ACT Test Dates 2026–2027: Deadlines and Score Timing
Updated · 7 min read
Most families pick an ACT date by looking at a calendar and choosing one that isn't during a holiday. That works right up until the moment a scholarship deadline arrives before the score does.
Here are the real dates, and the timing trap underneath them.
There are seven ACT national test dates across the 2026 2027 testing year. Registration closes about five weeks before each one. Scores take one to four weeks to arrive — which means the test date you need is usually earlier than the one you'd pick.
Work out which date you actually need
The right test date depends on which scholarship threshold your teen is chasing and when that school's deadline falls. Enter an ACT score and GPA and we will show you what each school pays at that score, which threshold is closest, and what crossing it is worth. Free to see.
Free · No account needed
ACT test dates 2026–2027
| Test date | Register by | Late deadline |
|---|---|---|
| September 19, 2026 | August 14, 2026 | September 1, 2026 |
| October 17, 2026 | September 11, 2026 | September 29, 2026 |
| December 12, 2026 | November 6, 2026 | November 29, 2026 |
| February 27, 2027 | January 22, 2027 | February 9, 2027 |
| April 10, 2027 | March 5, 2027 | March 23, 2027 |
| June 12, 2027 | May 7, 2027 | May 25, 2027 |
| July 10, 2027 | June 4, 2027 | June 22, 2027 |
Every one of these dates is the Enhanced ACT
Worth stating plainly, because a lot of material still has not caught up: each sitting above is the Enhanced ACT. Three scored sections — English, Math and Reading — with Science optional and outside the composite.
That changes what preparing for one of these dates means. Practice material written for the old format has the wrong question counts in every section, so a raw score taken from it converts through a table that does not apply to the test you are about to sit. If you are scoring practice tests between now and your date, use an Enhanced ACT practice test and score it against the current conversion tables.
All deadlines are 11:59pm Central. Late registration carries an extra fee. Dates come from ACT's published national test date schedule — confirm there before you register, because dates can change.
ACT also publishes projected dates for 2027–2028: September 11, October 16 and December 11, 2027, then February 26, April 8, June 10 and July 15, 2028. Those are marked subject to change.
How long do ACT scores take?
ACT states that over 97% of scores are available online within one to four weeks of the test date, and that multiple-choice scores are normally reported as early as two weeks after testing.
That range is the whole problem. Two weeks and four weeks are very different answers when something depends on the score arriving.
Plan against four weeks, not two. If a deadline matters, the cost of being early is nothing and the cost of being late is the entire award.
When each 2026–2027 ACT date's scores come out
The window above, applied to each sitting. The first column is the earliest scores normally post; the second is the date to plan against.
| Test date | Scores often post from | Plan against |
|---|---|---|
| September 19, 2026 | October 3, 2026 | October 17, 2026 |
| October 17, 2026 | October 31, 2026 | November 14, 2026 |
| December 12, 2026 | December 26, 2026 | January 9, 2027 |
| February 27, 2027 | March 13, 2027 | March 27, 2027 |
| April 10, 2027 | April 24, 2027 | May 8, 2027 |
| June 12, 2027 | June 26, 2027 | July 10, 2027 |
| July 10, 2027 | July 24, 2027 | August 7, 2027 |
These are ACT's own one-to-four-week window counted forward from each test date, not a per-date calendar ACT publishes. Scores post in batches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and writing and Science can trail the multiple-choice sections by a week or more. Two dates are worth noticing: the December sitting lands its plan-against date in January, after most December 1 and January 1 priority deadlines have closed, and the September sitting only clears by mid October.
The timing trap that costs real money
Many universities award merit scholarships automatically from a published grid, gated behind an application priority deadline. A very common one is December 1.
Now put those two facts together:
- December 1 priority deadline
- December 12 test date
The December test happens after the deadline. A student who registers for it believing they're "getting it in before the December 1 cutoff" has already missed it — the test itself is eleven days late.
Work it backwards instead:
- Find the earliest priority deadline on your teen's list
- Subtract four weeks for score release
- Pick the last test date that still fits
For a December 1 deadline, that means the October test at the latest. For a February 1 deadline, December works.
Two schools that publish a December 1 priority deadline, both awarding automatically on GPA and test score with no separate application: Mississippi State and Wichita State. Several others use the same date. Check each school's scholarship page, not its admissions page — they are frequently different deadlines.
See what crossing one score band is worth at your schools →Which ACT date should you actually take?
| Your situation | Target date |
|---|---|
| Junior, no score yet | Spring of junior year — leaves room to retake |
| Chasing December 1 priority deadlines | October at the latest |
| Senior, score in hand, want to improve | Next available with 6+ weeks to prepare |
| Regular decision deadlines only | December or February |
The rule underneath all of these: give yourself at least one retake. Most students improve on a second attempt, and many schools superscore — taking your best section scores across dates. Planning a single attempt removes an advantage that costs nothing to have.
What to do between now and test day
Knowing the date is the easy part. The weeks before it are where points are actually gained, and they are usually spent badly — most students re-read material they already know rather than finding what they're getting wrong.
The quickest way to use the time well:
- Find out where the points are leaking. Not which section feels hard — which concepts you actually miss.
- Fix those specifically. A student missing comma rules and a student missing rhetorical skills both "need English work" and need entirely different weeks.
- Practise under time. Pacing is a separate skill from knowing the content.
Find out what's costing you points
About three minutes, no account. You'll see a projected score for every section and the concepts losing you the most points.
Free · No account needed
Registration details worth knowing
- Register online at act.org. You'll need a photo for your ticket.
- Late registration runs roughly two to three weeks past the regular deadline, with a fee.
- Standby testing may be available after that at some centres, but it is not guaranteed — plan for the next date instead.
- Fee waivers are available to eligible students and cover the registration fee for up to four tests. Ask your counsellor.
- Test centres fill up. Registering on the deadline often means a long drive on test day.
Related
- Enhanced ACT score calculator and conversion chart — turn a practice test raw score into a composite
- What changed on the Enhanced ACT — new question counts and optional Science
- What one ACT point is worth in scholarship money — the merit grid arithmetic
- ACT scholarship calculator
- How many times should you take the ACT?
- Test-optional doesn't mean scholarship-optional
- When should my kid take the ACT?
- ACT accommodations and extended time
- How do you know if ACT prep is working?
Frequently asked questions
What are the ACT test dates for 2026-2027?
There are seven national test dates: September 19, 2026; October 17, 2026; December 12, 2026; February 27, 2027; April 10, 2027; June 12, 2027; and July 10, 2027. Each has a regular registration deadline about five weeks before, and a late deadline about two to three weeks before, with a late fee.
How long does it take to get ACT scores back?
ACT reports that over 97% of scores are available online within one to four weeks of the test date, and multiple-choice scores are normally reported as early as two weeks after testing. Plan against the four-week end of that window, not the two-week end, if a deadline depends on it.
When do October 17, 2026 ACT scores come out?
Scores from the October 17, 2026 ACT normally begin posting around October 31, 2026, two weeks after the test, and should be in hand by about November 14, 2026 at the four-week end of ACT's published window. Multiple-choice scores come first; writing and Science can trail by a week or more. Plan against the November date if a deadline depends on it.
When do December 12, 2026 ACT scores come out?
Around December 26, 2026 at the earliest, and by roughly January 9, 2027 at the four-week end. This is the sitting that catches families out: its scores land after most December 1 and January 1 scholarship priority deadlines have already closed, so the December test is usually too late for first-year merit money.
Which ACT test date should I take for scholarships?
Work backwards from the earliest scholarship priority deadline on your list, then subtract four weeks for score release, then pick the last test date that still fits. Many universities use a December 1 priority deadline, which means the December test is already too late — its scores arrive after the deadline has passed.
What happens if I miss the ACT registration deadline?
You can register during the late period for an additional fee, which runs roughly two to three weeks past the regular deadline. After that, standby testing may be available at some centres but is not guaranteed — you are better off taking the next date than relying on it.
How many times can I take the ACT?
ACT allows up to 12 attempts in total. Most students take it two or three times. Because many schools superscore — combining your best section scores across dates — retaking usually helps and rarely hurts, provided you have time to prepare between attempts.