Application instructions and testing policies fit together at the level of the individual U.S. college or university. EducationUSA says application requirements can vary greatly from one institution to another, and that undergraduate admissions testing policies also vary by institution. Applicants should therefore read the instructions for their target institution and confirm its testing policy for that same institution.
The two should be treated as connected, but not interchangeable. Application instructions set out what the institution requires for an application; the testing policy identifies which test or tests that institution requires. A testing rule from another college or university cannot be assumed to apply.
How to check the connection
- Start with the target institution’s application instructions. Review the requirements for the intended application route rather than relying on a general description of U.S. admissions.
- Check the institution’s testing policy. EducationUSA specifically advises confirming which test or tests are required by the college or university to which the applicant plans to apply.
- Keep both sources in the application checklist. This makes it easier to see whether the testing requirement belongs with the rest of the application materials or requires separate attention.
- Do not transfer requirements between institutions. Because application requirements and undergraduate testing policies vary, another institution’s rule may not describe what the target institution asks for.
What still needs confirmation
The information used in this article establishes that requirements and testing policies vary by institution. It does not provide a specific application deadline, application fee, funding or financial-evidence requirement, test-score threshold, or other testing condition for any individual college or university.
An applicant must confirm those details separately using the target institution’s current application and testing materials, or by obtaining direct confirmation from the institution. Until that confirmation is complete, the applicant should not treat a general U.S. testing rule—or another institution’s policy—as the requirement for their own application.