SAT Test Dates 2026-2027: Complete Schedule, Registration Deadlines & Score Release Dates

The SAT is a digital, section-adaptive exam offered eight times in 2026-2027: August 22, September 12, October 3, November 7, and December 5 in 2026, then March 13, May 1, and June 5 in 2027. Registration closes about four weeks before each date. Scores post within two weeks.

Every date and deadline below comes from College Board's official SAT Suite dates page, and all eight sittings use the Digital SAT on the 400 to 1600 scale. The harder question isn't which dates exist. It's which one leaves you a retake window before your earliest college deadline.

SAT Test Dates 2026-2027: Full Schedule with Registration and Score Release Deadlines

The 2026-2027 SAT calendar runs eight weekend dates from August 2026 through June 2027, each carrying a regular registration deadline about four weeks out and a late deadline about a week after that. The table pairs every test date with its two registration cutoffs and its approximate score release window, which College Board sets at roughly 13 days after test day.

Verify before you commit. These dates track College Board's published schedule as of the date on this post, and we refresh them annually. College Board describes the Digital SAT and its calendar across its main admissions testing site too, so confirm your exact deadline in your College Board account before you plan around it, since the late window occasionally shifts.

For the exact time of day scores post and what to do if your release is delayed, see our guide on when do SAT scores come out.

The August date is the early mover. August 22 sits before the school year picks up, which makes it a strong baseline sitting for rising juniors and a first shot for seniors who want scores in hand before fall applications open.

International students should confirm center availability in their country before the regular deadline, since some locations fill weeks earlier than US centers. Eligible US students can request an SAT fee waiver through their school counselor, who waives the registration fee; the full cost picture sits on our SAT fees and fee waivers page.

SAT Registration Deadlines 2026-2027: What Happens If You Miss the Cutoff

Miss the regular SAT registration deadline and you get one fallback: the late registration window, which stays open about four days longer and adds a surcharge to your fee. Miss that too, and no path onto that test date remains. You wait for the next sitting on the calendar.

Those late windows and their surcharge are the same deadlines from the schedule table above. The gap between the regular and late cutoff is short, usually four or five days, so treating the late window as your real deadline is a gamble. Check College Board's current fee schedule for the surcharge and the test date, center, or cancellation change fees before you register, because those figures move year to year.

Seats run out before the deadline does. In our coaching across student cohorts, popular test centers in major metro areas fill before the late registration window closes, especially for the October and November dates when seniors flood in. An open deadline doesn't mean an open seat near you.

Run this quick check before you lock a date:

1. Confirm the regular deadline for your target date from the table above, not the late one.

2. Open your College Board account and check center availability within your travel radius now, not the night before the cutoff.

3. Register at least a few days early if a nearby center already shows limited seats.

4. If you switch dates or centers later, budget for the change fee and act before the late deadline for the new date.

5. If you must cancel, follow our step-by-step how to cancel SAT registration walkthrough to protect any partial refund.

Once you've chosen your date, the registration itself takes about 15 minutes at College Board's website. If every nearby center shows full, our guide on what to do when SAT test centers are full gives you concrete next steps.

How to Pick the Right SAT Date for Your College Application Timeline

The right SAT date is the latest one whose scores clear your earliest application deadline with a retake still possible. Because centers and deadlines cluster in the fall, that decision comes down to your application round, and the table below maps each round to its last safe sitting.

October and November serve early applicants. October 3 scores post before most November 1 and November 15 Early Decision and Early Action deadlines. November 7 runs tighter; its scores land around November 20, which clears a November 30 supplement but not a November 1 cutoff. For most ED and EA applicants, treat October as your last comfortable sitting.

December is the last realistic retake. December 5 scores typically release by late December, ahead of the January 1 and January 15 Regular Decision deadlines most colleges use. That makes it the final viable date for a senior who wants one more attempt before Regular Decision closes. Don't assume, though; confirm each school's score-receipt policy, since a few require scores in hand by the deadline itself.

Because most selective colleges superscore, sitting for two or three dates and targeting your weaker section each time is often more efficient than a single all-in attempt. Superscoring policy varies, so verify it on each school's Common Data Set. Test-optional policies vary by school and year too, which changes whether you submit at all; your scores are one part of an application, not the whole of it.

Choosing the date is only the first step. In our coaching with students targeting a 200-point gain, the prep plan between sittings matters as much as the calendar, and roughly 6 to 8 weeks of focused work between attempts is typical. That window is where 1-on-1 SAT prep earns its place, building a diagnostic-driven plan around your actual registration dates.

For how many attempts to plan, see how many times should you sit the SAT. For what you're preparing for, how long is the SAT.

Date Chosen. Now Close the Score Gap Before It.

You have a test date, a college list, and a prep window. A free 15-minute call checks your current section scores against your target schools' middle-50 ranges, names which section to target first, and maps a week-by-week plan tied to your actual registration window.

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How Long Is the 2026 SAT and What Does the Digital Format Look Like?

The Digital SAT runs 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing time, plus a 10-minute break, for about 2 hours and 24 minutes start to finish. That's the exam behind every date in the schedule above. It's section-adaptive: your performance on the first module of each section sets the difficulty of the second, and it scores on the 400 to 1600 scale.

The test splits into two sections, each delivered in two modules through College Board's Bluebook app. Reading and Writing comes first, then the Math section.

About 82 seconds per question, on average. College Board publishes both module lengths and question counts but not the per-question pace; IvyStrides divides 134 testing minutes by 98 questions to reach roughly 82 seconds each. Math gives you more room per item than Reading and Writing, which is why pacing pressure shows up differently by section.

For the full breakdown of adaptive modules and scoring, see what is the Digital SAT. When you're ready to prep between sittings, our roundup of the best SAT practice tests points you to full-length options.

Schedule in Hand. Score Target Still Open.

You have the dates, the deadlines, and the format. Turning that into a prep plan tied to your specific score gap and your earliest application deadline takes one focused conversation. A free 15-minute call maps the section-by-section path from your current score to your target.

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FAQ: SAT Test Dates and Deadlines

Is SAT 2 or 3 hours?

The Digital SAT is 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing, plus a 10-minute break, for a total of about 2 hours and 24 minutes from start to finish. It is not 3 hours. Reading and Writing takes 64 minutes and Math takes 70 minutes, across 98 total questions.

When does registration open for December 2026 SAT?

College Board typically opens registration for each test date several months ahead. For December 5, 2026, the regular registration deadline is roughly November 20, 2026, and the late window closes around November 24. Check your College Board account for the exact opening date, since it isn't always announced alongside the test calendar.

Is it too late to take the SAT in June if I am applying in the fall?

June is generally too late for fall Early Decision or Early Action applicants. June scores release in late June, while most ED and EA deadlines fall on November 1 or 15, and Regular Decision deadlines land in January. October, November, or December are the practical last dates for fall applicants.

Is 1400 a good SAT score for Ivy League schools?

A 1400 falls below the middle-50 percent range at most Ivy League schools, where admitted students typically score between 1500 and 1580. It's competitive at many strong universities, but for Ivy-level targets most applicants benefit from continuing to prep. Test-optional policies vary by school and year, so check each school's current Common Data Set.

Your Next Step on the SAT Calendar

You now hold every 2026-2027 SAT date, its two registration deadlines, its score release window, and the application round each date fits. Turn that reference into action:

• Pick the latest date that clears your earliest application deadline with a retake still in reach.
• Register before the regular deadline, not the late one, and check center seats now.
• Leave roughly 6 to 8 weeks of focused prep between any two sittings you plan.
• Verify superscoring and test-optional policy on each target school's Common Data Set.