The ACT website lists December 12, 2026 as the last national test date of the year. Regular registration closes November 6, late registration runs through November 29, and preliminary scores for the paper test are released starting December 22. Late registration for the October 17 test closed September 29. Students in 10th grade in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) have taken the PreACT at school at no cost, and families planning for the full ACT can use that experience to set their timing.
Who Is Affected by the December ACT registration deadline
The ACT website lists the following fall dates. All deadlines are midnight U.S. Central Time.
| Test date | Regular registration deadline | Late registration deadline | Preliminary paper-test scores |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 17 | September 11 | September 29 | October 27 |
| December 12 | November 6 | November 29 | December 22 |
Fees: the ACT costs $70, the writing test adds $25, and the science test adds $5. The fees include score reports sent to the student, the high school, and up to four colleges. Science and writing can be added or dropped until the late registration deadline.
12th-grade students: ACT recommends testing at least two months before the earliest application deadline. December scores are not released until late December, so they suit only regular decision applications with later deadlines and arrive too late for early applications due in November.
11th-grade students: The December test can serve as a first official attempt, leaving time to retest in the spring.
Students applying only to California public universities: The University of California does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission; see UC Does Not Consider SAT or ACT: Origins and Uses. The California State University website also states that most applicants do not need to submit test scores.
What to Do Now About the December ACT registration deadline
Confirm each target college’s testing policy and deadlines first. For colleges that will receive scores, work backward and schedule the test two months before the deadline.
Use the PreACT score to gauge the starting point. The University High School college and career page states that the district offers the PreACT free to all 10th-grade students as a short practice version of the ACT; the same page notes that Irvine Valley College offers low-cost test preparation courses.
Dates for each exam are collected in the 2026-27 test calendar and registration deadlines. For SAT preparation, see SAT Grammar & Reading Seminar and Digital SAT Prep, and for EDUBUS college application services, see College Admissions Planning.
Sources
- ACT: Register for the ACT: Upcoming Dates, Fees & How to Sign Up (accessed September 29, 2026)
- University High School: Admissions Tests (accessed September 29, 2026)
- California State University: Go From Here. (application home page) (accessed September 29, 2026)
- CSU Transfer Priority Filing Ends Nov. 30CSU priority filing for fall 2027 transfer applicants ends November 30, 2026; $70 per campus. ADT admission guarantee, upper-division requirements, and next steps.
- Notre Dame REA Nov. 1; Tests Required Fall 2028Notre Dame Restrictive Early Action closes November 1, 2026. Scores stay optional this cycle; SAT or ACT is required for fall 2028 entry. Dates, essays, and rules.
- Pomona Two Essays, Early Decision Due Nov. 8Pomona College Early Decision I closes November 8, 2026, decisions by December 15. Two supplement prompts of 150 and 250 words, plus recommendation and testing rules.
- Portola High Financial Aid Workshop Oct. 19Portola High School holds a mandatory financial aid workshop for all seniors on October 19, 2026, led by Irvine Valley College, with FSA ID creation. Parent steps first.
