HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE SAT
If you’re wondering how to register for the SAT, go to the official College Board SAT registration page, sign in to your College Board account, and select Register Now.
2026-2027 SAT TEST DATES AND DEADLINES
The College Board offers the SAT eight times during the 2026-2027 testing year, and each test is administered on a Saturday. Below are the official SAT test dates, regular registration deadlines, and deadlines for changes, regular cancellation, and late registration.
These dates apply to U.S. and international students taking the SAT. All deadlines expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
| SAT TEST DATE | REGISTRATION DEADLINE | DEADLINE FOR CHANGES, REGULAR CANCELLATION, AND LATE REGISTRATION |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2026 | August 7, 2026 | August 11, 2026 |
| September 12, 2026 | August 28, 2026 | September 1, 2026 |
| October 3, 2026 | September 18, 2026 | September 22, 2026 |
| November 7, 2026 | October 23, 2026 | October 27, 2026 |
| December 5, 2026 | November 20, 2026 | November 24, 2026 |
| March 6, 2027 | February 19, 2027 | February 23, 2027 |
| May 1, 2027 | April 16, 2027 | April 20, 2027 |
| June 5, 2027 | May 21, 2027 | May 25, 2027 |
All of these dates are for the digital SAT. Because test centers can fill up, register as early as you can instead of waiting for the deadline.
SAT SCORE RELEASE DATES
College Board has published the following fall 2026 SAT Weekend score release dates. The spring 2027 dates have not yet been announced. College Board says that most weekend SAT scores are released two to four weeks after test day, so check the official SAT score release page for updates.
| SAT TEST DATE | SCORE RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|
| August 22, 2026 | September 4, 2026 |
| September 12, 2026 | September 25, 2026 |
| October 3, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
| November 7, 2026 | November 20, 2026 |
| December 5, 2026 | December 18, 2026 |
| March 6, 2027 | To be announced by College Board |
| May 1, 2027 | To be announced by College Board |
| June 5, 2027 | To be announced by College Board |
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW
- Late registration is available worldwide, but additional fees apply. College Board also charges fees for some registration changes and cancellations.
- If you need to update your test date, test center, or other registration information, review College Board’s current change and cancellation instructions.
- If you need to borrow a device from College Board, register and submit your request at least 30 days before test day. Read the SAT device lending instructions before choosing your registration date.
- Sunday SAT testing is available only for students who cannot test on Saturday because of religious observance.
PREPMEDIANS GUIDE TO CHOOSING YOUR BEST 2026-2027 SAT TEST DATE
Deadlines for college applications and scholarships
The first thing you should consider when deciding when to take the SAT is your college admission deadline schedule. Ideally, you will have taken the SAT at least once during your junior year before entering senior fall. Starting the test prep process during senior fall can be incredibly stressful because you will also want to focus on your grades and college essays.
“When should I take the SAT?”
If you’re a senior, aim to take the August 22nd, September 12th, October 3rd, or November 7th SAT and then be done with testing. Many colleges have cutoffs for how late you can take the SAT, so check each college’s admissions website to see whether it will accept a score from the December 5th test.
If you’re a junior, aim to take the December 5th SAT as your first test and then the March 6th and May 1st tests as your retakes. You’ll likely take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of your junior year, and you can use those results to study more effectively for your December SAT.
Keep retaking the SAT as many times as makes sense. If you think you’ve hit your maximum score, you can stop retesting and focus on other parts of your college application. If you have fee waivers or can comfortably pay for another test and think you can significantly improve, keep going. You may also decide to take a break over the summer after junior year and try one last time at the beginning of senior year.
REAL RESULTS FROM PREPSTERS
“I scored a 1580 on the SAT because I used Prepmedians!”
— Sarah, Prepmedians student
“Prepmedians helped me improve my SAT score by 110 points, and now I’m in the 99th-percentile club!”
— Steven, Prepmedians student
The best time to begin dedicated SAT or ACT prep is the spring of 10th grade or later. If you’re younger than that, focus first on building a strong academic foundation with our Grammar course and our 6th–12th grade Math courses, including Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, and Precalculus. Choose the Math course that matches the class you’re currently taking—or the course you most recently completed if you want to reinforce and master those skills.
The summer before 8th, 9th, or 10th grade is an especially valuable time to work through these courses. They help students master the grammar mechanics and math skills needed for school and beyond while laying the foundation for future SAT and ACT success. Our academic courses are available at prepmedians.com/#courses.
“How should I study for the SAT?”
The best way to improve your SAT score is to prepare with a consistent plan, review every mistake, and practice under realistic testing conditions.
At Prepmedians, SAT and ACT prep is taught through sketch comedy videos. We have helped thousands of students claim their dream scores, and you can hear from them here.
You can also find the best lesson plan for your upcoming test date in our ready-made lesson plans. Go claim your dream score!
Dates and deadlines last verified against College Board’s official schedule on July 23, 2026. College Board may change dates or deadlines, so confirm them before registering.