Test-optional & test-blind US universities
The SAT and ACT can be a hard logistical wall — especially in countries with limited test centres. Below are universities that either don't require a test (optional) or won't even look at one if you submit it (blind). The list also flags the universities that have reverted to required since 2024 — apply elsewhere if you cannot test.
Always confirm directly on the partner's admissions site before applying — policies are reviewed annually. We refresh this list quarterly against the FairTest national roster.
| University | State | Policy | Applies to | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caltech | CA | Test-blind | Through 2025 | Will not consider SAT/ACT through current cycle; under review for future cycles. | Source |
| Hampshire College | MA | Test-blind | Permanent | Test-blind since 2014. Narrative-evaluation institution — strong fit for portfolio-based African applicants. | Source |
| Pitzer College | CA | Test-blind | Permanent | Will not consider SAT/ACT scores even if submitted. Excellent option for African applicants with no test access. | Source |
| University of California system | CA | Test-blind | Permanent | All 9 UC campuses (UCLA, Berkeley, San Diego, etc.) will not consider SAT/ACT. Huge accessibility win for African applicants. | Source |
| American University | DC | Test-optional | Permanent | Pathway via Shorelight available; strong international applicant support. | Source |
| Bowdoin College | ME | Test-optional | Permanent (since 1969) | Longest-running test-optional policy in US higher education. Excellent fit for strong African applicants without SAT access. | Source |
| Columbia University | NY | Test-optional | Permanent | Genuinely optional — applications without scores are not flagged in admissions review. | Source |
| Cornell University | NY | Test-optional | 2025 cycle; varies by college | Most undergraduate colleges optional; SC Johnson and Engineering have shifted closer to required. | Source |
| DePaul University | IL | Test-optional | Permanent (since 2012) | Long-running optional. Holistic-review questionnaire substitutes for SAT/ACT. | Source |
| Drexel University | PA | Test-optional | Permanent | Three-co-op model; strong international financial aid for engineering African applicants. | Source |
| George Washington University | DC | Test-optional | Permanent | Optional for nearly all programs; some health-sciences programs are an exception. | Source |
| Northeastern University | MA | Test-optional | Through 2025–26 | Co-op programme makes this a strong post-study work option for African applicants. | Source |
| Smith College | MA | Test-optional | Permanent | Women's college, generous international aid, optional permanently. | Source |
| University of Chicago | IL | Test-optional | Permanent (since 2018) | One of the first elites to go optional; commits to no adverse inference for non-submitters. | Source |
| Wake Forest University | NC | Test-optional | Permanent (since 2008) | Holistic review with conversation-based interview as a substitute. | Source |
| Wesleyan University | CT | Test-optional | Permanent | Optional with no adverse review. Strong financial aid for international applicants. | Source |
| Yale University | CT | Test-flexible | 2025–26 onward | Requires a test score but accepts SAT, ACT, AP or IB. AP/IB is a workable substitute for African applicants without an SAT centre. | Source |
| Brown University | RI | Test-required (reverted) | Reinstated 2025–26 | Requires SAT or ACT. Reverted citing predictive validity for first-generation and lower-income applicants. | Source |
| Dartmouth College | NH | Test-required (reverted) | Reinstated 2024–25 | Requires SAT or ACT. | Source |
| Harvard University | MA | Test-required (reverted) | Reinstated 2025–26 | Reverted to required for fall 2025 entry onward. | Source |
| MIT | MA | Test-required (reverted) | Reinstated 2024 | Requires SAT or ACT for all freshman applicants. Among the first elites to revert. | Source |
| Stanford University | CA | Test-required (reverted) | Reinstated 2025–26 | Requires SAT or ACT for first-year applicants. | Source |
What "test-blind" really means
Test-blind (also called test-free) institutions will not consider SAT or ACT scores even if you submit them — the entire UC system works this way. For African applicants without test-centre access, blind is more reliable than optional, where unconscious bias toward submitters can still creep into review.
Strengthening a no-test application
Lean hard on the rest of the file: KCSE/WAEC/NSC predicted or actual grades, two strong recommendations (one academic, one character), a sharp Common App essay, and any AP, IB, A-Level, or Cambridge AS exams you have sat. Demonstrated leadership in local NGOs, debate, science fairs and Olympiads is read closely.