The December SAT is on Saturday 5 December 2026. If you have not booked, register by Saturday 21 November at 8:59 am UAE time. This page gives you one job for each week, in UAE time, up to the morning of the test.
4 weeks, 4 jobs. Every date in UAE time.
28 days · 5 Dec test day
December 2026 SAT deadlines in UAE time
College Board ends each deadline at 11:59 pm in New York (ET). In November and December, New York is 9 hours behind the UAE. So each deadline ends at 8:59 am UAE time on the next day.
| What | College Board date (ET) | In UAE time |
|---|---|---|
| Ask to borrow a College Board device | 30 days before the test | Closed on 5 November |
| Register | Fri 20 Nov, 11:59 pm | Sat 21 Nov, 8:59 am |
| Late registration, changes and the lower cancel fee | Tue 24 Nov, 11:59 pm | Wed 25 Nov, 8:59 am |
| Upload your photo | At least 5 days before the test | By Mon 30 Nov |
| Test setup in Bluebook, which gives your admission ticket | 1 to 5 days before the test | Mon 30 Nov to Fri 4 Dec |
| Last chance to cancel (higher fee) | Thu 3 Dec, 11:59 pm | Fri 4 Dec, 8:59 am |
| Test day | Sat 5 Dec | Arrive 7:45 am to 8:00 am |
| Cancel your scores | Sat 12 Dec, 11:59 pm | Sun 13 Dec, 8:59 am |
| Choose your 4 free score reports | By 9 days after the test | By 14 Dec |
| Scores out | Fri 18 Dec | 18 Dec (no time given) |
Source: College Board, checked on 7 November 2026 (see Sources). College Board gives no time zone for the free score report day, so send them before 14 December.
4 weeks left (Sat 7 to Fri 13 Nov): book it and find your gaps
This week has one job: find out where you stand now.
- Book a seat if you have not. Seats depend on each centre, so look at more than one.
- Take one full practice test in Bluebook, timed. Bluebook is the College Board app you test on. Its full-length practice tests are adaptive, like the real test. Do it in one sitting.
- Make a mistake log for maths. For each wrong question, write the topic and the reason: did you not know the idea, read the question wrong, or make a slip in working? The reason decides what you fix.
- Check your device. College Board says it must hold a charge for about 3 hours. You can no longer borrow a College Board device for December.
Your maths pace
35 minutes for 22 questions = about 95 seconds each.
Each maths module has 22 questions in 35 minutes. The questions run from easiest to hardest. So the early ones should take less than 95 seconds. That saves time for the hard ones at the end.
3 weeks left (Sat 14 to Fri 20 Nov): fix the 2 biggest gaps
Look at your mistake log. Find the 2 maths topics that cost you the most marks. Spend this week on those 2 only. The College Board maths section has 4 areas: Algebra (13 to 15 questions), Advanced Math (13 to 15), Problem-Solving and Data Analysis (5 to 7) and Geometry and Trigonometry (5 to 7). A gap in Algebra or Advanced Math costs more, because those areas have about twice as many questions.
- Do 10 to 15 questions a day from your 2 topics. Use the free Student Question Bank from College Board.
- For each wrong answer, write one line: what went wrong and what you will do next time.
- The registration deadline comes the morning after this week ends: Saturday 21 November, 8:59 am UAE time. If you are still not booked, book now.
Not sure which maths topics to fix in the last 4 weeks? The Free BMI Maths Test finds your real level and the reason for each mistake.
Free BMI Maths Test
Not sure which weak areas to fix first?
The Free BMI Maths Test finds your child’s real maths level and the reason for each mistake. Then the last weeks go to the topics that matter.
2 weeks left (Sat 21 to Fri 27 Nov): the second full test
- Take a second full practice test in Bluebook, at 8:00 am on Saturday or Sunday if you can. This is close to the real start time, so your brain gets used to working at that hour.
- Compare it with the first test. Did your 2 weak topics improve? If yes, pick the next topic. If no, the cause may be a concept that is not clear, not a lack of practice.
- Practise your pace. Note the question number you reach at about 17 minutes, the half-way point of a module. If it is under 11, you are behind.
- Learn the tools. Use the built-in Desmos calculator and the formula sheet in practice, not first on test day.
- Wednesday 25 November, 8:59 am UAE time, is the last chance to change your centre or cancel at the lower fee.
The last 7 days (Sat 28 Nov to Fri 4 Dec): practise less, check more
New topics help little now. Short timed sets keep you sharp, and the forms decide if you can test at all.
Sat 28 and Sun 29 Nov
One timed maths module only (35 minutes). Then go through your mistake log one last time. Read the reason for each mistake, not the full working.
Mon 30 Nov
Last safe day for your photo (at least 5 days before). From this day, open Bluebook and do the test setup. This gives you your admission ticket.
Wed 2 and Thu 3 Dec
UAE National Day holiday (expected; check the official announcement). Keep to your normal sleep time. Do 20 minutes of easy maths each day, no more.
Fri 4 Dec
Pack your bag. Charge your device. Check the test centre closings page at night. If you must cancel, the last time is 8:59 am today.
For UAE families
The UAE National Day holiday is set for Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026, as reported by Khaleej Times. The UAE can move some holidays to the start or end of the week, so watch for news. If you travel for the holiday, come back by Thursday night. You need a calm Friday and an early Saturday.
The night before and the morning
This is a short list. Our full test day guide is coming soon.
- Your device, charged, with Bluebook set up and the admission ticket ready. Bring the charger.
- Your physical photo ID. In the UAE, a valid Emirates ID or a valid passport from any country. No photocopy, no phone photo.
- A pen or pencil. The centre gives you scratch paper.
- An approved calculator if you want one, with fresh batteries. Desmos is in Bluebook if you do not.
- Your College Board username and password, water and a snack for the break.
- Leave home so you arrive by 7:45 am. College Board says doors close at 8:00 am, unless your ticket gives a different time. If you arrive after testing begins, you cannot test. Testing starts 15 to 30 minutes after check-in ends.
After the test: three December dates to know
- By Sun 13 Dec, 8:59 am UAE time: the last time to cancel your scores. Cancel only if something went badly wrong, for example you were ill on the day.
- By 14 Dec: choose up to 4 universities to get your scores free. After that, each report costs $15. You choose before you see your score.
- Fri 18 Dec: scores out. If your first university deadline is in early January, check its page for the last SAT date it accepts.
Want a higher maths score next time? See what a good SAT maths score is, then use the 8-week SAT maths practice plan for March 2027.
One SAT-style question about your countdown
The practice question
Over the 28 days before her test, Mariam practises 40 minutes on each weekday and 90 minutes on each weekend day. In total she practises 1,520 minutes. How many weekend days are in the 28 days?
- 6
- 8
- 10
- 20
Show the answer and working
Answer: B, 8.
Working: Let w be the number of weekend days. Then there are 28 − w weekdays. Total minutes: 40(28 − w) + 90w = 1,520. Multiply out: 1,120 − 40w + 90w = 1,520. So 50w = 400, and w = 8.
Check: 20 weekdays × 40 = 800 minutes. 8 weekend days × 90 = 720 minutes. 800 + 720 = 1,520. It works.
Common mistake: choosing D, 20. That is the number of weekdays, not weekend days. Read the last line again before you choose.
This is a practice question in the style of the SAT, written by Math Quotient. It is not a real past question. From 7 November to 4 December there are in fact 8 weekend days, so the numbers also fit your own countdown.
Questions people ask about the December SAT
Is it too late to register for the December SAT?
No, not yet. The normal deadline is Saturday 21 November 2026 at 8:59 am UAE time. After that, you can register late until Wednesday 25 November at 8:59 am UAE time, with a $38 late fee. Seats depend on each test centre.
When do December SAT scores come out in the UAE?
College Board gives Friday 18 December 2026 for students. It does not give a time of day. The date is the same in the UAE as in the US.
What should I practise in the last week?
Short timed sets, such as one 35-minute maths module, and a last look at your own mistake log. Do not start new topics. Use the week to finish your photo upload and the Bluebook test setup.
What time does the December SAT start in Dubai?
College Board lists 7:45 am local time. Plan to arrive between 7:45 am and 8:00 am. Doors close at 8:00 am unless your admission ticket gives a different time. Testing starts about 15 to 30 minutes after check-in.
The last weeks before 5 December: where should they go?
The Free BMI Maths Test shows your real maths level and the reason for each mistake, so your last weeks go to the right topics.
Sources
Facts checked on 7 November 2026. UAE times worked out with the America/New_York and Asia/Dubai time zones. Check College Board again before you act.
- College Board: 5 December 2026 SAT
- College Board: SAT dates and deadlines
- College Board: fees outside the US
- College Board: score release dates
- College Board: what to expect on test day
- College Board: when testing starts
- College Board: what to bring and ID rules
- College Board: 2026-27 SAT weekend student guide
- College Board: registration and test day guide
- College Board: the maths section and test structure
- UAE National Day holiday 2026: Khaleej Times.
