Yes, you can cancel your SAT registration and get money back, but the amount depends on when you cancel

The College Board allows you to cancel your SAT registration and receive a refund, but you will not get your full registration fee back. If you cancel before the registration deadline for your test date, you receive a refund minus a cancellation fee. The exact refund amount varies depending on which registration period you used and when you submit your cancellation request.

The registration deadline is typically about two weeks before your test date. If you cancel after that deadline has passed, you cannot get a refund—you can only transfer your registration to a future test date without paying an additional fee.

Key Takeaways

  • Cancellations submitted before the registration deadline result in a refund minus the College Board's cancellation fee, which is currently $25.
  • If you cancel after the registration deadline, you lose the refund option but can transfer your registration to another test date at no extra cost.
  • You must cancel through your College Board account online; cancellations by phone or email are not processed.
  • Refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically arrive within two to four weeks after the College Board processes your cancellation.
  • If you registered through your school, you may need to contact your school's SAT coordinator instead of canceling directly online.

How to cancel your registration online

Log into your College Board account at collegeboard.org using your username and password. Go to your SAT registrations and select the test date you want to cancel. You will see a "Cancel Registration" button or link; click it and confirm your cancellation request. The system will show you the refund amount you will receive after the $25 cancellation fee is deducted.

Once you confirm, your cancellation is submitted immediately. You will receive an email confirmation from the College Board within a few hours. Keep this email for your records, as it contains your cancellation confirmation number.

Refund amounts and the cancellation fee

The College Board charges a $25 cancellation fee on all refunds. Your actual refund is your registration fee minus this $25 fee. The standard SAT registration fee is $60, so most students receive $35 back. However, if you paid for rush registration, test center change fees, or other add-ons, those amounts factor into your refund calculation differently.

The College Board's website will show you the exact refund amount before you confirm your cancellation. This is the amount you will actually receive; there are no additional deductions after that point.

When you can no longer get a refund

Once the registration deadline passes—usually about two weeks before your test date—the College Board stops processing refunds. At that point, canceling your registration no longer returns any money. Instead, you have the option to transfer your registration to a different SAT test date at no charge.

To transfer instead of cancel, log into your College Board account, select your registration, and choose "Change Test Date." You can move your registration to any future test date that has available seats. This option remains available even after the original registration deadline has passed.

If you registered through your school

Some students register for the SAT through their high school rather than directly through the College Board. If this applies to you, you cannot cancel online through your personal College Board account. Instead, contact your school's SAT coordinator or test administrator and ask them to cancel your registration on your behalf.

Your school coordinator can process the cancellation if it is still before the registration deadline. The same $25 cancellation fee applies, and the refund will be issued to the payment method your school used when they registered you. Ask your coordinator how long the refund typically takes to appear, as this can vary by school.

How long refunds take to arrive

After the College Board processes your cancellation, refunds are issued to your original payment method. If you paid by credit card or debit card, the refund typically appears within two to four weeks. If you paid by check or money order, the College Board will mail a check to the address on file, which can take four to six weeks.

You can track your refund status by logging into your College Board account and checking your registration history. The status will change from "Cancelled" to "Refunded" once the money has been processed. If more than six weeks have passed and you have not received your refund, contact the College Board's customer service.

Contacting the College Board if something goes wrong

If your cancellation was not processed, your refund has not arrived after the expected timeframe, or you have questions about your specific situation, reach the College Board through their website at collegeboard.org/contact or by phone at 1-844-SAT-HELP (1-844-728-4357). Have your confirmation number and registration information ready when you contact them.

The College Board's customer service team can verify that your cancellation was received, check the status of your refund, and reissue payment if it was lost or if there was an error. Response times vary, but most issues are resolved within one to two weeks of contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I cancel but then want to take the SAT on the same date?

You can register again for the same test date if seats are still available. However, you will pay the full registration fee again, and if you register after the standard deadline, you may have to pay a late registration fee. It is usually cheaper to transfer your registration to a different date rather than cancel and re-register for the same one.

Do I get a refund if I register but do not show up to test?

No. If you register and do not appear on test day, the College Board does not issue a refund. Your only option is to transfer your registration to a future test date. This is why canceling before the deadline is important if you know you will not be taking the test.

Can I get a refund if I took the test but want to cancel my scores?

No. Canceling your scores is different from canceling your registration. Once you have taken the test, you cannot get a refund of your registration fee. You can request that your scores not be sent to colleges, but this does not return your money.

What if I paid for SAT registration with a gift card or prepaid card?

The refund will be issued back to the same card you used to pay. If that card is no longer active or has expired, contact the College Board with your card information so they can attempt to process the refund. If the card cannot receive the refund, ask about having a check mailed instead.

Is there a way to avoid the $25 cancellation fee?

No. The $25 cancellation fee is applied to all refunds processed by the College Board. The only way to avoid losing money is to transfer your registration to a different test date instead of canceling, which does not charge a fee.