The USG Announces Institutional Admissions Standards for 2026-27 and 2027-28

During the academic year 2025-2026 that is now coming to a close, the University System of Georgia (USG) continued its temporary waiver of test score requirements. With state colleges already test optional, this meant no test scores were required for admission at 22 of USG’s 25 public colleges and universities. The temporary waiver did not apply to the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia and Georgia College & State University. For academic year 2025-2026, the 22 remaining institutions had two options for making admissions decisions: (1) schools could use the Freshman Index formula that includes the student’s high school grade point average and test scores for either the SAT or ACT, and (2) schools could use a test-optional approach that considers a student’s grade point average on the required high school curriculum without a standardized test score at various minimum grade point averages. For Augusta University and Georgia State University, a 3.4 GPA was required. For the comprehensive universities, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Southern University, University of West Georgia and Valdosta State University, a 3.2 GPA was required. For the state universities, Albany State University, Clayton State University, Columbus State University, Fort Valley State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Middle Georgia State University, Savannah State University and the University of North Georgia, a 3.0 GPA was required. State colleges, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, College of Coastal Georgia, Dalton State College, Georgia Gwinnett College, Georgia Highlands College, Gordon State College and South Georgia State College, continued to be test-optional in accordance with Board of Regents policy. Test-optional admission was additionally extended to the Dual Enrollment Program through Academic Year 2025-2026. This program provides Georgia high school students the opportunity to earn college credit alongside their high school diploma. Test scores continued to be required to apply for Zell Miller scholarships in accordance with state of Georgia requirements. For the academic year 2026-2027, SAT or ACT scores will be required for the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Augusta University, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Southern University and Georgia College & State University. All other institutions may require test scores based on the applicant's high school grade point average. Presidents of state colleges may elect whether to establish a minimum Freshman Index (FI) requirement. For applicants requiring test scores, institutions will calculate the FI and adhere to the minimum sector FI as outlined above. Lastly, for the academic year 2027-28, Classic Learning Test (CLT) scores may be substituted for SAT scores based on the CLT-SAT concordance tables at all test-optional and test-mandatory institutions, with the only exceptions being Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.