What are the SAT dates for 2026?

The 2026-27 SAT dates are August 22, September 12, October 3, November 7 and December 5, 2026, then March 6, May 1 and June 5, 2027. They are the same in every state, and the only school-specific SAT is a school-day test that your school or district arranges.

Which SAT date matters most for my teen?

The date that matters most is the last one whose scores reach colleges before your teen's application deadlines, so it depends on where she applies.

The catch is that no calendar can pick that date for you. A question we hear a lot goes something like this: what are the SAT dates for 2026 in Georgia, now that my daughter has started ninth grade, and which one can we not afford to miss? Carson Flowers answers it in the video by turning the question around. In his words, what matters "is totally up to you and the schools you apply to." For a Georgia family he would pull up the application deadlines for Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, the two biggest names in the state, and let those dictate when the SAT happens.

Here is how that works on paper. Write down the earliest application deadline on your teen's list. Then look at when scores come out. College Board lists November 20, 2026 as the score release for the November 7 test and December 18, 2026 for the December 5 test. If a college's deadline falls before that release, the score may arrive late, and each college decides whether it will still use it.

College Board calls December 5 the "Last Test Before College Deadlines," but that label is general, and every college sets its own cutoff. Confirm with each school's admissions office rather than relying on any summary, ours included.

Counting backward also tells you when prep should begin. Zoey's family counted eight weeks back from her May SAT, and she raised her score 220 points over those eight weeks of evening classes. You can read how Zoey planned eight weeks around a May test date.

If you are still early in this, our free guide shows how to compare your teen's current score with the range her colleges admit, so you know how much ground the calendar has to cover. Get the free SAT gap guide.

The misconception: each state has its own SAT dates

There are no state SAT dates; every student takes the same national weekend calendar.

College Board's own dates page says its weekend test dates and deadlines apply to all students, in the U.S. and internationally. Carson puts it more bluntly in the video: if you are looking for a date specific to your state, "that's just not a thing."

The confusion usually comes from school-day testing. Schools and districts can give the SAT during the school day, and when they do, students do not register on their own. For 2026-27, College Board's window for SAT School Day is October 1 to 30, 2026 in the fall and March 1 to April 30, 2027 in the spring. The exact day inside that window is your school's choice, which is why one family's "SAT date" can look different from a neighbor's across town.

So if a friend mentions an SAT your teen never heard about, it was probably a school-day test. Ask the school counselor whether your school gives one, in which grade, and on what day. For any weekend date, the table above is the full list.

My child just started ninth grade. Which dates should we circle?

For a ninth grader, the SAT dates she will most likely use have not been published yet.

A student who starts ninth grade in fall 2026 reaches junior year in fall 2028. College Board has posted anticipated dates only through June 2028: August 28, September 18, October 9, November 6 and December 4, 2027, then March 4, May 6 and June 3, 2028. The calendar for her junior year will come later.

What you can count on is the pattern. In 2026-27 there are eight weekend dates, running August through December and then March, May and June. As Carson says, they are "year-round, but clustered in fall." There is no January, February, April or July sitting on the current calendar, and the anticipated 2027-28 list follows the same months.

Ninth grade is a good year for the PSAT 8/9, which many schools give in their fall or spring window, and for learning what the test looks like. The PSAT/NMSQT in junior year is scored 320 to 1520 and is the National Merit qualifying test. Our post on what counts as a good PSAT score for a freshman covers what an early score tells you, and when your child should sit for the first SAT walks through the grade-by-grade timing.

How do SAT registration deadlines work?

Regular registration closes about two weeks before each test, and late registration stays open a few more days for an added fee.

On the 2026-27 calendar the regular deadline lands 15 days before test day. For December 5, that is November 20. The deadline for late registration, changes and regular cancellation follows four days later, November 24 for the December test, and College Board says additional fees apply. Deadlines expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

Two details catch families off guard. The SAT is digital, taken in the Bluebook app, and a student who needs to borrow a device from College Board must register and request it at least 30 days before test day, earlier than the normal deadline. And test centers fill, so registering close to the deadline can mean a longer drive on Saturday morning.

Fee waivers exist for low-income 11th and 12th graders in the U.S. and U.S. territories. College Board says eligible students get two free SAT tests, unlimited score reports to colleges, and waived application fees at participating colleges.

Many colleges superscore, combining a student's best section scores across sittings, so planning for two dates instead of one gives your teen room. Policies belong to each college, so check each college's policy before you build the plan around it. If you want help mapping a first and second date onto your teen's own college list, the free guide below is the place to start.

Quick answers

When is the last SAT of 2026?

December 5, 2026 is the last SAT of the calendar year. Regular registration closes November 20, and late registration closes November 24.

When do December 2026 SAT scores come out?

College Board lists December 18, 2026 as the score release for the December 5 test. Check whether that date falls before each college's application deadline.

Is there a January SAT in 2027?

No, the 2026-27 calendar has no January date. After December 5, 2026, the next weekend SAT is March 6, 2027.

What are the SAT dates for 2027-28?

College Board's anticipated 2027-28 dates are August 28, September 18, October 9, November 6 and December 4, 2027, then March 4, May 6 and June 3, 2028. They are listed as anticipated, so confirm them on College Board's site before registering.

Can my teen take the SAT at school instead of on a Saturday?

Yes, if the school or district offers SAT School Day. The 2026-27 windows are October 1 to 30, 2026 and March 1 to April 30, 2027, and the school handles registration.

Sources

• SAT Suite Test Dates and Deadlines, College Board
• SAT Registration Dates and Deadlines, College Board
• SAT Registration, College Board