When did the switch happen?
College Board started giving the SAT digitally at international test centers in spring 2023. The first digital SAT outside the US took place on 11 March 2023, and the first digital SAT in the US on 9 March 2024. The last paper exam outside the US was in December 2022.
Even though the exam is digital, you do not take it from home. Students still take it at a test center, with a proctor, on a laptop or tablet using the Bluebook app. Each student gets their own test form.
Paper SAT and digital SAT compared
| Paper SAT (old) | Digital SAT (today) | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of sections | 4 | 2 (Reading and Writing, Math) |
| Number of questions | 154 | 98 |
| Time (excluding breaks) | 3 hours | 2 hours 14 minutes |
| Calculator | In only one of the two math sections | In all math questions |
| Reading passages | Long passages, several questions for each passage | Short passages, one question for each passage |
| Adaptivity | None | The difficulty of the second module is set by the first module |
In the paper exam, reading passages could be 500 to 700 words long. Today each question comes with its own short passage, sometimes with a table or graph.
How do the modules adapt?
Each section is divided into two modules of equal length:
- Reading and Writing: 2 modules, each with 27 questions and 32 minutes
- Math: 2 modules, each with 22 questions and 35 minutes
- There is a 10-minute break between the two sections.
The questions in the second module are chosen based on how you did in the first module. On average, the second module is either harder or easier. Your section score is calculated from your performance on all the questions in both modules.
Within a module you can go back and forth between questions and mark the ones you want to return to. Once you finish a module and move to the next one, you cannot go back to the earlier module. So we suggest you leave a few minutes at the end of each module to look at the marked questions.
Bluebook keeps time separately for each student and shows a notice on the screen when it is time for the break. If you take an unscheduled break, that time comes out of your exam time.
A wrong answer does not take points away. Instead of leaving a question blank when time is running out, it helps to mark the most likely option.
What changed in Reading and Writing?
The separate Reading and Writing sections of the old exam are now combined in one section. Each question has a short passage or a pair of passages and a single multiple-choice question. Each question has four options and one best answer.
The questions fall into four areas:
- Craft and Structure: about 28%
- Information and Ideas: about 26%
- Standard English Conventions: about 26%
- Expression of Ideas: about 20%
Losing your place in a long passage is no longer a problem. Instead, in each question you need to focus quickly on a new passage.
What changed in Math?
The no-calculator math section is gone. A calculator is allowed in all math questions. Bluebook has a built-in Desmos graphing calculator. If you like, you can also bring your own approved calculator.
About 30% of the math questions are asked in context, that is, through a situation from everyday life. Questions are either multiple choice or the kind where you write the answer yourself. The topic breakdown is as follows:
- Algebra: about 35%
- Advanced Math: about 35%
- Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: about 15%
- Geometry and Trigonometry: about 15%
Of the 44 questions in Math, 4 are unscored pretest questions.
When are the results released?
According to College Board's international calendar for 2026 and 2027, results are released to the student about two weeks after the exam. Examples:
- 5 December 2026 exam: results on 18 December 2026
- 6 March 2027 exam: results on 19 March 2027
- 1 May 2027 exam: results on 14 May 2027
Schools mostly see the scores a few days after that. If you will take the exam close to an application deadline, we suggest you count this time in.
Are older materials useful?
The math topics in paper SAT books from before 2023 can still be useful. But the reading questions with long passages and the separate Writing section do not reflect today's exam.
College Board's downloadable paper practice tests are not adaptive. College Board recommends them for students who will receive a paper test accommodation. For other students, we suggest you rely on these resources:
- Bluebook: The full-length practice tests from the organization that runs the exam are here.
- My Practice: After a practice test, it shows the correct answer and an explanation for every question.
- Khan Academy Official SAT Prep: It has thousands of practice questions, videos and lessons.
It helps to take at least one practice test in Bluebook under real exam conditions, at the same time of day and with the break. That way the screen, the tools and the timing will not feel strange on exam day.
Related pages
Last checked: 23 October 2026. Rules and fees may change; we check the current situation together before you apply.
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