# Who is eligible for an SAT fee waiver? | 1600.now Source: https://1600.now/sat-faq/sat-fee-waiver-eligibility --- Registration and policies SAT fee waivers are for eligible low-income 11th- and 12th-grade students in the US or US territories, and eligible US citizens living abroad. Qualifying benefits include two SAT registrations and unlimited score reports. Written by [Luke Finigan](https://1600.now/about) 3 min read Updated Oct 5, 2026 ### The qualifying criteria College Board lists several ways to qualify; you need at least one applicable criterion, plus the grade and location/citizenship requirements. - Enrollment in, or eligibility for, the federal National School Lunch Program. - Family income within the current USDA income eligibility guidelines. - Enrollment in a qualifying low-income aid program, such as Upward Bound. - Family receipt of public assistance. - Being unhoused, living in federally subsidized public housing or a foster home, or being a ward of the state or an orphan. ### Free lunch and adoption questions A student eligible for the federal lunch program can qualify even if the family is not using that benefit. If the school offers meals free to everyone, confirm the student’s individual eligibility rather than treating universal free meals as proof. Adoption by itself is not a listed qualifying criterion. Current foster-home status, public assistance, income, or another listed condition may qualify. Ask the counselor which criterion and documentation apply to your situation. ### Which household income limit applies? Use the school-year USDA table for your household size and region. For July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027, the annual reduced-price meal limit for a nine-person household in the 48 contiguous states, DC, Guam, and territories is $113,590: the eight-person limit of $103,082 plus $10,508 for one additional member. The nine-person limits are $141,988 in Alaska and $130,611 in Hawaii. These are reduced-price National School Lunch Program income limits, which help check the lunch-program eligibility route to an SAT waiver. Compare annual income with an annual limit, and use USDA’s income definitions, including income before deductions. Other listed qualifying criteria can apply without this calculation. There is no SAT score requirement for the waiver. Ask your counselor which eligibility route and documentation fit your household; do not use a previous school year’s threshold. ### Request and confirm the benefit Ask your counselor about a fee waiver code, or use College Board’s request process if eligible. US citizens abroad should use the school-code route rather than assuming the US online request process applies to them. After the benefit is attached to your account, confirm it appears before paying for registration. The benefit also removes late registration and cancellation charges for the free tests. College application fee waivers apply at participating colleges; that is not a promise that every application fee is waived. A US student testing abroad pays no international fee for the free tests. College Board issues fee-waiver benefits only once during high school; if you cancel a free registration, the unused benefit is returned to you. ### Sources and current rules - [College Board: fee waiver eligibility](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration/fee-waivers/fee-waiver-eligibility) - [College Board: fee waiver benefits](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration/fee-waivers/fee-waiver-benefits) - [College Board: student fee-waiver questions](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration/fee-waivers/faq-students) - [USDA: July 2026–June 2027 income eligibility guidelines, table on page 3](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-04-09/pdf/2026-06842.pdf) ### Related SAT answers - **[How do you cancel an SAT registration?](https://1600.now/sat-faq/how-to-cancel-sat-registration)** Sign in to My SAT, open the specific registration, and choose Cancel Registration. Cancel by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the Thursday before testing to receive the registration-fee refund, less the applicable $34 regular or $44 late cancellation fee. After that Thursday, the registration fee is not refunded. - **[When are the SAT test dates in 2026?](https://1600.now/sat-faq/when-are-the-sat-test-dates-2026)** In the current 2026–2027 testing cycle, the next SAT as of October 5, 2026 is November 7, 2026: register by October 23, or by October 27 with the late fee. It is followed by December 5, 2026, then March 6, May 1, and June 5, 2027. The August 22, September 12, and October 3 tests have already been held; September 12 scores were released September 25, 2026. [Browse SAT resources →](https://1600.now/sat-resources)