The SAT® Test: Structure, Timing and Dates

Facts teachers need about the SAT® test: how it is built, how long it takes, how it is scored and when it happens.

Run by: College Board
Who takes it: Usually taken in grades 11–12 (our note; no official grade rule).
Delivery: Digital (adaptive)
Questions: 98
Testing time: 2 h 14 min
Score range: 400–1600
Last checked: 2026-10-20

This is our guide to the College Board's SAT® test. SAT® is a trademark owned by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this site.

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College admission test. Two adaptive sections (Reading and Writing, then Math) with a 10-minute break between them.

Sections, questions and timing

Section	Questions	Time	Notes	Content (share of questions)
Reading and Writing	54 (4 unscored)	1 h 4 min	No calculator. 2 modules, second adapts to the first. Short passages (or passage pairs), each with one multiple-choice question; all four content domains appear in both modules.	Craft and Structure ≈28%; Information and Ideas ≈26%; Standard English Conventions ≈26%; Expression of Ideas ≈20%
Math	44 (4 unscored)	1 h 10 min	Calculator allowed. 2 modules, second adapts to the first. Multiple-choice and type-in (student-produced response) questions; about 30% of questions are set in a real-world context.	Algebra ≈35%; Advanced Math ≈35%; Problem-Solving and Data Analysis ≈15%; Geometry and Trigonometry ≈15%

Breaks: 10 min after Reading and Writing.

Scores and results

Scores: Step: 10; Note: Total = Reading and Writing + Math. No subscores or cross-test scores.
Benchmarks: Rw: 480; Math: 530; Note: College and Career Readiness benchmarks

Dates for 2026 to 2027

Year	What	Date	Registration deadline	Late deadline
2026-27	weekend	Sat, 3 October 2026	Fri, 18 September 2026	Tue, 22 September 2026
2026-27	weekend	Sat, 7 November 2026	Fri, 23 October 2026	Tue, 27 October 2026
2026-27	weekend	Sat, 5 December 2026	Fri, 20 November 2026	Tue, 24 November 2026
2026-27	weekend	Sat, 6 March 2027	Fri, 19 February 2027	Tue, 23 February 2027
2026-27	weekend	Sat, 1 May 2027	Fri, 16 April 2027	Tue, 20 April 2027
2026-27	weekend	Sat, 5 June 2027	Fri, 21 May 2027	Tue, 25 May 2027

Deadlines end 11:59 p.m. US Eastern. "Late deadline" = deadline for changes, regular cancellation and late registration. SAT School Day dates are set by schools.

Dates from satsuite.collegeboard.org. Dates can change: check before you plan.

Not yet confirmed by us: Dates before October 2026 (August/September 2026) were no longer listed on 20 Oct 2026.; Domain shares come from the Summer 2022 Specifications Overview; the Version 4 (Sept 2026) framework tables could not be read (PDF text cut off) – re-check.. Check the official documents.

Official pages

Facts checked against: satsuite.collegeboard.org, satsuite.collegeboard.org, satsuite.collegeboard.org, international.collegeboard.org, satsuite.collegeboard.org.

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Test details checked against College Board on 2026-10-20. Always check the official page. We show facts only (sections, question counts, timings, score scales, dates) with summaries in our own words; no test questions, passages or practice tests are reproduced.

SAT® is a trademark owned by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this site.

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