Subject Tests, Davidson welcomes but does not require those scores. |
| Duke University | Considered | "We do not require SAT Subject Tests." |
| Emory University | Considered | "SAT II subject exams are optional to submit, and they will be reviewed in the same fashion as SAT or ACT scores" |
| Franklin Olin College of Engineering | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| George Washington University | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Georgetown University | Considered | "We will still accept scores from international Subject Test sittings, which will continue until June 2021. We recognize that international students often cannot take or should not take the Subject Tests. The lack of Subject Tests will not be a negative factor." |
| Hamilton College | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Harvard College | Considered | "If you choose to submit Subject Tests (although they are no longer a requirement), it is more useful to choose only one mathematics test rather than two. Similarly, if your first language is not English, a Subject Test in your first language may be less helpful. You should submit scores from tests taken in the past three years." |
| Ithaca College | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. SAT Subject Tests are still considered optional supplements for homeschooled applicants. |
| Johns Hopkins University | Considered | "Applicants have the option of submitting SAT Subject Tests in one or more areas of interest as a way to demonstrate an academic strength, but they are not required." |
| Lafayette College | Considered | "The results of SAT Subject Tests are not required for admission. Some academic departments do use scores from these tests for placement purposes." |
| Lehigh University | Recommended | SAT Subject Tests are not required for admissions but are recommended as college credit may be awarded for scores of 700 or higher. |
| Macalester College | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| McGill University | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Middlebury College | Considered | Test optional. Subject Tests considered if submitted. |
| New York University | Alternative | NYU is test-optional for the 2021/2022 admissions cycle, but normally their test policy is as follows: Test requirements satisfied by fulfilling one of the following:
Students who choose to submit three SAT Subject Tests, AP or IB scores must submit one in literature or the humanities, one in math or science, and one of the student's choice. |
| Northwestern University | Considered | "SAT subject tests are optional. Subject exams...allow students to demonstrate their skill level(s) in a particular area. However, subject tests may be from topics outside of your potential major. Prospective students who do not submit SAT subject test results will not be penalized; we recognize that many applicants may not have the opportunity to sign up for the exams." |
| Oberlin College | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Occidental College | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Pomona College | Considered [Recommended for homeschooled applicants] | SAT Subject Test scores are optional. In addition to the SAT or ACT test results, home-schooled students are encouraged, although not required, to submit results of at least two SAT Subject or Advanced Placement exams |
| Pratt Institute | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Princeton University | Considered | "If you choose to take SAT Subject Tests we have no preference for the specific tests applicants might choose to take. If you apply for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, we recommend that you take mathematics Level I or II, and either physics or chemistry." |
| Reed College | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Rice University | Considered | "Students who have completed the SAT Subject Tests may submit these tests for consideration. Typically, these tests show mastery within specific subject areas and can show strength, particularly in the STEM fields. However, due to the cancellation of the SAT Subject Test after Spring 2021 by the College Board, students not submitting subject tests will not be disadvantaged." |
| Smith College | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| Stanford University | Considered | "SAT Subject Tests are optional. Because SAT Subject Test scores can highlight your areas of strength, we welcome the self-reporting of these results in your application. If you have taken a subject test more than once, you may report your highest score." |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Considered | Test optional. SAT Subject Tests considered if submitted. |
| Union College | Considered | Test optional. SAT Subject Tests considered if submitted. |
| University of California, Berkeley | Considered | SAT Subject Tests considered if submitted. |
| University of California, Davis | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, Irvine | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, Merced | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, Riverside | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, San Diego | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Considered | SAT II subject tests are optional for all applicants. |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | Considered | UCSC does not use the SAT Subject Tests for selection purposes, but you can use SAT Subject Tests to satisfy the "a-g" UC requirements. |
| University of Chicago | Considered | "SAT Subject Tests scores are entirely optional, and not sending Subject Test scores will not hurt your application." |
| University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | Considered | You may submit supplemental scores from AP, IB or SAT Subject tests if you think they are a good reflection of your mastery of the material. |
| University of Notre Dame | Considered | SAT Subject Tests, AP, and IB tests are only used in the application process if scores enhance an application. |
| University of Pennsylvania | Considered | SAT II subject tests are considered if submitted. |
| University of Rochester | Considered | Test optional. Subject Test scores considered if submitted |
| University of Southern California |
Considered [Recommended for homeschooled students] |
"Although the application process for the 2021-2022 Academic Year is test-optional, we still find it helpful to have work from home-schooled students that is externally graded or examined. Therefore, we recommend submitting either SAT/ACT results, SAT subject exam results, AP exam results, or transcripts from college courses or other accredited online schooling programs if possible." |
| University of Virginia | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Vanderbilt University | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Vassar College | Considered | SAT Subject Tests are not required, and students opting not to send Subject Tests will not be penalized. However, SAT Subject Tests will be considered if submitted as part of a testing profile. Subject Tests may enhance an applicant's credentials, particularly for applicants from non-traditional school backgrounds (homeschooled, non-graded schools, etc.). Note that a strong score on an SAT Subject Test is also one way to fulfill Vassar's Foreign Language Proficiency requirement. |
| Wake Forest University | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. Subject Test Scores may be self-reported. |
| Washington and Lee University | Considered | Subject Tests are considered if submitted. |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Considered | "We will only consider them if they strengthen your application." |
| Wesleyan University | Considered | Test Optional for US and Canadian students. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Considered | Test Optional. SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests are all optional, but will be considered if submitted. |
Other Schools that Require or Recommend SAT Subject Tests
In the past College Board has also suggested that the following additional schools use SAT Subject Tests when they determine admission. If you're interested in any of these schools, look up their website or give them a call to find out if they're still considering SAT Subject Tests during the 2021-2022 application cycle. (After that cycle, so few students applying will have had the opportunity to take an SAT Subject Test that most schools will likely stop naming it as a factor in admissions decisions.)
Alaska
- University of Alaska Southeast
Arizona
- Arizona State University
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Prescott Campus
- University of Advancing Technology
- University of Arizona
California
- American Academy of Dramatic Arts
- American Jewish University
- Art Institute of California: Los Angeles
- Art Institute of California: San Francisco
- California State University: Fullerton
- Cogswell Polytechnical College
- Concordia University Irvine
- Hult International Business School
- Loyola Marymount University
- Menlo College
- Notre Dame de Namur University
- Pacific Union College
- San Diego Christian College
- San Francisco State University
- Santa Clara University
- Sonoma State University
- University of California: Santa Barbara
- University of La Verne
- University of San Diego
- Westmont College
Connecticut
- Eastern Connecticut State University
- Western Connecticut State University
Delaware
- Delaware Technical Community College: Stanton/Wilmington Campus
- Delaware Technical Community College: Terry Campus
- Goldey-Beacom College
District of Columbia
- Howard University
Florida
- Ave Maria University
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Daytona Beach Campus
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Worldwide Campus
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Florida International University
- Jacksonville University
- New College of Florida
- Pasco-Hernando State College
- University of South Florida: Sarasota-Manatee
Georgia
- Albany Technical College
- Armstrong State University
- Brenau University
- Emmanuel College
- Georgia Gwinnett College
- Gordon State College
- Mercer University
- Point University
- Savannah State University
- Spelman College
- Wesleyan College
Hawaii
- Hawaii Pacific University
- University of Hawaii: West Oahu
Idaho
- Boise Bible College
- Brigham Young University-Idaho
Illinois
- Augustana College
- Columbia College Chicago
- Concordia University Chicago
- Eastern Illinois University
- Greenville University
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Monmouth College
- North Park University
- Northwestern College
- Principia College
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Indiana
- Bethel College
- Calumet College of St. Joseph
- Earlham College
- Holy Cross College
- Huntington University
- Indiana State University
- Kaplan College: Indianapolis
Iowa
- Briar Cliff University
- Buena Vista University
- Cornell College
- Divine Word College
- Loras College
- Maharishi University of Management
- Simpson College
- St. Luke's College
- Wartburg College
- William Penn University
Kansas
- Barclay College
- MidAmerica Nazarene University
- Sterling College
- Wichita State University
Kentucky
- Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Louisiana
- Tulane University
- Xavier University of Louisiana
Maine
- College of the Atlantic
- Maine College of Art
- University of Maine at Presque Isle
Maryland
- Capitol Technology University
- McDaniel College
- St. John's College
- St. John's College
- St. Mary's College of Maryland
- University of Baltimore
Massachusetts
- Bay Path University
- Bentley University
- Eastern Nazarene College
- Emerson College
- Gordon College
- Lesley University
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy
- MCPHS University
- Mount Holyoke College
- Pine Manor College
- Regis College
- School of the Museum of Fine Arts
- Stonehill College
- Suffolk University
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Michigan
- Albion College
- Calvin College
- Finlandia University
- Grace Bible College
- Lake Superior State University
- Northwood University: Michigan
- University of Detroit Mercy
Minnesota
- College of St. Scholastica
- McNally Smith College of Music
- Minnesota State University Mankato
- St. Mary's University of Minnesota
- St. Olaf College
- University of Minnesota: Crookston
- University of Northwestern - St. Paul
Mississippi
- Delta State University
- Southeastern Baptist College
Missouri
- Calvary University
- Culver-Stockton College
Montana
- University of Great Falls
Nebraska
- Doane University
- Hastings College
New Hampshire
- Franklin Pierce University
- University of New Hampshire at Manchester
New Jersey
- College of St. Elizabeth
- Felician University
- Stockton University
New York
- Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- Alfred University
- American Academy of Dramatic Arts: West
- Bryant & Stratton College: Albany
- City University of New York: Baruch College
- City University of New York: New York City College of Technology
- Concordia College
- Daemen College
- Dominican College of Blauvelt
- Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester
- Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts
- Fordham University
- Hartwick College
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges
- Hofstra University
- Ithaca College
- LIU Brooklyn
- LIU Post
- Medaille College
- Monroe Community College
- Mount Saint Mary College
- New York Institute of Technology
- Parsons The New School for Design
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Sarah Lawrence College
- St. Elizabeth College of Nursing
- St. Lawrence University
- SUNY College at Old Westbury
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- The New School College of Performing Arts
- Utica College
- Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
- Wagner College
- Yeshiva University
North Carolina
- Queens University of Charlotte
- University of North Carolina at Asheville
- Warren Wilson College
- Western Carolina University
North Dakota
- Minot State University
- University of Mary
Ohio
- Bluffton University
- John Carroll University
- Otterbein University
- University of Dayton
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City University
- University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Oregon
- Concordia University
- Concordia University
- Oregon College of Art & Craft
- Oregon State University
- Pacific Northwest College of Art
- Southern Oregon University
- University of Portland
Pennsylvania
- Allegheny College
- Arcadia University
- Art Institute of Pittsburgh
- Cabrini University
- DeVry University: Fort Washington
- Gettysburg College
- Gwynedd Mercy University
- Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
- Holy Family University
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
- La Salle University
- Lebanon Valley College
- Moore College of Art and Design
- Moravian College
- Seton Hill University
- St. Francis University
- Temple University
- Thiel College
- Valley Forge Military College
Puerto Rico
- Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Barranquitas Campus
- Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Bayamon Campus
- University of Puerto Rico: Arecibo
- University of Puerto Rico: Carolina Regional College
- University of Puerto Rico: Humacao
- University of Puerto Rico: Mayaguez
- University of Puerto Rico: Ponce
- University of Puerto Rico: Utuado
South Carolina
- Charleston Southern University
- Clemson University
Tennessee
- Cumberland University
- Fisk University
- Tennessee Wesleyan University
- The University of the South
Texas
- Austin College
- Huston-Tillotson University
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
- Texas Christian University
- Texas Woman's University
- University of Houston-Victoria
- University of Texas at Dallas
- University of the Incarnate Word
Vermont
- Bennington College
- Champlain College
- College of St. Joseph in Vermont
- Green Mountain College
- Marlboro College
- Vermont Technical College
Virginia
- Emory & Henry College
- Hampden-Sydney College
- Patrick Henry College
- Randolph College
- Richard Bland College
- Roanoke College
- Sweet Briar College
- University of Virginia's College at Wise
- Virginia Wesleyan University
Washington
- DigiPen Institute of Technology
- University of Washington Tacoma
Wisconsin
- Beloit College
- Carroll University
- Lakeland University
- Lawrence University
- Marian University
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Mount Mary University
- Ripon College
- University of Wisconsin-Parkside
- University of Wisconsin-River Falls
SAT Subject Tests: Final Thoughts
As with all parts of your application, make sure you're aware of all the requirements, recommendations, and best approaches. Especially since policies are becoming more and more flexible, always double check with your school of interest to make sure you understand what they want.
If you are applying to a test flexible school, you may be able to present your highest score through AP tests or the SAT Subject Tests. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, take some practice tests, and get a sense of where you will perform best.
What's Next?
Click here to see the full list of SAT Subject Tests and learn how to choose which tests are best for you.
Another important consideration is when to take the Subject Tests, especially since you might also be taking the SAT, ACT, AP exams, and finals. This article tells you all the dates on which the various Subject Tests are offered and offers some advice on your most effective schedule.
Are you also taking the SAT? The SAT requires a lot of prep to score well, and first you have to figure out when to make time to prep in your busy schedule. Read all about when you should begin to study so you can maximize your scores.
