Test Optional Admission

UMSL has adopted a test-optional admission policy for first-time college applicants for the spring, summer, and fall 2024 terms. 

Test-optional means ACT/SAT scores will not be required for admission decisions, and applicants will have the option of being reviewed with or without standardized test scores. 

Our goal is to ensure that all high-achieving, motivated students have access to the University of Missouri-St. Louis regardless of if they have access to standardized testing or not.

Choosing to be reviewed without test scores means the admission decision will be determined by a committee. To be considered for admission without standardized test scores, applicants must have a 3.0 core GPA or higher. Some students who are reviewed will be conditionally admitted. See below for an understanding of a conditional admit.

Official high school transcripts are required and must be sent directly from the home institution or via a secure third-party transcript exchange service to UMSL Admissions.  

Applicants may also submit a resume and letters of recommendation from high school officials to support their application. However, these supplemental documents are not required for consideration.

May I submit my test scores if I would like to?

Students who believe their ACT or SAT scores represent a strong, positive component of their academic portfolio should submit them as a core element of their application package.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will transfer students need to provide standardized test scores?

Transfer students who apply to UMSL need to provide ACT or SAT scores only if they are under the age of 24 and have less than 24 transferrable hours. They must also provide an official high school transcript in the case above.

Do adult learners have to submit test scores?

Adult learners are defined as students who are outside of the "traditional" college student age (18-22). Students who are 24 years old or older applying for undergraduate admission as first-time college students are not required to provide standardized test scores for the purpose of admission.

Will international students need to provide standardized test scores?

International students who apply to UMSL do not need to provide SAT, SAT subject tests or ACT scores unless they choose to do so. However, if English is not the student's native language, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is required.

Are homeschooled students required to submit standardized test scores?

Homeschooled students have the option to either submit standardized test scores for admission or apply test-optional.

Will GED/HiSET students need to provide standardized test scores?

Yes, GED/HiSET students are required to submit SAT or ACT scores for consideration of admission and academic scholarships unless they are 24 years old or older.