Statistics from the fall 2026 applicant cycle reveal that the acceptance rate is above 20% for the first time since 2020 and standardized testing scores decreased.
According to the 2026 fall applicant class profile, the University of Miami received 54,218 applications and admitted 11,961 of those applicants, making the acceptance rate 22%.
That is an increase of 4.5 percentage points from the fall 2025 applicant cycle’s acceptance rate.
This rise in admissions comes after 2025’s record high of 58,139 completed applications. Prior to this year’s 6.74% decrease in applicants, UM had been experiencing an upward trend.
The decrease could be related to the newly-reinstated requirement to submit standardized test scores, which has not been mandatory since 2020.
Rising sophomore Angelica Santeliz was among the last class admitted under the test optional policy and was glad she did not submit her scores.
“While I feel like I still would have gotten accepted if I submitted my scores I don’t think I would have received the same scholarship that I received without submitting my scores,” she said.
Santeliz feels that not submitting her scores allowed for her academics, GPA and extracurriculars were a better reflection of who she is as an applicant rather than test scores.
Incoming freshman Isabella Alvarez also felt that her standardized test scores could have impacted her chances of being admitted.
“Standardized testing has never been one of my strengths, so when I found out scores were required again, it made the entire admissions process more stressful for me,” Alvarez said. “I felt like I had to work harder to make sure every other part of my application was as strong as possible to balance out a score that I did not feel represented me.”
According to Best Colleges, other selective universities across the country experienced a similar decrease in applicants during the applicant cycle that standardized testing was reinstated.
Schools like Dartmouth and Yale experienced a 11% and 12.5% decrease in applicants, respectively, and also experienced an increase in acceptance rate.
In a statement to the Hurricane, the University of Miami briefly touched on why it decided to reinstate the requirement for standardized test scores.
“The University of Miami is proud to welcome the new cohort of students for the 2026-27 academic year. Our data shows that this admitted class is high-achieving and academically strong in many areas. The higher education landscape continues to shift as institutions adjust to ongoing changes. The University of Miami continues to assess these changes and review available data as part of its admission process.”
The last time standardized testing was required, in 2020, the middle 50% ACT superscore was 30-33 and the middle 50% SAT superscore was 1300-1500. Once scores became optional, the middle 50% SAT margin increased and narrowed, while the middle 50% ACT remained mostly consistent.
After reinstating standardized testing, UM’s middle 50% ACT superscores decreased, dropping from 30-34 in 2025 to 28-33 in 2026. The middle 50% of SAT superscores for admitted students remained mostly unchanged from last year.