The short answer: there are eight SAT dates in the 2026-27 cycle — but for Bright Futures, only exams taken by August 31 of your student's graduation year count. For the class of 2027, that makes August 22, 2026 the last scholarship-eligible test date.
All 2026-27 SAT dates and deadlines
- August 22, 2026 — register by Aug 7 (late: Aug 11)
- September 12, 2026 — register by Aug 28 (late: Sep 1)
- October 3, 2026 — register by Sep 18 (late: Sep 22)
- November 7, 2026 — register by Oct 23 (late: Oct 27)
- December 5, 2026 — register by Nov 20 (late: Nov 24)
- March 6, 2027 — register by Feb 19 (late: Feb 23)
- May 1, 2027 — register by Apr 16 (late: Apr 20)
- June 5, 2027 — register by May 21 (late: May 25)
The deadline that catches Florida families
College application deadlines get all the attention, but Bright Futures has its own cutoff: test scores must come from exams taken by August 31 of the graduation year. A senior who plans to “fix it in the fall” has exactly one date left — and it's in August, before school even starts.
The right calendar by grade
Sophomores: baseline diagnostic now; first official sit late sophomore year or early junior fall. Juniors: first official SAT in fall (October or November), retake in March — leaving May, June, and August as insurance. Seniors: count backwards from August 31; if the Bright Futures score isn't locked, every remaining date is precious and prep should start immediately.
Every date without a plan is a wasted shot
Most students get two or three test dates that truly count between school, sports, and deadlines. In your free Florida Acceptance Strategy Session, we count your teen's remaining dates, set the target score, and build the 6–12 week plan to hit it — yours to keep either way.
Sources: College Board SAT dates & deadlines; FLDOE Bright Futures eligibility chart. Reviewed July 2026.