The dates
For the 2026 to 2027 cycle, the SAT is offered on October 3, November 7, and December 5 of 2026, and on March 6, May 1, and June 5 of 2027.
The matching registration deadlines are September 18, October 23, and November 20 for the fall dates, then February 19, April 16, and May 21 for the spring dates. Deadlines close at 11:59pm Eastern on the day listed.
Dates can change, and School Day administrations arranged by your high school follow a separate calendar. Confirm on collegeboard.org before you plan around any of these.
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Late registration and changes
There is a late registration window after the regular deadline, which costs an additional fee. Changing your test date or test center also carries a fee, though it is cheaper than registering twice.
Fee waivers are available to eligible students and cover registration plus the change fees. Your school counselor handles those, and it is worth asking rather than assuming you do not qualify.
Digital SAT scores are typically available within about two weeks of the test date, and sometimes sooner.
When scores come back
Digital SAT scores are typically available within about two weeks of the test date, and sometimes sooner. College Board posts the specific release date for each administration, so check there rather than counting days.
Score sends to colleges take additional time after release. If you are up against an application deadline, build in a buffer of a couple of weeks between the test date and the date scores need to arrive.
Picking a date
Work backward from your earliest application deadline and count back at least six weeks. That leaves room for score release and for a retake if the first attempt goes badly.
Also look at what else is on your calendar. The May and June dates land near spring exams and finals, which is a real conflict for a lot of students. The October and November dates land during fall sports and early application season.
The spring of junior year is the usual first attempt, because you have covered enough math by then and you still have three or four dates left before applications are due.
Before test day
Install Bluebook on your device and complete exam setup in the days before the test. The exam has to be downloaded ahead of time, and doing it on test morning over a crowded network is a bad plan.
Print or save your admission ticket, confirm your test center address, and check that your photo ID matches the name on your registration. A mismatch is one of the few things that can get you turned away at the door.