SAT test dates 2026-27 and registration deadlines for Gulf students

SAT dates and deadlines, 2026-27

All deadlines are 11:59 p.m. US Eastern Time, which is 7:59 or 8:59 a.m. the next morning in the Gulf depending on US daylight saving. Register a day early to be safe.

Source: College Board 2026-27 international assessments calendar and SAT dates page, checked October 2026. The late registration deadline is also the deadline for changes and cancellation at the standard fee. Sunday sittings follow each Saturday date for students who cannot test on Saturday for religious reasons.

What the SAT costs if you test in the Gulf

Source: College Board international fees, fees valid through June 2027. Fee waivers are limited to students in the US and to students abroad who hold United States citizenship who meet the income criteria.

Which date should a Gulf student pick?

Work back from university deadlines. US Early Action and Early Decision deadlines usually fall on 1 or 15 November, so for a student applying this autumn the October date is the last comfortable one and November is a gamble. For students in Grade 11 or Year 12, a first sitting in March, May or June 2027 leaves the whole of the following autumn for a second attempt, and most colleges that accept the SAT will superscore or let students choose which scores to send.

Look at the school calendar too. The May date sits the weekend before AP week (AP exams run 3 to 14 May 2027), and the June date falls in the middle of many British-curriculum schools' IGCSE and A Level season. Saudi schools close for the Eid al-Adha break from early May, which can help or hurt depending on travel plans.

Not every centre runs every date. American University of Sharjah, for example, lists only five of the eight 2026-27 dates. Check seats on the College Board test centre search as soon as registration opens, because Gulf centres fill early, especially for the October and May dates.

What to do in the six weeks before test day

1. Download Bluebook on the laptop or tablet your child will use and take the full-length practice tests in it, timed. The on-screen timer and adaptive second module feel different from paper.
2. Check that the device meets College Board's requirements and that school-managed devices allow Bluebook. Students who need a loan device must ask at least 30 days before test day.
3. Complete exam setup in Bluebook in the five days before the test. Students who skip it lose time on the morning.
4. Bring a valid, physical photo ID that matches the registration name exactly, a charged device and charger, and an acceptable calculator if your child prefers one to the built-in Desmos calculator.
5. In the final fortnight, switch from learning new content to timed modules and error review. Most late gains come from fixing repeated mistakes, not new topics.

How one-to-one SAT lessons fit around these dates

A tutor starts with a full Bluebook practice test to see which domains cost the most points, then plans lessons back from the chosen date. A typical plan uses one lesson a week for Math and Reading and Writing skills, with timed modules set between lessons. Lessons are online, 60 minutes, in LiveTutor's classroom with a shared whiteboard, so a student in Riyadh or Dubai can fit them after school and before the weekend test.