If you begin to explore your college options and are thinking about attending a college or university outside the United States, you will need to familiarize yourself with the institutions’ admission requirements for students who attend high school in the United States.
Here are some examples:
The University of Edinburgh requires three standardized test scores — one of which can be the SAT or ACT — to apply to study any subject.
King’s College London ties its entry requirements for applicants from high schools in the United States to scores on SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement (AP) tests. One may qualify by scoring at least a 4 on five AP tests, or alternatively scoring at least 4 on three AP tests in combination with an SAT or ACT score that meets their minimum threshold.
McGill University has returned to requiring the submission of testing ACT/SAT for all US applicants, except for those applying for music. University of St. Andrews, unlike almost all other international universities, is on the Common Application, and like many institutions in the U.S., has remained SAT and ACT test optional for the application cycles 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 (September 2025 and September 2026 entry).
The University of Toronto, like many institutions in the U.S., has remained test-optional since the 2021 2022 admissions cycle, but requires submission of the SAT or ACT for Engineering applicants. But University of Toronto does have the expectation that successful applicants will have taken Calculus in high school.
In the event that the university a student is interested in applying to has an Advanced Placement test requirement, a plan will need to be developed to take the necessary tests. AP tests are taken in May, but the registration deadline is November 15 the preceding fall, because that is when schools administering the tests must order them. Fieldston does not offer AP classes and has not for almost two decades; following our lead, many other independent schools have also adopted curricula that do not include AP courses. Therefore another school must be found that offers the relevant AP exam and permission must be requested from the AP coordinator to take the test alongside its students. Given that it may take some time to find a suitable test site, it is necessary to begin this process sooner rather than later.
Students can search for a test site within the College Board’s database of schools authorized to provide AP courses. Once a suitable test site where permission has been granted to take the test has been secured, it is the students’ responsibility to register for the test as well as prepare for the test. There is no expectation that the curriculum of Fieldston classes will cover the material on the exams. Since the AP exams are administered during the school day, students are responsible for communicating with their teachers and making up any work missed during their absence from Fieldston.
Please note this information will only apply to the very small percentage of Fieldston students who intend to apply to colleges or universities internationally. The overwhelming majority of our students will not need to prepare or take an AP exam for college admission.
Please feel free to contact collegeoffice@ecfs.org with any additional questions.