US exam dates 2026–2027

Every national SAT and ACT session for the 2026–2027 school year — test dates, registration deadlines, late deadlines and score release dates — beside the PSAT testing windows.

Verified Nov 3, 2026 · College Board ACT

Next SAT to register for

December 5, 2026

Scores released Dec 18, 2026

SAT deadlines close at 11:59 p.m. ET. Registration closes about two weeks before the test.

Next ACT to register for

December 12, 2026

Scores released Dec 22, 2026

ACT registration closes about five weeks before the test, at 11:59 p.m. CT — roughly three weeks earlier than the SAT.

SAT dates and deadlines

Eight national sessions from August to June. There is no national SAT in January, February or April.

Test date	Registration deadline	Late registration	Scores released	Status
August 22, 2026	Aug 7, 2026	Aug 11, 2026	Sep 4, 2026	Completed
September 12, 2026	Aug 28, 2026	Sep 1, 2026	Sep 25, 2026	Completed
October 3, 2026	Sep 18, 2026	Sep 22, 2026	Oct 16, 2026	Completed
November 7, 2026	Oct 23, 2026	Oct 27, 2026	Nov 20, 2026	Upcoming
December 5, 2026	Nov 20, 2026	Nov 24, 2026	Dec 18, 2026	Upcoming
March 6, 2027	Feb 19, 2027	Feb 23, 2027	Mar 19, 2027	Upcoming
May 1, 2027	Apr 16, 2027	Apr 20, 2027	May 14, 2027	Upcoming
June 5, 2027	May 21, 2027	May 25, 2027	Jun 21, 2027	Upcoming

ACT dates and deadlines

Seven national sessions. New York State has no ACT test centers for the July session.

Test date	Registration deadline	Late deadline	Photo / standby	Scores released	Status
September 19, 2026	Aug 14, 2026	Sep 1, 2026	Sep 14, 2026	Oct 6, 2026	Completed
October 17, 2026	Sep 11, 2026	Sep 29, 2026	Oct 12, 2026	Oct 27, 2026	Completed
December 12, 2026	Nov 6, 2026	Nov 29, 2026	Dec 7, 2026	Dec 22, 2026	Upcoming
February 27, 2027	Jan 22, 2027	Feb 9, 2027	Feb 22, 2027	Mar 16, 2027	Upcoming
April 10, 2027	Mar 5, 2027	Mar 23, 2027	Apr 5, 2027	Apr 20, 2027	Upcoming
June 12, 2027	May 7, 2027	May 25, 2027	Jun 7, 2027	Jun 23, 2027	Upcoming
July 10, 2027	Jun 4, 2027	Jun 22, 2027	Jul 5, 2027	Jul 20, 2027	Upcoming

PSAT testing windows

The PSAT/NMSQT has no single national date: each school picks one day inside the fall window.

Test	Window	Note
PSAT/NMSQT & PSAT 8/9 — fall window	Oct 1, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026	No single national date: each school picks one day inside the window.
PSAT 10 & PSAT 8/9 — spring window	Mar 1, 2027 – Apr 30, 2027	In-school tests only; PSAT 10 is not offered in the fall.

The fall 2027 PSAT/NMSQT window has not been published yet by the College Board as of Nov 3, 2026. Nothing is listed here until the official window is released.

Four rules to read these calendars

The SAT year runs from August to June, with a gap between December and March: there is no national SAT in January, February or April.
The August SAT is US only. Students testing abroad sit seven dates instead of eight, and their test centers fill earlier.
New York is not offered the July ACT: New York students have six national ACT dates instead of seven.
ACT registration closes about five weeks before the test (about two weeks for the SAT): it is the most common reason a student misses a session.

Scores appear on the College Board or ACT account on the release date, and colleges designated at registration receive them within about ten days. The College Board and ACT publish the next year’s calendar in the spring: as soon as the 2027–2028 sessions are official, the expired rows here are replaced.

Method: every date above was checked against the official College Board and ACT pages and re-verified on Nov 3, 2026. The full reasoning is in our guide SAT dates 2026–2027: where to find registration and scores.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next SAT?

The next SAT is on December 5, 2026. Registration closes on Nov 20, 2026, and late registration stays open until Nov 24, 2026; scores are released on Dec 18, 2026.

When is the next ACT?

The next ACT is on December 12, 2026. Registration closes on Nov 6, 2026, with a late deadline on Nov 29, 2026; scores are released on Dec 22, 2026.

Is there an SAT in January, February or April?

No. The SAT year runs from August to June with a gap between December and March: there is no national SAT session in January, February or April.

Can students outside the United States take the August SAT?

No. The August SAT is US only. Students testing abroad sit seven dates instead of eight, and their test centers fill earlier.

Does every school give the PSAT on the same day?

No. The PSAT/NMSQT is given inside a fall window — Oct 1, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 for the current cycle — and each school picks one day inside it.

Is the ACT offered in July in New York?

No. New York State has no ACT test centers for the July session, so New York students have six national ACT dates instead of seven.