SAT test dates 2026–27: deadlines and schedule

The SAT is offered eight times a year on weekends: August, September, October, November, and December, then March, May, and June. Every date has a registration deadline about two weeks before test day and a late registration deadline a few days after that.

Here's the full 2026–27 schedule, straight from College Board, along with when each test's scores come out.

2026–27 SAT test dates and deadlines

Test date	Registration deadline	Late registration and changes deadline	Scores released
August 22, 2026	August 7	August 11	September 4
September 12, 2026	August 28	September 1	September 25
October 3, 2026	September 18	September 22	October 16
November 7, 2026	October 23	October 27	November 20
December 5, 2026	November 20	November 24	December 18
March 6, 2027	February 19	February 23	March 19
May 1, 2027	April 16	April 20	May 14
June 5, 2027	May 21	May 25	June 21

All deadlines close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The score release column is the day scores reach your College Board account; we cover what happens on that day in our guide to SAT score release dates.

SAT dates by month

Looking for one specific test? Open any month to see its deadlines and when its scores come out.

When is the August SAT?

The August SAT is on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Register by August 7, or by August 11 with the late fee. August SAT scores come out Friday, September 4.

When is the September SAT?

The September SAT is on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Register by August 28, or by September 1 with the late fee. September SAT scores come out Friday, September 25.

When is the October SAT?

The October SAT is on Saturday, October 3, 2026. Register by September 18, or by September 22 with the late fee. October SAT scores come out Friday, October 16.

When is the November SAT?

The November SAT is on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Register by October 23, or by October 27 with the late fee. November SAT scores come out Friday, November 20.

When is the December SAT?

The December SAT is on Saturday, December 5, 2026. Register by November 20, or by November 24 with the late fee. December SAT scores come out Friday, December 18.

When is the March SAT?

The March SAT is on Saturday, March 6, 2027. Register by February 19, or by February 23 with the late fee. March SAT scores come out Friday, March 19.

When is the May SAT?

The May SAT is on Saturday, May 1, 2027. Register by April 16, or by April 20 with the late fee. May SAT scores come out Friday, May 14.

When is the June SAT?

The June SAT is on Saturday, June 5, 2027. Register by May 21, or by May 25 with the late fee. June SAT scores come out Monday, June 21. That's a few days later than usual, since June scores take longer.

Anticipated 2027–28 SAT dates

College Board has also posted its expected dates for next year. Deadlines aren't published yet, but if you're a sophomore or junior planning ahead, these are the dates to build around:

• Fall 2027: August 28, September 18, October 9, November 6, December 4
• Spring 2028: March 4, May 6, June 3

There's no SAT in January, February, April, or July.

What registering actually involves

Registration. You register online at mysat.collegeboard.org, signed in to your College Board account. The fee is $68. If you miss the regular deadline, you can still register until the late deadline for an extra $38. Fee waivers cover both for students who qualify.

Your account, with a parent's help. The College Board account has to be yours, not a parent's. Only one account can be tied to your official College Board record, and it's where your scores will show up later. Parents can absolutely help, and it's often easier to sit down together to create the account, pick a test center, and pay. Just make sure it's set up with an email you can get into. If a parent creates an account on their own and you later make a second one, you can get blocked from seeing your scores. Students under 13 need a parent or guardian to submit a consent form before an account can be created.

Changing your test date. You can't move a registration to a new date. You cancel the old one and register again. Canceling by the changes deadline costs $34, and canceling after it costs $44, up until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET before test day. After that, you can't cancel for a refund. Changing only your test center costs $34.

Fee waivers. If you're a low-income 11th or 12th grader in the US (or a US citizen living abroad), you may qualify for a fee waiver. You're eligible if, for example, you qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, your family receives public assistance, or your family income falls within federal guidelines. Ask your school counselor for a fee waiver code, or, if you live in the US, request one directly from College Board, ideally a week or two before the registration deadline. US citizens living abroad need to get a code from their counselor. A waiver covers two free SATs, unlimited score reports, no late or cancellation fees, and application fee waivers at participating colleges when you're a senior. College Board has the details on SAT fee waivers, and we've written more about affordable SAT prep.

Borrowing a device. If you don't have a laptop or tablet you can test on and can't borrow one from your school, a friend, or family, you can ask to borrow a device from College Board. Register first, then choose Request a device in My SAT and fill out a short questionnaire that asks for an adult reference, like a teacher or counselor. Do this at least 30 days before test day so there's time to ship it. Requests aren't guaranteed, so don't leave it to the last minute.

Testing on Sunday. If your religion doesn't allow testing on Saturdays, you can request Sunday testing, which usually takes place the day after each Saturday date. When that Sunday is a religious holiday, the date shifts: in fall 2026, the September and October Sunday tests are on September 20 and October 18. Check the official schedule for your date. Sunday testing isn't offered in India or Pakistan. You'll need a signed letter from a religious leader, and you submit the request through College Board's Student and Parent Inquiry Form.

International students. The dates and deadlines are the same everywhere in the world. Students testing outside the US pay a $43 international fee on top of the $68 registration fee. We've put together more on taking the SAT as an international student.

Which SAT date should you pick?

The right date depends mostly on how much prep time you need and when your applications are due.

If you're a junior taking it for the first time, March or May is usually the sweet spot. You've had time to prepare, and you still have June and the fall of senior year for a retake.

If you're a senior applying Early Action or Early Decision, the August, September, and October dates are your main options for November deadlines. Check each school's policy, but October scores arrive in mid-October, which works for most November 1 deadlines.

If you're planning to take it twice, leave room between attempts to actually improve. Back-to-back dates like August and September don't give you much time to work on what went wrong, and you won't see your first score before the second test's late deadline.

We go deeper on all of this in our guide to when to take the SAT. Once you've picked a date, work backward from it: getting started with SAT prep covers how to build a plan, and a study schedule keeps it on track.

SAT School Day and the PSAT

Many schools give the SAT during the school day, on dates the school picks. For 2026–27, in-school testing runs October 1 to 30, 2026 and March 1 to April 30, 2027. The fall window also covers the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9, and the spring window covers the PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9. You don't register for these yourself; your school handles it. If you took the PSAT this fall, here's when PSAT scores come out.

Picked your date? Sharp builds your SAT prep plan around it.