Last Updated: July 08, 2025
What is the ACT Test?
ACT, or American College Testing, is a standardized test based on high school courses that assesses high school achievements for all four-year college admissions in the US It is administered by ACT Inc., a nonprofit organization.
SAT, Scholastic Aptitude Test, is the main competitor of ACT. Most universities accept
SAT and ACT scores.
The ACT assessment measures high school students' capability to complete college-level work. It is offered in both computer-based and paper-based formats.
Who can Apply for ACT?
The ACT examination has been created for students pursuing their education at 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade levels. Since it is a medium for institutions to recognize merit and provide college admission to suitable candidates, the test is very popular, with small score fluctuations resulting in gaining or losing a coveted college seat. However, students enrolled in 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades are also eligible to apply for the examination, provided they are at least 13 years of age. Most students take the
Pre-ACT at that age group, after which they decide to take the ACT examination if their scores are satisfactory.
Eligibility Requirements for ACT
Students above 13 may attempt the examination, including those from 8th, 9th, and 10th-grade levels. There is no upper age limit for the examination.
Cost of Taking ACT
All fees are non-refundable unless otherwise noted. The table below shows the fee structure for ACT 2025-26:
National Testing
| Sections | Fee |
| ACT (English, Math, Reading) | $68 |
| ACT (with Writing) | +$25 |
| ACT (with Science) | +$4 |
District Testing
| Sections | Online Fee | Paper Fee |
| ACT (English, Math, Reading, Science) | $54.75 | $58 |
| ACT (with Writing) | $69.50 | $72.75 |
The fee includes test reports for the candidate, the high school, and four colleges if their codes were provided during registration.
For national testing, Science is optional and not included in the composite score. However, for district testing, Science is included in the composite score for the Fall of 2025 and is optional, at the discretion of the districts, starting in the Spring of 2026. The cost will remain the same in 2026, regardless of the district's decision.
In addition to the above fee, the candidate will be required to pay an extra amount for late registration, standby testing, changing the test date or center, and to obtain a 5th or 6th scorecard for other universities (if applicable). The details of the additional charges may vary from time to time and are available on the official ACT website. The details of the additional fee, as of now, are below:
| Purpose | Fee |
| Late Registration | $40 |
| Change Fee | $48 |
| Score Reports to 5th and 6th College choices | $20 |
| Additional Score Reports | $20 |
| Standby testing | $72 |
| Test Information Release | $34 If order placed before the test begins
$42 If order placed after the test |
| Score Verification | $61 For either multiple-choice OR writing test score verification
$122 For both multiple-choice and writing test score verification |
For Non-U.S. Students
| Purpose | Fee |
| ACT (English, Math, Reading) | $186.50 |
| ACT with Science | $196.50 |
| ACT with Writing | $211.50 |
| Test Option Change | $25 |
| Complete ACT with Science and Writing | $221.50 |
| Writing add-on through late deadline | $25 |
| Science add-on through late deadline | $10 |
How to Register/Apply for ACT?
There are different ways for students or guardians to apply for the ACT examination. The ACT is administered on 7 National and 7 International dates, in addition to the District and State Testing dates. Students can apply for the ACT through various testing means, including National Testing, District Testing, State Testing, and On-Campus Testing, which are primarily dependent on the region in which they reside.
- National Testing- This is the most popular mode of testing. Students/guardians can register for the test online and take it on one of the scheduled national test dates.
- District Testing- In this mode, the students will register with their school district. Test dates are decided by the school district and are usually administered on weekdays during school hours.
- State Testing- In the absence of District Testing in select localities, the state can also register to administer the ACT state-wide.
- On Campus Testing-This mode gives colleges the power to conduct and score ACT on campus any time of the week. The scores received through this mode will be valid only within the respective campus.
Test Dates for ACT
ACT is administered seven times a year nationally, where the
National Test dates apply to the United States, United States territories, and Puerto Rico.
Standby Testing- There is an option to avail of standby testing if the candidate has missed the late registration deadline.
The conditions that apply for standby testing are as follows-
- Candidate must pay an additional standby testing fee and register for the test prior to arriving at the test site.
- Candidates are not guaranteed a seat under standby testing.
- Standbys are admitted into test centers on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Standbys may be admitted only based on the availability of seats and test materials after all registered students have been admitted.
- If there is no seat available for standby, the fee is refunded to the candidate after the ACT has processed all the answer submissions from the candidates testing that day.
- The standby ticket is non-transferable.
Format for ACT Test
Starting September 2025, students opting for national online and paper-based testing have increased flexibility and options, a shorter test duration, and extended time to answer each question. Schools and districts can make these choices starting in spring 2026. The updated test format going forward is:
| Section | # of Questions | Duration |
| English section | 50 | 35 minutes |
| Mathematics section | 45 | 50 minutes |
| Reading section | 36 | 40 minutes |
| Science section | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Writing section | 1 | 40 minutes |
Some tips to remember regarding the new format:
- The ACT is offered online and in paper/pencil format.
- The number of questions has decreased by 44.
- The duration has shortened from 195 minutes to 125 minutes.
- The number of answer options for math questions has reduced from 5 to 4.
- The Science section is optional.
- The new ACT Composite score calculation is based on English, Mathematics, and Reading scores.
- The Writing section continues to be optional.
Recommended Study material and books for ACT
ACT Online Test vs Paper-Based Test
ACT is offered online and on paper at designated locations in the US Students have the flexibility to choose how they want to test. Students can check if the online ACT is available in their area and then
register for the exam. There are a few important aspects to keep in mind when it comes to online ACT:
- International students can only take the online ACT, as the paper pencil ACT is unavailable. However, in the US, students can choose to take the test online or on paper.
- The cost for both the online ACT and the paper pencil test is the same.
- Students can transition from the traditional paper and pencil method to the online option, provided it is accessible in their respective regions.
- The time limit, exam format, score range, and content covered in the online ACT remain the same as the paper-pencil ACT.
Calculating ACT Score
One point is awarded for every correct answer among the multiple-choice questions, and there is no negative marking for a wrong answer. The composite score is calculated after combining the raw scores of each of the three sections - English, Mathematics, and Reading.
The
raw score is the number of questions answered correctly by the student. This raw score is converted on a scale of 1-36 to get the
scaled score for each section.
The
composite score is calculated by taking the average of the three scaled scores of each section. Hence, it is in the range of 1 to 36. All the scores are rounded off to the nearest integer.
If the student chooses to take the optional Science and Writing test, it is reported separately, which implies that it does not affect the composite score.
The score of the Writing test ranges between 2 to 12. 2 readers grade the written essay in four domains(Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, Language Use, and Conventions). Each reader grades the essay on a scale of 1-6, which is combined to get the rounded subject-level writing score on a scale of 2-12. A third reader is required if there is a difference of more than 1 point in both the reader's scores. Typically, a 0 is reserved for blank or nearly blank essays, and 1 for off-topic essays.
Based on the above scores, ACT also reports two other scores: STEM and ELA. STEM is an average of Mathematics and Science scores. ELA is an average of English, Reading, and Writing scores. Although the optional writing score does not affect the student's composite score, the ELA score is not reported if the student does not take the optional writing test.
The student can retake the test to improve their scores and choose which score they want to send to the universities. For more details regarding ACT Scoring, click
here.
Retaking ACT test
Candidates may retake the test as many times as required. The scorecard will be issued separately for each test; hence, the candidate can choose the score they want to present in college.
Section Retesting- ACT does
not permit students to retake an individual section. They will have to register for another attempt from scratch.
