Updated October 2026 by Carson Flowers. Dates checked against College Board on October 9, 2026.
The short answer: College Board runs eight SAT Weekend dates in 2026-27, and 5 are still ahead: November 7, December 5, March 6, May 1, June 5. The free test at school in Arkansas is the ACT, so an SAT score means a weekend date from this list. Anticipated dates run through June 2028.
All 2026-27 SAT dates and deadlines
| Test date | Register by | Late registration | Scores released |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2026 (passed) | August 7, 2026 | August 11, 2026 | September 4, 2026 |
| September 12, 2026 (passed) | August 28, 2026 | September 1, 2026 | September 25, 2026 |
| October 3, 2026 (passed) | September 18, 2026 | September 22, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
| November 7, 2026 | October 23, 2026 | October 27, 2026 | November 20, 2026 |
| December 5, 2026 | November 20, 2026 | November 24, 2026 | December 18, 2026 |
| March 6, 2027 | February 19, 2027 | February 23, 2027 | March 19, 2027 |
| May 1, 2027 | April 16, 2027 | April 20, 2027 | May 14, 2027 |
| June 5, 2027 | May 21, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | June 21, 2027 |
Deadlines close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Source: College Board test dates and deadlines and score release dates. Scores arrive about two weeks after each test (June takes a little longer), and that release date is when you learn whether a retake is needed, often just days before the next registration deadline.
The SAT at school in Arkansas
Arkansas gives all 11th-grade public and charter school students the opportunity to take the ACT (no writing section) at their own school for free during the spring of junior year.
The school-day ACT still counts for colleges that take either test. A student who wants an SAT score, because they test better on it or because a scholarship or program asks for it, registers for a weekend date above.
Which Arkansas colleges need an SAT score for fall 2027
| College | Fall 2027 testing | Middle 50% SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Hendrix College | Test optional | Not published |
| John Brown University | Requires a score | Not published |
| University of Arkansas, Fayetteville | Requires a score | 1020 to 1210 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | See the school's policy | 980 to 1190 |
| Arkansas State University | See the school's policy | 950 to 1190 |
| University of Central Arkansas | See the school's policy | Not published |
| University of the Ozarks | Test optional | 910 to 1180 |
Plan the test dates around these schools first: John Brown and U of Arkansas require a score, so the last date that reports in time for their deadlines is the one that matters.
Scholarship scores and their deadlines
Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship: A per-semester cash award that increases each year in school; renewal requires a 2.50 cumulative college GPA by the end of each spring semester
University of Arkansas Honors College Academy Connection Scholarship: A one-time award tied to the Honors College's Academy Connection program; UArk's other freshman merit scholarships (Chancellor's, Silas Hunt, Advance Arkansas) no longer publish ACT/SAT cutoffs and are awarded holistically instead
The tiers, GPA rules and class years are on our Arkansas SAT prep page. Count back from the scholarship's testing deadline and from your earliest application deadline, and plan around whichever comes first.
Free tool
Which of these numbers is your teen's target? Pick the Arkansas colleges on their list and get a target score and the gap from today's score in under a minute.
Find my teen's target scoreAnticipated 2027-28 SAT dates
| Anticipated test date | Cycle |
|---|---|
| August 28, 2027 | Fall 2027 |
| September 18, 2027 | Fall 2027 |
| October 9, 2027 | Fall 2027 |
| November 6, 2027 | Fall 2027 |
| December 4, 2027 | Fall 2027 |
| March 4, 2028 | Spring 2028 |
| May 6, 2028 | Spring 2028 |
| June 3, 2028 | Spring 2028 |
These are College Board's own published planning dates, with no registration deadlines yet, and College Board can still move them. It already moved one: the October 2027 date is now October 9. Nothing past June 2028 has been published.
Quick answers
When is the next SAT in Arkansas?
November 7, 2026. Register by October 23, 2026, or by October 27, 2026 with the late fee. Weekend SAT dates are the same in every state. Register early to get a test center close to home.
When should a junior take the SAT?
A first official score in the fall or winter of junior year, then a retake in March or May. That leaves June and the anticipated August 2027 date as insurance, with scores back before senior-year applications open.
How many times should my teen take the SAT?
Two or three sittings is typical. Many colleges superscore, combining the best section scores across dates, so a planned second attempt usually costs little and can add points. Check each college's own policy.
Are the PSAT dates the same as the SAT dates?
No. The PSAT/NMSQT is given at school between October 1 and 30, 2026. Schools register students themselves, and only the junior-year PSAT counts toward National Merit.
More for Arkansas families
- SAT prep in Arkansas
- SAT scores for Arkansas colleges
- Arkansas scholarship score requirements
- Find your teen's target score
Every date without a plan is a wasted shot
Between school, sports and deadlines, most students get two or three test dates that really count. In a free Strategy Session we count your teen's remaining dates, set the target score for their Arkansas colleges, and build the six to twelve week plan to hit it. See the ranges at SAT Scores for Arkansas Colleges.
