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SAT Exam Fees: Registration, Cancellation, and Rescheduling
The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is one of the most widely accepted college entrance exams in the world. Many students take the SAT to demonstrate to colleges how well-prepared they are for undergraduate study. The test covers reading, writing, and math skills. Colleges use SAT scores as part of their admissions process to decide which students they will accept. The SAT is offered several times a year and is now delivered in digital form in many regions, including India, for 2025 and subsequent years. Understanding the full cost of the SAT helps students and families plan ahead.
This article explains all the fees you may pay when you register for the SAT. It also explains what happens if you cancel or reschedule the test and how refunds work.
The SAT is a standardized test developed by the College Board. It is mainly used to show the level of academic readiness for college. The test only covers two significant areas:
1. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW)
2. Mathematics
The test is not only about what you have memorized. It also demonstrates the extent to which you can apply your knowledge to solve problems and comprehend written materials. Most colleges in the United States and many universities worldwide accept the SAT as one of the admission requirements.
If you want to study abroad or apply to top schools, the SAT is usually a must or highly recommended. Students can register for the test on the official College Board website and are required to pay the test fees in either US dollars or the local currency equivalent.
Basic Registration Cost
Every student who wants to take the SAT exam must pay a registration fee. This fee covers the cost of the test and the processing of your entry.
For 2025, the standard SAT registration fee is
The base test fee is USD 68.
For students living outside the United States, an additional charge of USD 43 applies for the region.
Depending on your place of residence, taxes or local charges may also be added.
For Indian students, these charges typically amount to approximately USD 130 to USD 131 (approximately ₹9,500 to ₹11,800, depending on the exchange rate and taxes at the time of registration) on the official site.
This sum represents the total amount that is necessary for taking the SAT on your chosen test date.
If you are eligible for fee exemption through the authorized programs, you can have the basic registration costs reduced or waived. Nevertheless, the provision of fee waivers for Indian students may vary from year to year and by region.
In addition to the fundamental registration price, the College Board imposes additional charges for specific services or actions.
Late Registration
When you register after the standard deadline but before the late deadline, you have to pay an extra fee as well.
This late fee typically ranges from USD 34 to USD 38.
Change Test Center
Once you change the test center after registration, an additional charge applies.
This fee typically ranges from USD 29 to USD 34.
Cancellation Fees
If you decide to drop the plan to take the test after you have already registered, you are allowed to cancel your registration and receive a partial refund. The amount you pay varies depending on the time of your cancellation:
Cancel before the change deadline: In this case, you only pay a cancellation fee of approximately USD 29 to USD 34.
Cancel after the change deadline but before test day: In this case, the fee is significantly higher, ranging from USD 39 to USD 44.
These cancellation charges are deducted from the refund you are entitled to receive.
Late Cancellation Fee
When you cancel after the official change deadline and before the test day, you are required to pay the higher cancellation fee. This charge differs from that of late registration and remains in effect even if you withdraw from the test late.
Score-Related Services
Once you have finished the test, you might require some score-related services that come with an additional charge:
Additional score reports: In case you want to send scores to more than four institutions, each extra report will be charged approximately USD 15.
Rush score reports: The rush service will be charged at around USD 31 if you want your scores to be sent quickly.
Scores by phone: When released, you can obtain your scores by calling and paying approximately USD 15 per call.
Archived scores: Older test scores may cost you about USD 35.
Score verification: If you would like your scores to be re-verified, it may cost approximately USD 55.
These are optional services that most students do not necessarily require if they plan ahead and send scores to their chosen colleges early.
Cancellation Rules
If you need to change your plans, the College Board allows you to cancel your SAT registration. You would need to do so before the deadlines in order to get a refund. The refund is not full. The registration fee is refunded after the cancellation fee has been deducted. Please see below to understand how it generally works:
If you cancel by the regular change deadline, a reduced cancellation fee is charged.
However, if you cancel after the deadline but prior to test day, a larger fee is applied.
If you cancel after the official deadline has passed and the test day arrives, you may not be eligible for a refund.
Refunds are commonly processed back to the same payment method used when you registered. It may take several business days for the refunded amount to appear in your account.
Rescheduling (Changing Test Date)
In most cases, SAT rescheduling is not provided directly. However, if you wish to take the SAT on a different day, you can cancel your registration for the test and register for another test day. Effectively, you have to pay a fee for cancelling and another fee for registering for a different test day.
This makes it especially important that you choose your test date and test center wisely when you first register. If your plans change later, it might be expensive to reschedule.
The College Board offers fee waivers in some countries, which are available to eligible students only. These waivers cover the basic cost of registration. In addition to that, they may waive other fees such as fees related to late registration and cancellation.
To apply for these fee waivers, students must fulfill specific income or need-based criteria. In India, fee waivers are provided through official partners. The availability of these partners changes every year. Students are expected to visit the College Board website or the partner page to obtain the most current information on fee waiver eligibility before enrolling.
The College Board accepts several payment methods for the SAT exam:
Credit or debit cards
PayPal
In some places, money order/check payment can be considered as well, provided it is done in accordance with its own guidelines as described in the registration site.
You must have a valid payment method readily available prior to beginning your SAT registration.
Below are the ways you can save on your SAT fees:
Register early: It prevents charges for late registration.
Plan your test center and date ahead: Do not change these unless absolutely necessary. Rescheduling will incur additional charges.
Send score reports in one go: You can decide in advance which are the colleges that will receive your scores. This is useful for avoiding extra score report fees.
Check fee waiver options: If you qualify, waivers significantly help lower your SAT costs.
1. What is the cost of SAT registration?
For SAT registration, the global base fee is USD 68.
2. Why is the SAT fee higher for students in India?
Students who are taking the SAT outside the U.S. will have to pay an additional international fee of USD 43 plus local taxes.
3. What are the fees for cancelling or rescheduling the SAT?
The cost for early cancellation is around USD 29-34, while late cancellation costs around USD 39-44. Also, direct rescheduling is not allowed—students must cancel and re-register.
4. Are SAT fee waivers available for students?
Yes. If the student is eligible, they may receive discounts through official programs supported by the College Board.
In conclusion, getting familiar with SAT fees beforehand will help you prevent surprises and extra costs. The major cost is that of the registration fee, which includes a basic test charge plus any country-specific charges. Apart from this, you should know the other costs that will be applied in case of late registration, changing your test centers, cancellation of test registration, and score services. Also, if you have to cancel or change test dates, do that ahead of specified deadlines if you want to get the best possible refund. Thus, planning ahead and knowing the rules can save you both time and money in your quest to take the SAT.
If you are getting ready for college admissions, make it a point to review the official College Board website before you register so that you are up-to-date with the latest and most accurate fee information before making payments.
