International Exams · Entrance Exams

ACT Exam Pattern

Three scored sections of about two hours, two optional add-ons, and a composite that is simply the average of three section scores.

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ACT · checked 19 September 2026

ACT at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

Free ACT mock testACT syllabusToday’s current affairs
19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

ACT: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    5 Sept; 23–24 Oct; 11–12 Dec 2026; 12–13 Feb; 2–3 Apr; 11–12 Jun; 9–10 Jul 2027

    International dates 2026–27

  2. 02

    ACT, Inc.; online at international test centres, paper or online in the US

    Administered by

  3. 03

    Undergraduate admission at all US four-year colleges and 200+ universities elsewhere

    Used for

  4. 04

    English 50 questions / 35 min; Math 45 / 50; Reading 36 / 40; Science optional 40 / 40; Writing optional 40 min

    Sections

Pattern

ACT — How the paper is structured

The enhanced ACT, in force for international dates from February 2026.
SectionQuestionsTimeScoreCounts in composite?
English5035 minutes1–36Yes
Mathematics4550 minutes1–36Yes
Reading3640 minutes1–36Yes
Science (optional)4040 minutes1–36; STEM score with mathNo
Writing (optional)1 prompt40 minutes2–12; ELA score with English and readingNo
2026–27 international test dates and deadlines, as ACT publishes them. Late registration carries a $42 fee.
Test windowRegistration deadlineLate deadlineInitial score release
5 September 20267 August21 August10 September
23–24 October 202625 September9 October29 October
11–12 December 202613 November27 November17 December
12–13 February 202715 January29 January18 February
2–3 April 20275 March19 March8 April
11–12 June 202714 May28 May17 June
9–10 July 202711 June25 June15 July
Scoring
Each section’s raw score — the number correct, with nothing deducted for wrong answers — is converted to a 1–36 scale score so that forms are comparable. The composite is the mean of English, math and reading, rounded: halves round up. Percentile ranks accompany every score.
Fees outside the US
US$188.50 for the core test, $198.50 with science, $213.50 with writing and $223.50 with both, each including reports to four colleges. Science can be added for $10 and writing for $25 up to the late deadline; extra score reports are $20; a test-date or centre change is $49.
Retesting
Scores cannot be received from more than one test date within a single administration. Otherwise the ACT may be repeated across dates, and when sending scores a candidate chooses which test date’s results a college receives.

Exam resources

Everything for ACT

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

ACT SyllabusACT syllabus — the reporting categories and weights for English, math, reading and science, and what the writing test asks.ACT Exam PatternACT exam pattern — enhanced section timings, the optional science and writing tests, 1–36 scoring, the composite, and the 2026–27 international calendar.ACT Previous PapersACT previous papers — the official released tests, how to re-time them for the enhanced format, and what to read in the results.ACT Mock TestsACT mock tests — full timed sittings of the enhanced format, the two-day online window, and the pacing that matters most in reading and science.ACT PreparationACT preparation — choosing between ACT and SAT, deciding on science and writing, a timeline against the international dates, and pacing that lifts a composite.ACT Study MaterialACT study material — the Official ACT Prep Guide and free official practice, plus grammar, reading and mathematics sources matched to the reporting categories.

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