Here at UNH, we know our applicants’ academic abilities are more than a score on one test. That’s why we’ve decided to choose a test-optional approach to our application review process. Our test-optional policy reflects our holistic review to the college application process, in which standardized test scores have never been a deciding factor. Our experience at UNH, as backed up by extensive research, has shown that academic achievement in the classroom is a stronger indicator of student success. With our test-optional approach, we hope students who view standardized tests as a barrier to college will have increased access to a UNH education.
FAQ
Yes. Homeschooled students and those who attend nontraditional schools are eligible to participate in the test-optional program.
Students are encouraged to submit detailed information about the depth of their curriculum, including and/or additional supporting documents as evidence of achievement.
Suggested supporting documents include a graded writing sample, SAT, ACT, SAT II subject tests or AP exam results.
If you are an international student whose native language is not English, you are eligible to take advantage of the test-optional policy. However, if English is not your first language or you are attending a school where English is not the primary language of instruction, you will be required to submit results of your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Test System (IELTS) or Duolingo as evidence of English proficiency.
Should you take the SAT and earn a score of 500 or higher on the Evidence-based Reading and Writing (ERBW), your English proficiency admission requirement will be waived.
Note: Students who do not meet our English proficiency requirement but are otherwise admissible to UNH may be considered for our ESL Bridge Program.
When completing your Common Application or Coalition Application, you will be asked to indicate your decision to either include or exclude your test score(s) from consideration.
You may change your decision regarding the submission of your test scores after you submit your application to UNH and prior to a receiving an admissions decision. Once a decision has been made on your application, you will no longer be able to retract your decision.
Even if your test scores were submitted to UNH prior to your application, they will not be considered if you indicate on your Common Application or Coalition Application that you want your scores excluded.
Yes. All students who apply for admission will automatically be considered for academic merit scholarship and/or the Hamel Honors and Scholars Colleges regardless of whether they choose to submit their test scores for consideration.
Students who apply to UNH and elect not to submit test scores to UNH are, as noted above, eligible for merit scholarships. These students must still satisfy the academic component of the merit scholarship requirements (i.e., Grade Point Average (GPA) requirements).
No. Your decision to submit your test scores is a personal choice and will not affect our review process for any of our majors.
If you took a standardized test, you will be required to submit your test results after you enroll strictly for university research purposes, regardless of whether you opted in or out of our test-optional policy. The scores will not have any bearing on your admission decision.
No. Only students who took a standardized test will be required to submit the results after they enroll.
No. Test scores are not a factor in placement decisions.
