Digital Test Security and Fairness

Know your rights and responsibilities for the SAT.

The test security and fairness policies are designed to give you a fair opportunity to demonstrate your college readiness and to prevent anyone from gaining an unfair advantage. When you register to take the SAT, you agree to the SAT Terms and Conditions including the below policies.

Note: If you encounter anything on test day that might affect the scoring of your test, please report it to the testing staff and notify us at sat.org/inquiry or SAT Test Questions Error or Ambiguity form.

Testing Policies

When you register to take the SAT, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and will comply with these policies:

  • You must present acceptable photo identification for admission to the test center. You're responsible for understanding and following the SAT ID Requirements.
  • Allowing someone to impersonate you to take a College Board test or engaging in impersonation to take a test for someone else is strictly prohibited.
  • Your scores and your registration information, including the photo you provided, will be made available to your high school. In the event of an investigation involving the validity of your test scores, your photo may be made available to institutions that you've sent your scores to. Any college that is granted access to your photo will first be required to certify that you're an admitted student.
  • Sharing of test questions or answers is prohibited at any time. Never give questions or answers to anyone or discuss them by any means (email, text message, exchange via the internet, or any other form of communication).
  • Aside from your personal testing device and certain administrative or accommodated uses of phones, accessing phones and certain other electronic devices is prohibited in SAT test centers.
  • If you exit the building before testing ends, your scores will be canceled.
  • While you're taking the test, you shouldn't allow anyone to see test questions or your answers. You may not consult textbooks, other people, electronic devices, or any other resources during the test or during breaks.
  • Calculators may not be shared and may be on your desk only during mathematics test sections.

If you fail to comply with these policies, you may be dismissed from the test center, and your scores may be withheld or canceled. If you're dismissed from the test center before you complete the test because of failure to comply with these policies, your test fees will not be refunded.

Legal action may be taken against test takers who violate applicable laws.

Security Measures

College Board is committed to SAT test security and will continue confronting attempts to undermine it, including the unauthorized disclosure of test questions and forms.

In our efforts, we work to strike a balance between preventing anyone from gaining an unfair advantage and providing testing opportunities for the majority of students who follow the rules.

To increase security and preserve the integrity of SAT scores, we've enacted measures like these:

  • Providing the names of test-prep companies and individuals we suspect of stealing and receiving secure test content to law enforcement and other government agencies in the U.S. and abroad as set forth in Section 3 of the SAT Terms and Conditions.
  • Prohibiting individuals from taking the SAT, Advanced Placement®, and CLEP Exams, when we conclude they have gained or attempted to gain or share an unfair advantage on any College Board test.
  • Working with colleges and high schools to explore effective ways to inform them—consistent with applicable laws and contractual obligations—when their applicants or attending students, respectively, have gained or attempted to gain or share an unfair advantage on any College Board test.
  • Increasing test center audits worldwide.
  • Making it easier for students and educators to report suspected cheating confidentially and anonymously.
  • Expanding College Board's criteria for barring registrants who are taking the SAT for reasons other than one of its intended purposes.

Reporting Violations

To confidentially report any suspected violation of these policies or any suspicion concerning the security of an SAT test administration, please immediately contact the Office of Testing Integrity or College Board:

Consequences of Violating Security Policies

College Board regularly enhances the security of the SAT for these reasons:

  • To ensure valid, reliable scores are delivered to colleges and universities
  • To protect each student's opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on a fair and level playing field

As stated in the SAT Terms and Conditions, violation of policies related to test security can result in denial of entry to or immediate dismissal from the test center, cancellation of scores, or a ban from future test taking.

College Board will prohibit individuals from taking the SAT, AP, or CLEP exams when we conclude they've deliberately gained or attempted to gain or share an unfair advantage on any College Board test, or otherwise threatened the integrity of the test. Examples include viewing or capturing images with a cell phone on test day or being caught with a "cheat sheet" containing test content, answer keys, or other content that would provide an unfair advantage.

The duration of an individual's ban may vary depending on the circumstances and severity of the violation, as determined at College Board's discretion. College Board may share information, including the names of banned test takers, with their attending high schools, interested higher education institutions, parents, and guardians, as set forth in the SAT Terms and Conditions.

Requests for reconsideration of the ban will be considered and decided at the College Board's discretion.

Intended Use Policy

You may take the test on any of the seven weekend administrations if one or more of these conditions apply:

  • You plan to apply to a college or university undergraduate program.
  • You plan to apply for a scholarship, financial aid, or other program that requires a college admission test as part of the application process.

If you're taking the SAT as part of a state- or district-funded test administration, you may take the test on a school day, or if applicable, on the state- or district-designated weekend administration date.

If we have reason to believe a test taker is not taking the SAT for its intended purposes, we will cancel their registration. In addition, College Board reserves the right to investigate and cancel the SAT registration and/or scores of anyone suspected of attempting to steal and/or share test content.

College Board reviews SAT Weekend registrations to ensure students are taking the exam for one of the intended purposes. If you get a verification form requesting more information about why you're testing, please provide detailed responses to all questions.

If you don't complete the form or if we believe you're not taking the SAT for one of its intended purposes, we’ll cancel your registration and refund any fees.

Resources

Article

SAT ID Requirements

Follow these guidelines to ensure you are admitted to the test center on test day.

Article

What to Bring and Do on Test Day

Be prepared with everything you need to bring to have a smooth and successful test day.