The SAT test dates 2025–2026 include 7 national testing windows offered by College Board from August 2025 through June 2026. Each test date comes with a standard registration deadline approximately 4–5 weeks before the exam and a late registration window with an additional fee. Score reports are released approximately 13 days after each test date. Knowing the full schedule — including registration cutoffs and score release timelines — is essential for college application planning. This guide covers every SAT date, deadline, and score release window for the 2025–2026 testing year.
College Board offers the SAT 7 times during the 2025–2026 school year at testing centers across the United States and internationally. Below is the complete list of national SAT test dates. Always confirm the current schedule at the official College Board website, as dates can shift.
August 23, 2025 — The first SAT of the 2025–2026 school year. Ideal for rising seniors who want a score in hand for Early Decision application deadlines in October and November. This date is also useful for students who took a summer prep course and are ready to test immediately.
October 4, 2025 — A popular test date for fall seniors. Many Early Decision and Early Action programs have application deadlines in November, making October test scores arrive just in time. Scores from the October test are typically released by mid-October.
November 1, 2025 — Good for students who want one more attempt before Regular Decision deadlines in December and January. This is also the last test date where scores reliably arrive before most November 30 application deadlines.
December 6, 2025 — The final test date of the fall semester. Scores are released before most January 1 Regular Decision deadlines. Students applying to colleges with January 15+ deadlines can include December scores.
March 7, 2026 — The first spring test date. Juniors often take the SAT in March as their first major attempt — results can inform summer prep for a May or June retake. Many states also offer School Day SAT administration in spring, which may differ from this date.
May 2, 2026 — A strategically timed date for juniors. Scores arrive in mid-May, giving students summer to review results and register for a June retake if needed. Also works for seniors at colleges with rolling admissions.
June 6, 2026 — The final SAT of the 2025–2026 school year. This is the last opportunity for the class of 2026 to submit new SAT scores to colleges. Score release for June typically falls in late June.
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Each SAT test date has 2 registration windows: the standard deadline (approximately 4–5 weeks before the exam) and a late registration window (approximately 2–3 weeks before, with an additional late fee).
Standard registration: Registering before the standard deadline gives you the widest choice of testing centers and seat availability. Popular testing locations fill up fast — especially for the October and March dates. Registering early is strongly recommended for high-demand areas.
Late registration: College Board allows late registration for an additional fee (currently $30) approximately 2 weeks after the standard deadline closes. Seat availability is limited during late registration, and you may not be able to request a specific testing center. Standby testing (showing up without registration) is no longer widely available.
Score choice and superscore: Most colleges use SAT Superscore — they take your highest section scores across all test dates. This means you can focus on Math on one date and Reading/Writing on another, then combine them for your best composite. Knowing the full test schedule lets you plan a strategic multi-date approach rather than relying on a single attempt.
International students: International testing dates sometimes differ from US dates. College Board offers international SAT testing at approved centers — registration closes earlier for international students. Check College Board's website for country-specific schedules and deadlines.
School Day SAT: Many states (including Michigan, Maine, and others) fund School Day SAT administration during the school week in spring. School Day test dates differ from national test dates. Contact your school counselor to determine if your state offers this option.
Score reports are released approximately 13 days after each national test date via your College Board account. The score release schedule for 2025–2026:
Sending scores: After you receive your scores, you can send score reports to colleges. Score reports take approximately 1–2 business days to arrive at colleges after you request them. Plan for this processing time when working against application deadlines. Learn how to pass the SAT exam and maximize your scores before your chosen test date.
Picking the right SAT date is a strategic decision that affects your college application timeline. Here is how to approach it.
Work backward from application deadlines: Early Decision deadlines are typically November 1 or 15 — October SAT scores arrive just in time. Regular Decision deadlines fall in January — December or November SAT scores work. Give yourself a buffer of at least 3–4 weeks between score release and the application deadline.
Plan for at least 2 attempts: Most students improve their score on the second attempt after reviewing what they missed. Build your schedule around a first attempt in October or November of junior year and a second attempt in March or May of senior year. This maximizes preparation time and gives you fall senior year as a backup window.
Consider your preparation timeline: The March and May dates are ideal for juniors who spend the fall semester in heavy academic coursework. The August date is best for students who committed to summer SAT prep and want to test while material is fresh.
Check score release vs. application deadlines: The December test date has tight timing if your application deadline is January 1 — scores release around December 19, giving you only 10–12 days to verify and submit. If possible, choose November or earlier for January 1 deadlines.