SAT Exam Registration 2026: How to Register for SAT Exam?

There is no age limit set by the College Board. But the rules are different for:

• If a candidate is 13 or old then he/she can create a free account on College Board and register online
• Candidates who are 12 years or younger can register only through mail or phone. Such candidates need not pay the phone registration fee
• Candidates studying in the eighth grade or lower need not include a photo during registration. However, they need a valid photo ID at the exam center
• There may be students who may want to go for PSAT and be eliible for giving the SAT exam. 

Yes, international students should ideally register for SAT after their class XII whether or not their results have been announced. The students who already make up their minds during their board exams or after board exams to apply to foreign universities can register for SAT exam. They can choose their dates with utmost care and register for those SAT exam dates when they would have some preparation for it and would be able to appear for the exam as well.

No, SAT does not require class 12th marks as part of SAT exam eligibility fulfillment or for the registration purpose. SAT exam only requires applicants to be undergraduates and those aiming to apply for the same in universities abroad. Thus, applicants can appear for SAT exam even if they are not class 12th passouts. 

Since there are eight SAT dates, correspondingly there are eight SAT registration dates as well for 2025. The last date for SAT registration based on the date of examination is as follows:

 As and when the SAT exam dates approach, the College Board updates on the SAT registration dates. 

While registering for SAT exam students are permitted to choose only one SAT exam date. There is no option of making multiple selections for SAT exam dates on College Board. Students ideally should prepare themselves and ensure that they apply for the SAT date only when they are able to sit for the exam and score as per their expectations. Thus, making changes to SAT dates is possible but multiple selections are not. Applicants should thus, make up their minds before hand and then make the final choice because altering choices can be costly for them at a later stage.

The registration date for SAT exam is decided by College Board who conducts SAT exam. For each SAT date, a designated registration date is given along with the late registration deadline. Usually College Board releases the half of the SAT dates one year before, and registration dates are released as when the SAT dates approach. Thus, the deadlines for Scholastic Aptitude Test registration must be crefully looked at to avoid missing on the opportunity to appear for the exam.

SAT exam is conducted seven times in a year. Applicants can choose their preferred SAT exam date and register before the regular deadline. Usually applicants are advised to take SAT twice to improve their SAT scores. But there are no caps on taking the SAT exam, that is, the number of attempts in a year or in a lifetime in total. 

Yes, you must. Never make a second account. It messes up your scores. Log in with your old username. If you forget the password, reset it. The one with duplicate accounts are harder to fix.

There are various steps to finish SAT registration and they can get tricky in between when you have to choose correct options while fillng in your details. The SAT registration includes:

• Personal and parents' details - academic background.
• Ranking per subject and GPA score based on prediction if results are not out.
• Subject wise topics studied and till which level - Maths, English, Science & Social Studies.
• High School activities - co-curricular.
• Level of Education the applicant is aiming for.
• And then ultimately registering for SAT by selecting your preferred test date and centre.

Applicants will have to share the device name upon SAT registration. The applicants are allowed to use the following devices for their Digital SAT exam:

• Windows laptop
• Mac laptop
• Windows tablet (with external keyboard), or any other tablet
• iPad
• Chromebook (managed by school)

Applicants who do not have these devices, can request for one when completing SAT registration process.

Uploading your recent photo is essential before you sit for the main SAT exam. The definition of a good photo as per College Board is as follows:

• The image must be in any of these formats - .jpg, .gif, or .png.
• You must be recognizable in the photo you upload, basically the headshot must be clear.
• The photo should not be too dark or too light.
• Ensure that the eyes are open and not closed.
• Photo must be natural and must not be altered using any tool.
• Finally, the image must include only you and nobody else.

If these instructions are not followed, then you may not be allowed to appear for the test. 

Keep these SAT basics in mind when registering for SAT exam:

• Registering for SAT online can take some time, you can keep saving your application and coming back to it.
• Put in the right details - personal and academic details, avoid changing it after registrations. 
• Ensure you register for SAT way before the SAT exam date and there should be no scope for changes.
• Uploading a headshot image is not madatory but is preferable during SAT registrations. 
• When checking out, ensure your cards or online payment gateway is working so that transaction doesn't fail.
• Once you pay the SAT exam fee, take a printout of the admission ticket.
• After the SAT registration process, ensure you download Bluebook App and set up your account, and take a practice test if needed. 

Yes, the Digital SAT exam fee costs around INR 11k+ for Indian applicants. The fee is subject to change as per currecny exchange rate. Since it is an expensive exam, retaking it can hurt the pocket to a great extent.

Indian students planning to give SAT exam to study in India and come from a low family income can apply for Indian Scholars Program Scholarship and get a fee waiver. However, those appearing for SAT to study abroad, cannot take SAT exam for free. 

Once you register for SAT exam and wish to cancel it, you can go to your profile and cancel the test. Though the SAT cancellation fee is not fully refundable, yet students can get around 10-20% of the total amount they paid. Cancellation of SAT exam will also depend on when you are cancelling the exam. So if you cancel the exam a few days prior the refund will be lesser, however if you cancel a month or so before, then the fee will be returned by 20%. 

No, SAT exams are proctored at designated test centres by College Board. Even after SAT has gone Digital, the applicants still have to appear for the exam at a test centre only and do not have the option of taking it from home at present. Thus, those planning to take SAT exam upon registration will have to choose a nearby SAT exam centre in order to appear for the exam. 

Booking an exam centre to appear for SAT is a part of the registration process. The applicants have to book a date and correspondingly choose the available exam centres available for the exam. Once the fee is paid for SAT registration, the applicants cannot modify the changes for exam centre. 

Pick a place close to home. Traffic is unpredictable. Check if they have good air conditioning. Some schools have bad computers. If you know the test center, you feel safer. don't go to a random city.

The ideal way to register for SAT exam as an Indian student is through the online mode. Since the process of online SAT registration is easier, more flexible and accessiblilty is any day better, it is only feasible to apply for the SAT exam online. The process of offline registration for SAT can be tedious and may not allow students to make changes in the already submitted application. 

Also those who wish to re-register for SAT if they miss on the already registered SAT date is possible through the online application mode and not applicable for offline registration modes. In case the applicants wish to register for the SAT exam on a late registration deadline, then this is also possible through the online mode in place of the time taking offline mode of application. 

Thus, if applying as an Indian national, the applicants can register for the SAT exam online and submit their photographs also at a later date, make possible changes at a given point of time, easily switch SAT exam dates and register for another SAT exam easily or even apply for the SAT exam on a late registration date, plus making payments for the SAT exam is for sure better and safer online rather the time taking demand draft payment for the offline mode of registration. Hence, Indian applicants should choose to go with the SAT online registration rather than the offline registration. 

No, College Board does not accept any part payments for SAT exam fee registrations. Rather the applicant will have to pay the entire amount together that too online via a credit card or through PayPal. There is no provision of accepting part payments for either SAT registration or SAT registration cancellation or for SAT exam date postponement. Applicants should ensure they have enough funds to be able to submit for SAT exam fees and that the transaction doesn't abort in between. Thus, applicants should keep the minimum amount in the bank account and pay accordingly for the SAT exam fee.

No, students have to atleast register for SAT exam one month before the exam date. The students will not be able to register fo SAT exam five days prior to the exam. Hence its advisable for students to make up their minds beforehand, keep some time for their preparation for SAT exam and also some buffer time before applying to universities abroad else there will be a confusion and applicants will be in a no man's land and also end up losing their chance of admission in the term of application.