The SAT and ACT test dates for the 2026-27 school year are here!
I hope it goes without saying that it pays to know when you’re actually going to take the test in question.
Without that crucial piece of info, it’s impossible to make a proper study timeline, because you don’t actually know how fast you’ll need to be moving through prep material and strategies. (Want someone to design the perfect timeline for you? One of my specialties is drawing up custom study schedules that help my extremely busy students hit the scores they need without burning out!)
But with that date in mind, you’ll have taken the first step towards a fantastic SAT or ACT score…and towards the college campus you’ve been fantasizing about.
Below are ALL of the dates on which the two major college admissions exams will be offered in 2026 and (much of) 2027. Whether you’re based in the U.S. or elsewhere, and whether you’re an SAT-taker or an ACT person, the below info has got you covered.
ARTICLE CONTENTS
1. Digital SAT Test Dates, 2026-27 (U.S. AND international)
a. When are SAT scores released?
b. How to register for the SAT
a. When are ACT scores released?
b. How to register for the ACT
3. ACT Test Dates (International)
a. Understanding the non-U.S. ACT schedule
b. When are non-U.S. students’ ACT scores released?
U.S. and International SAT Schedule '26-'27
* Students that borrow a device from College Board must register for the test and request their device earlier than the regular registration deadline (at least 30 days before test day).
** Late registration is available inside and outside of the U.S. for an additional fee.
When Can You Take the SAT in 2027 & 2028?
The College Board has published the above anticipated test dates for the 2027-28 school year.
When do students get SAT results back?
The College Board tends to make student scores available two to three weeks after a weekend test date. As the first chart above indicates, there is some variation: the June 6, 2026 test date has a score release date of June 22 (18 days later), for instance, while the November 7 test date has a score release date of November 20 (13 days later), and the June 5, 2027 test date releases scores on June 21 (16 days later).
How to register for the Digital SAT
You can register for the SAT by mail or online via the College Board website. To register by mail, ask your school counselor for the Student Registration Booklet, fill out the form, and mail it in. It’s easier to register online, though, if that option is available to you. Here’s what you’ll do:
Create a free College Board account.
Fill out your name and information, which must match your ID.
If you want to opt into the Student Search Service, fill out the relevant questions.
Upload a photo that fits these specifications.
Check out with a payment method, like a credit card—unless you have a fee waiver.
What Are the 2026-27 ACT Dates for the United States?
+ If you cannot take the test on a Saturday for religious reasons, you may be able to take the test on another day of the week. The ACT website explains how to do so.
* No test centers are scheduled in New York for the July 2026 test date. July test dates will be offered in New York beginning in 2027.
ACT registration for all 2026-2027 U.S. dates is currently open. You can register here.
When do ACT scores come out if you take the test in America?
For U.S. test-takers, ACT multiple-choice scores begin to be released 10 days after a given test sitting. (So, two Tuesdays after your test date, for regular Saturday test-takers.) However, some students will have to wait longer to see their scores.
In particular, if you take the ACT with Writing (the essay component), receive special accommodations, do not take your test on a Saturday, etc., it might take longer—up to eight weeks after your test date!—to get your score back. In fact, even if none of those conditions apply to you, you may STILL not get your score as fast as some of your peers.
So, if you log into your MyACT account on the “expected score release” date above and don’t see a score yet, just try back every Thursday and Tuesday until you do—which should no more than be eight weeks after your test date.
How do you register for the ACT?
Use this link to register for the ACT. The process will require:
About 30 minutes.
A computer with internet access.
A payment method, like a credit card, unless you qualify for a fee waiver.
A recent photo / photo ID that meets the ACT’s requirements.
Details of the courses you’re taking in school, like the classes’ exact titles and your grades in them.
When can Students outside the U.S., U.S. Territories, and Puerto Rico take the ACT in 2026-27?
*These score release dates are projections based on past years’ score release schedules.
A NOTE ABOUT ACT TEST DATES outside the U.S.:
As the above chart indicates, the International ACT test is typically offered during two-day windows, and at some testing centers it’s even offered in the morning AND in the afternoon on both days. Thus, some locations provide up to FOUR available test times on a given weekend: for instance, October 23rd in the morning, October 23rd in the evening, October 24th AM, and October 24th PM!
On what day are International ACT scores released?
If you take the ACT outside the U.S., you can actually receive your multiple-choice scores and Composite Score as soon as TWO BUSINESS DAYS after you take the test! (Since the ACT is taken over the weekend, that translates to about four calendar days.) Granted, that’s the earliest date at which the ACT first starts issuing scores. It might so happen that your score is not in that first set that’s released! So, all together, it can take as few as two business days, or as long as ten weeks, to learn how you did on the ACT.
Registration instructions for the ACT (non-U.S.)
Go to this link. You’ll need:
About 30 minutes.
Internet access.
Credit card or alternate form of payment.
Details of the classes you’re taking in school, like your grades/marks in those courses and their exact titles.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Still with me? That was a lot of info—I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re feeling like you just drank from a firehose.
But now that you know when you’re able to sit for the Digital SAT and ACT tests next school year, here’s what you should do after reading this post:
If you haven’t yet decided which standardized test you’ll take, I recommend doing so today. Like, right now. I promise, it’s actually a less painful choice than you’re imagining! In fact, there are two easy ways to figure it out:
A) Take my free quiz: is the ACT or the Digital SAT the best test for you?
B) Allow me, a test prep expert who’s been in the industry for over sixteen years, to figure out your best test FOR you. You can do this by scheduling an Ace the Test: Game Plan™ session.
Determine WHEN you’re going to to take your first SAT or ACT. You can choose your Testing Timeline from among the four most common timelines I’ve assembled here.
Calculate how long you need to study for the SAT or ACT. This blog post will help.
And of course, if you need guidance during any part of your quest to get into the college of your dreams, you can learn more about my wide variety of services here.
