SAT Subject Tests : Scores, Syllabus, Fee, Dates and Deadline

SAT Subject Test
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Please note: Following January 2021 the CollegeBoard changed their policy regarding the Subject SAT. For the most up to date and recent information please click here. 

What are the SAT Subject Tests?

SAT Subject Tests are multiple-choice standardized tests by the College Board based on individual subjects, typically taken to prove a student’s credentials for college admissions in the United States. They are also called the SAT II: Subject Tests, and are a prerequisite for many universities especially in the USA for international students. 

Are the SAT Subject Tests cancelled?

The Subject SAT Tests will no longer be conducted by the College Board as of January 19, 2021. This means there will be no more Subject SAT exams going forward. However, colleges and universities may still consider existing subject SAT scores taken before the cancellation, up to their own discretion- this information will be available on individual college websites for the most up to date information. 

Colleges that still require SAT Subject test scores

This list is constantly changing, with more schools making the subject SATs test optional, so make sure to check your college website when applying. Prior to the College Board fully cancelling all future SAT Tests, it had already started being phased out by many major colleges including the Ivy Leagues and other major universities like MIT and Call Tech that previously required them. Before the official cancellation these are the universities that went “test optional” and no longer required, accepted or recommended SAT Scores.  

UniversitySubject SAT Status 2020-21
Brown University Not required, Can be considered
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Not required
Carnegie Mellon UniversityNot required, Not considered
Cooper UnionMath and Science will be considered for engineering applicants
Cornell UniversityNot required, Not considered for 2020-2021
Dartmouth CollegeNot required, Can be considered
Duke UniversityNot required
George Washington UniversityRequired for B.A./ M.D., Can be considered
Harvard University2 test scores recommended 
Harvey Mudd CollegeNot required
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)Not required, Not considered
New York University (NYU)3 subject SATs or SAT/ACT/AP Exams required
Princeton UniversityRecommended, Not Required 
Tufts UniversityNot required, Not considered
University of PennsylvaniaRecommended 
Wellesley CollegeNot required, Can be considered
Yale UniversityRecommended, Not required for 2021 applicants

SAT Subject Test Syllabus

In 2020, there were 20 different Subject SATs offered by the College Board. The SAT tests can be further divided into 5 subcategories:

  • English
  • History
  • Math
  • Science
  • Language

List of SAT Subject Tests

Within the 5 subcategories of the SAT tests, there are further splits particularly within science, language, mathematics and history. Depending on your course or college application the exact tests you may be required to take may vary Below is a comprehensive SAT test list with previous average scores for your reference:

SubcategoryTestAverage Score (2016)
English LiteratureSAT Test in Literature599
HistorySAT Test in United States History624
HistorySAT Test in World History615
MathSAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1599
MathSAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2690
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Biology (Ecological)616
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Biology (Molecular)647
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Chemistry668
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Physics667
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Chinese with Listening761
LanguageSAT Subject Test in French634
LanguageSAT Subject Test in French with Listening664
LanguageSAT Subject Test in German636
LanguageSAT Subject Test in German with Listening629
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Modern Hebrew614
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Italian677
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Japanese with Listening704
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Korean with Listening764
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Latin632
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening660

SAT Subject Test Fee

The SAT Tests are individually cheaper than taking the SAT exam, however, if you choose to take multiple subject SATs, this price will increase with each additional test and can become more expensive. 

There is a baseline registration fee of $26 and an additional $22 for each Subject SAT and $26 for each Subject SAT with a listening section. 

There are fee waivers available for Subject SAT Tests and you could get up to 6 subject fees waived. 

SAT Subject Test Dates and SAT Subject Test Deadline

All test dates following July 2021 have been cancelled, so unfortunately there are no upcoming test dates for the Subject SAT Test. 

SAT Subject Test Dates 2020

SAT Subject Test SAT Subject Test Date
English Literature6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Biology E/M6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Chemistry6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Physics6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
U.S. History6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
World History29 August 2020
5 December 2020
5 June 2021
Mathematics 16 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Mathematics 26 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
French6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
5 December 2020
5 June 2021
French (with listening) 7 November 2020
Spanish6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Spanish (with listening)7 November 2020
German6 June 2020
German (with listening)5 June 2021
Korean (with listening)6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Modern Hebrew6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Italian6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Latin6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Japanese (with listening)7 November 2020
8 May 2021
Chinese (with listening)7 November 2020
8 May 2021

These dates are not officially released yet; they are a projection of future dates based on past trends with the SAT Tests. Usually the registration for SAT Tests tend to be a month prior to the test days, so be careful of this when deciding your test and registration dates. 

SAT Subject Test vs SAT General Test

CriteriaSubject SATSAT
What is it for?For college admissions and scholarshipsFor course placements 
How long is the test3 hours or 3 hours, 50 minutes with essay1 hour
How often is it held in a year?7 times6 times
Topics covered?Reading, Writing, Math20 subjects to choose from
Scored out of?1600800
Penalty for wrong answer?No penaltyPenalty is a fraction of a point

Alternatives to SAT Subject Tests

Now that the SAT Tests have been cancelled many students are left with questions like “How do i show my subject skills without the SAT Test?”, “How do I prove my course specific knowledge in my college applications?”, etc. Universities are currently looking for experience over grades, proof of concept over memorized theories and this presents an opportunity to improve your CV without the SATs through work experience, entrepreneurship and internships.

A program that could benefit you in this quest is Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA. With courses in Marketing, Strategy and Technology amongst others, you can test drive a career in your dream field and prove to your university that you have what it takes to make it on site. A combined learning-working experience, you’ll learn degree level theory at a high school level understanding and work on projects for industry leaders like PUMA and Samsonite. The exposure is great for your own growth and understanding as well as for your CV when applying for colleges! Check out Clever Harvey here. 

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Please note: Following January 2021 the CollegeBoard changed their policy regarding the Subject SAT. For the most up to date and recent information please click here. 

What are the SAT Subject Tests?

SAT Subject Tests are multiple-choice standardized tests by the College Board based on individual subjects, typically taken to prove a student’s credentials for college admissions in the United States. They are also called the SAT II: Subject Tests, and are a prerequisite for many universities especially in the USA for international students. 

Are the SAT Subject Tests cancelled?

The Subject SAT Tests will no longer be conducted by the College Board as of January 19, 2021. This means there will be no more Subject SAT exams going forward. However, colleges and universities may still consider existing subject SAT scores taken before the cancellation, up to their own discretion- this information will be available on individual college websites for the most up to date information. 

Colleges that still require SAT Subject test scores

This list is constantly changing, with more schools making the subject SATs test optional, so make sure to check your college website when applying. Prior to the College Board fully cancelling all future SAT Tests, it had already started being phased out by many major colleges including the Ivy Leagues and other major universities like MIT and Call Tech that previously required them. Before the official cancellation these are the universities that went “test optional” and no longer required, accepted or recommended SAT Scores.  

UniversitySubject SAT Status 2020-21
Brown University Not required, Can be considered
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Not required
Carnegie Mellon UniversityNot required, Not considered
Cooper UnionMath and Science will be considered for engineering applicants
Cornell UniversityNot required, Not considered for 2020-2021
Dartmouth CollegeNot required, Can be considered
Duke UniversityNot required
George Washington UniversityRequired for B.A./ M.D., Can be considered
Harvard University2 test scores recommended 
Harvey Mudd CollegeNot required
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)Not required, Not considered
New York University (NYU)3 subject SATs or SAT/ACT/AP Exams required
Princeton UniversityRecommended, Not Required 
Tufts UniversityNot required, Not considered
University of PennsylvaniaRecommended 
Wellesley CollegeNot required, Can be considered
Yale UniversityRecommended, Not required for 2021 applicants

SAT Subject Test Syllabus

In 2020, there were 20 different Subject SATs offered by the College Board. The SAT tests can be further divided into 5 subcategories:

  • English
  • History
  • Math
  • Science
  • Language

List of SAT Subject Tests

Within the 5 subcategories of the SAT tests, there are further splits particularly within science, language, mathematics and history. Depending on your course or college application the exact tests you may be required to take may vary Below is a comprehensive SAT test list with previous average scores for your reference:

SubcategoryTestAverage Score (2016)
English LiteratureSAT Test in Literature599
HistorySAT Test in United States History624
HistorySAT Test in World History615
MathSAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1599
MathSAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2690
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Biology (Ecological)616
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Biology (Molecular)647
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Chemistry668
ScienceSAT Subject Test in Physics667
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Chinese with Listening761
LanguageSAT Subject Test in French634
LanguageSAT Subject Test in French with Listening664
LanguageSAT Subject Test in German636
LanguageSAT Subject Test in German with Listening629
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Modern Hebrew614
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Italian677
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Japanese with Listening704
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Korean with Listening764
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Latin632
LanguageSAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening660

SAT Subject Test Fee

The SAT Tests are individually cheaper than taking the SAT exam, however, if you choose to take multiple subject SATs, this price will increase with each additional test and can become more expensive. 

There is a baseline registration fee of $26 and an additional $22 for each Subject SAT and $26 for each Subject SAT with a listening section. 

There are fee waivers available for Subject SAT Tests and you could get up to 6 subject fees waived. 

SAT Subject Test Dates and SAT Subject Test Deadline

All test dates following July 2021 have been cancelled, so unfortunately there are no upcoming test dates for the Subject SAT Test. 

SAT Subject Test Dates 2020

SAT Subject Test SAT Subject Test Date
English Literature6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Biology E/M6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Chemistry6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Physics6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
U.S. History6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
World History29 August 2020
5 December 2020
5 June 2021
Mathematics 16 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Mathematics 26 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
French6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
5 December 2020
5 June 2021
French (with listening) 7 November 2020
Spanish6 June 2020
29 August 2020
3 October 2020
7 November 2020
5 December 2020
8 May 2021
5 June 2021
Spanish (with listening)7 November 2020
German6 June 2020
German (with listening)5 June 2021
Korean (with listening)6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Modern Hebrew6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Italian6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Latin6 June 2020
5 June 2021
Japanese (with listening)7 November 2020
8 May 2021
Chinese (with listening)7 November 2020
8 May 2021

These dates are not officially released yet; they are a projection of future dates based on past trends with the SAT Tests. Usually the registration for SAT Tests tend to be a month prior to the test days, so be careful of this when deciding your test and registration dates. 

SAT Subject Test vs SAT General Test

CriteriaSubject SATSAT
What is it for?For college admissions and scholarshipsFor course placements 
How long is the test3 hours or 3 hours, 50 minutes with essay1 hour
How often is it held in a year?7 times6 times
Topics covered?Reading, Writing, Math20 subjects to choose from
Scored out of?1600800
Penalty for wrong answer?No penaltyPenalty is a fraction of a point

Alternatives to SAT Subject Tests

Now that the SAT Tests have been cancelled many students are left with questions like “How do i show my subject skills without the SAT Test?”, “How do I prove my course specific knowledge in my college applications?”, etc. Universities are currently looking for experience over grades, proof of concept over memorized theories and this presents an opportunity to improve your CV without the SATs through work experience, entrepreneurship and internships.

A program that could benefit you in this quest is Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA. With courses in Marketing, Strategy and Technology amongst others, you can test drive a career in your dream field and prove to your university that you have what it takes to make it on site. A combined learning-working experience, you’ll learn degree level theory at a high school level understanding and work on projects for industry leaders like PUMA and Samsonite. The exposure is great for your own growth and understanding as well as for your CV when applying for colleges! Check out Clever Harvey here. 

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