- The SAT is now fully digital and section-adaptive, taken in the Bluebook app
- The syllabus has only two sections, Reading and Writing with 54 questions in 64 minutes and Math with 44 questions in 70 minutes, for a total of 98 questions in 2 hours 14 minutes
- SAT Subject Tests and the optional Essay were discontinued in 2021 and are no longer part of the syllabus
- Registration costs 68 US dollars plus a 43 dollar international fee for candidates testing in India.
What Is the SAT Syllabus in 2026?
The 2026 SAT syllabus covers just two sections: Reading and Writing, and Math. Reading and Writing carries 54 questions drawn from four content domains, and Math carries 44 questions from four more. The digital adaptive test runs 2 hours 14 minutes and is scored from 400 to 1600.
The SAT is the undergraduate admission test administered by College Board, taken mainly by students in Class 11 and Class 12 who are applying to universities in the United States and to a growing number of institutions elsewhere. The syllabus is deliberately narrow: it does not test a school board curriculum, it tests reading comprehension, editing, grammar and a defined band of school mathematics.
The paper SAT no longer exists. College Board launched the digital SAT for international candidates, including India, in March 2023, and completed the transition in the United States on 9 March 2024. Every syllabus point below refers to that digital test.
| Section (SAT 2026) | Time Allotted | Questions | Score Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 64 minutes (two 32-minute modules) | 54 | 200-800 |
| Math | 70 minutes (two 35-minute modules) | 44 | 200-800 |
| Break between sections | 10 minutes | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Total | 2 hours 14 minutes | 98 | 400-1600 |
How Is the Digital SAT Structured?
Each section splits into two equal modules. Reading and Writing has two 32-minute modules totalling 64 minutes, and Math has two 35-minute modules totalling 70 minutes. A 10-minute break separates the sections. Your performance on the first module decides whether the second module is harder or easier.
This two-stage adaptive design is the single biggest change from the old paper test. The first module of each section mixes easy, medium and hard questions from every domain. The test then routes you to a second module that matches the level you demonstrated, which is why two candidates sitting the same date can see different questions.
- Both sections are taken in Bluebook, the College Board testing app, on a laptop or tablet.
- Questions within a module can be flagged and revisited, but you cannot return to a module once time expires.
- Reading and Writing questions are standalone: each short passage is followed by one multiple-choice question.
- Math allows a calculator throughout, including the built-in Desmos graphing and scientific calculator.
What Is in the Reading and Writing Syllabus?
Reading and Writing tests four domains: Craft and Structure at about 28 percent, Information and Ideas at about 26 percent, Standard English Conventions at about 26 percent, and Expression of Ideas at about 20 percent. Passages run 25 to 150 words, each followed by a single multiple-choice question.
Texts are drawn from literature, history and social studies, the humanities and science. There are no long 700-word passages with a cluster of questions any more, and there is no vocabulary list to memorise: words are always tested in context.
| Reading and Writing Domain 2026 | Share of Section | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Craft and Structure | About 28 percent | About 15 |
| Information and Ideas | About 26 percent | About 14 |
| Standard English Conventions | About 26 percent | About 14 |
| Expression of Ideas | About 20 percent | About 11 |
Which Skills Does Each Domain Test?
- Information and Ideas: central ideas and details, command of evidence in textual and quantitative form, and inferences.
- Craft and Structure: words in context, text structure and purpose, and cross-text connections.
- Expression of Ideas: rhetorical synthesis and transitions.
- Standard English Conventions: boundaries, and form, structure and sense.
Command of evidence questions include quantitative items where the passage is paired with a table or graph, so you must read data as well as prose. Standard English Conventions is the closest thing to a grammar syllabus: sentence boundaries, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, verb tense, pronoun clarity and modifier placement.
SAT preparation strategy and study planRead →What Is in the SAT Math Syllabus?
Math tests Algebra and Advanced Math at about 35 percent each, with Problem-Solving and Data Analysis and Geometry and Trigonometry at about 15 percent each. Roughly 75 percent of the 44 questions are four-option multiple choice and about 25 percent are student-produced responses that you type in yourself.
About 30 percent of Math questions are set in a real-world or contextual scenario, so you have to model the situation before you can solve it. Questions within each module are arranged broadly from easiest to hardest.
| Math Domain 2026 | Share of Section | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Algebra | About 35 percent | 13 to 15 |
| Advanced Math | About 35 percent | 13 to 15 |
| Problem-Solving and Data Analysis | About 15 percent | 5 to 7 |
| Geometry and Trigonometry | About 15 percent | 5 to 7 |
Which Topics Fall Under Each Math Domain?
- Algebra: linear equations in one variable, linear equations in two variables, linear functions, systems of two linear equations in two variables, and linear inequalities in one or two variables.
- Advanced Math: equivalent expressions, nonlinear equations in one variable and systems of equations in two variables, and nonlinear functions.
- Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: ratios, rates, proportional relationships and units, percentages, distributions and measures of centre and spread, probability, and inference from sample statistics.
- Geometry and Trigonometry: area and volume, lines, angles and triangles, right triangles and trigonometry, and circles.
Can You Use a Calculator on SAT Math?
Yes, for the whole Math section. Bluebook includes an embedded Desmos calculator that switches between graphing and scientific modes, and you may also bring your own approved calculator. Calculators with a computer algebra system are barred, including the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS, Casio ClassPad and HP Prime. Calculators must be put away during Reading and Writing.
Are the Subject Tests and Essay Still in the Syllabus?
No. College Board discontinued the SAT Subject Tests and the optional Essay in 2021, so Math Level 1, Math Level 2 and the 50-minute essay are gone from the syllabus. The Essay now survives only in states that require it for in-school SAT School Day testing, not for international candidates.
Older SAT syllabus articles still list a separate SAT Math Level 2 syllabus covering vectors, matrices, polar coordinates, conic sections and three-dimensional solids. None of that is examinable today. If a preparation resource still teaches Math Level 1 versus Math Level 2, it is describing a test that has not been administered since 2021.
The same applies to the old two-part Math design with a 25-minute no-calculator section and a 55-minute calculator section, and to the 65-minute Reading and 35-minute Writing and Language tests. Those belong to the retired paper SAT.
How Is the SAT Scored in 2026?
Reading and Writing and Math are each scored on a 200 to 800 scale, and the two section scores add together for a total between 400 and 1600. An essay score of 1 to 4 is reported only for candidates who sat the SAT with Essay through state in-school testing in the United States.
Because the test is adaptive, your score reflects both how many questions you answered correctly and the difficulty of the module you were routed into. Universities differ sharply in how they use the score. Stanford requires the SAT or ACT from first-year applicants and reports a middle-50-percent SAT band of 1520 to 1570 for the Class of 2029, while stating there is no minimum score. Yale also requires scores from the SAT or ACT and lets applicants self-report them first.
SAT exam dates and registration deadlines for IndiaRead →How Much Does the SAT Cost and When Is It Held?
The SAT registration fee is 68 US dollars, and candidates testing outside the United States pay an extra 43 dollar international fee, so the total is 111 dollars. Late registration adds 38 dollars. Sunday testing is not offered in India, so Indian candidates sit the Saturday administrations.
Cancelling by the change deadline costs 34 dollars, and cancelling after it costs 44 dollars. Registration deadlines fall roughly two weeks before each test date.
| SAT Test Date 2026-27 | Registration Deadline | Change or Cancel Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2026 | 7 August 2026 | 11 August 2026 |
| 12 September 2026 | 28 August 2026 | 1 September 2026 |
| 3 October 2026 | 18 September 2026 | 22 September 2026 |
| 7 November 2026 | 23 October 2026 | 27 October 2026 |
| 5 December 2026 | 20 November 2026 | 24 November 2026 |
| 6 March 2027 | 19 February 2027 | 23 February 2027 |
| 1 May 2027 | 16 April 2027 | 20 April 2027 |
| 5 June 2027 | 21 May 2027 | 25 May 2027 |
How Should You Prepare for the SAT Syllabus?
Start with a free full-length adaptive practice test in the Bluebook app, then use the Student Question Bank and Official SAT Prep on Khan Academy to drill the weakest domains. Question of the Day and free small-group tutoring at Schoolhouse add structured revision without any additional cost.
- Take one full Bluebook practice test under timed conditions to get a baseline score and a domain-wise breakdown.
- Rank the eight content domains by your accuracy, and give the weakest two the largest share of study time.
- Drill those domains in the Student Question Bank, which serves real released SAT questions with answer explanations.
- Follow the study plan Official SAT Prep on Khan Academy builds from your practice test results.
- Rebuild speed on Standard English Conventions and Algebra first, since they are the most rule-based and improve fastest.
- Retake a full adaptive practice test every two to three weeks to confirm the score is moving.
Preparation time varies, but candidates who already have a strong Class 10 mathematics base and read English fluently typically need eight to twelve weeks of consistent practice. The syllabus is fixed and narrow, so repeated exposure to real released questions matters more than covering extra topics.