Testing calendar · Grades 9–12

Every ACT and SAT date, and the deadline to register

The test itself is rarely what families miss. The registration deadline is. Every national date for the 2026–27 school year is below, with the day you have to sign up by, plus what your student should be doing in their grade. Every date is open to every grade, 9th graders included.

Verified against ACT.org and College Board on July 29, 2026

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ACT national test dates

Seven dates this year. Register through your MyACT account. ACT deadlines close at midnight Central. Scores land roughly 2–4 weeks after you test.

Test date	Register by	Late registration	Scores released

SAT test dates

Eight dates this year. Register at College Board. SAT deadlines close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. If your student needs to borrow a testing device, register at least 30 days ahead.

Test date	Register by	Change / cancel by

PSAT, PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9

These are different: you do not register for them yourself. Schools order and schedule them, so the date depends on where your student tests. Homeschool families arrange a seat through a local school or co-op. Ask early, because seats are ordered in advance.

Test	Who takes it	Testing window
PSAT 8/9	8th and 9th graders: a first, low-stakes baseline	October 1–30, 2026 or March 1–April 30, 2027 (your school picks)
PSAT 10	10th graders: practice, no National Merit	March 1–April 30, 2027
PSAT/NMSQT Counts	11th graders: this is the National Merit qualifier	October 1–30, 2026 Schools may also use Saturday, October 17, 2026

Juniors, read this twice. The PSAT/NMSQT is the only one of these that can turn into scholarship money, and it is offered once. If your student is an 11th grader, find out now where they will sit it in October. Missing it is not something you can make up in the spring.

The Arkansas timing trap

At the University of Arkansas, priority scholarship consideration means applying and sending scores by November 1, then finishing the scholarship application by November 15. The final deadline is February 1: scores must be on file by February 1, 2027 for most merit awards. Work backward from those dates and the calendar gets strict in a hurry. (Source: admissions.uark.edu and scholarships.uark.edu, checked Sep 27, 2026.)

For the November 1 priority date, test in September or October. The February ACT is too late even for February 1. The February 27, 2027 ACT does not release scores until March 16, 2027, well past the cutoff. For a senior chasing Arkansas merit money, December 12, 2026 is the last national ACT that safely lands in time, and the December 5, 2026 SAT is its counterpart. Plan the retake for fall, not spring.

Fees, waivers and where to register

Both tests charge a registration fee, and both offer fee waivers for students who qualify. Do not guess at eligibility or pay full price before you ask. Message Amber and she will walk you through it.

Sources: ACT national test dates · SAT dates and deadlines · PSAT/NMSQT test dates. Dates are set by ACT and College Board and can change. Always confirm on the official page before you count on one. This page is rebuilt each summer when the new year's dates are published.