SHSAT test dates 2026: registration and test days
SHSAT registration is open from Tuesday, October 6 to Friday, October 30, 2026. Students take the test on the weekend of Saturday–Sunday, November 14–15, on Wednesday, November 18 (School Day, at their own school), or on Saturday, November 21, the last weekend date.
Updated · Sources checked
Sources: NYC Public Schools Specialized High Schools page, high school admissions timeline, SHSAT page, and the NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions. NYC says dates can change and asks families to check MySchools and its Specialized High Schools page regularly.
Fall 2026 SHSAT key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| SHSAT registration opens, along with the high school and LaGuardia applications. | |
| SHSAT registration closes. | |
| Weekend test administration, at test sites. | |
| SHSAT School Day: the test is given at the student’s own school. | |
| Last weekend test date. | |
| The general high school and LaGuardia applications close. This deadline is separate from SHSAT registration. | |
| Not announced | SHSAT results and offers, in MySchools. Fall 2025 results came out March 5, 2026. |
Who can take the SHSAT
The SHSAT is open to NYC residents who are current 8th graders or first-time (not repeating) 9th graders, whether they attend a public, private or parochial school (NYC Public Schools). The fall 2026 test is for admission in September 2027.
It is the only admissions criterion for the 8 testing specialized high schools:
- The Bronx High School of Science
- The Brooklyn Latin School
- Brooklyn Technical High School
- High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College (HSMSE)
- High School of American Studies at Lehman College
- Queens High School for the Sciences at York College
- Staten Island Technical High School
- Stuyvesant High School
LaGuardia High School, the ninth specialized high school, admits by audition, not by SHSAT score. 9th graders take grade 9 test forms, with math through grade 8, and compete for 10th-grade seats, which have their own cutoffs.
How SHSAT registration works
- Registration is part of NYC’s high school admissions process, which opened Tuesday, October 6. It closes Friday, October 30, 2026.
- When you register, you list the testing specialized high schools your child wants, in order of preference. Your child is considered only for the schools on that list.
- Offers go in score order: from the highest score down, each student gets the highest-ranked school on their list that still has seats. Discovery invitations also come only from listed schools, so list every school your child would attend.
- NYC asks families to check MySchools and its Specialized High Schools page regularly for registration and testing updates. Your child’s school counselor can help, and the school enters or confirms any testing accommodations in MySchools during registration.
- Questions? Call NYC Public Schools at 718-935-2009 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.), email HSEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov, or visit a Family Welcome Center.
Where and when your child tests
- Sites and times: NYC says it will announce test sites and times later this fall, including weekend sites for students who attend charter or private schools or are homeschooled.
- School Day testers take the SHSAT at their own school and arrive at the usual time, unless the school gives a different time.
- Weekend testers arrive at the time printed on their SHSAT test ticket. That is the arrival time, not the start time: the test can begin an hour or more later.
- Computers: everyone tests on a DOE-provided computer, never their own.
- Time: the standard test is 180 minutes. Students with approved extended time get 360 minutes, with a break after 180 minutes and another 90 minutes later. English Language Learners also get 360 minutes (see accommodations).
Sources: Specialized High Schools page, SHSAT page, and the 2027 guide, page 29.
What to bring on SHSAT test day
Bring
- Assistive technology listed on your child’s IEP and test ticket (required)
- SHSAT test ticket (optional)
- Sharpened pencils, an eraser and a highlighter
- A pencil grip or slant board, if your child uses one
- A silent watch that is not a calculator
- A quiet, unwrapped snack, for before the test or a break only
- Water in a soft or plastic bottle that won’t make noise if tipped
Leave at home
- Calculators and smart watches
- Phones, earbuds, smart glasses and other electronic devices (see the phone rule below)
- Your own computer, tablet or e-reader, and cameras
- Books, notes or other written materials
- Any drink other than water
Provided
- A computer to test on
- Scrap paper for notes and math, collected at the end
- A bilingual glossary, for English Language Learners and eligible former ELLs only
The phone rule: phones may come to the test site, but they must be turned off and stored as staff direct, never in a pocket, hand or desk during the test. Having a phone during the test, even switched off, can get a test invalidated.
Source: NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions, pages 28–30.
Testing accommodations
- Who qualifies: students with IEPs or 504 Plans that include testing accommodations, current English Language Learners, and former ELLs who reached proficiency on the NYSESLAT in the past two years.
- From existing plans only: accommodations come from your child’s current plan or ELL status. New accommodations requested just for the SHSAT are not allowed.
- Deadline to watch: during registration, the school enters or confirms accommodations in MySchools. For a 504 Plan, or a similar plan at a charter or private school, documents must reach the DOE at least three weeks before the registration deadline. That points to Friday, October 9.
- English Language Learners get 360 minutes with two 15-minute breaks after the first 180, plus translated directions, translated footnotes and a bilingual glossary.
- On test day, approved accommodations appear on the test ticket. Ask your school counselor about anything else.
Details: accommodations on NYC’s Specialized High Schools page and NYC testing accommodations.
When SHSAT results come out
NYC has not announced when fall 2026 SHSAT results will come out. Fall 2025 results were released Thursday, March 5, 2026, in MySchools. NYC’s high school admissions timeline lists Wednesday, March 3, 2027 for high school offers; watch MySchools for the SHSAT date.
Results include your child’s score and at most one offer to a testing specialized high school. There are no waitlists. Families without a MySchools account can get results from the school counselor or a Family Welcome Center. Students who test in fall 2026 can sign up for a Test View in spring 2027.
Discovery and DREAM programs
Discovery
Discovery is a summer program at the 8 testing schools for some students from low-income backgrounds and schools who take the SHSAT and score below the cutoff. Students who finish it can enroll at a specialized high school in September. It is by invitation only, in the March offer letter, and only at schools your child listed when registering. In 2026, students who scored 495 or above were not eligible. For 2025 admissions, 785 students were offered a Discovery spot.
DREAM
DREAM-SHSI is NYC Public Schools’ SHSAT prep program for eligible 7th graders in district and charter schools. It runs from spring through the fall test, with Saturday and summer sessions. Eligibility depends on grade 6 state test scores and on your school district or family income. For the 2026 program, applications opened in MySchools in mid-December 2025.
SHSAT test dates FAQ
When is the SHSAT in 2026?
Weekend testing is Saturday–Sunday, November 14–15. The School Day test is Wednesday, November 18, and Saturday, November 21 is the last weekend date. Registration closes Friday, October 30, 2026.
What is the SHSAT registration deadline?
Friday, October 30, 2026. Registration opened Tuesday, October 6, the same day as the high school application. The general high school application closes later, on Friday, December 4, 2026, so don’t mix up the two deadlines.
When do SHSAT results come out?
NYC has not announced the date for fall 2026 results. Fall 2025 results came out Thursday, March 5, 2026, in MySchools. NYC’s timeline lists Wednesday, March 3, 2027 for high school offers.
Can 9th graders take the SHSAT?
Yes, if they live in NYC and are in 9th grade for the first time (not repeating). Grade 9 test forms cover math through grade 8, and 9th graders compete for 10th-grade seats, which have their own cutoffs.
Can my child use a calculator on the SHSAT?
No. Calculators and smart watches are not allowed, and the test does not give math formulas, so your child needs to know them. Scrap paper is provided (NYC guide).
How should my child practice before test day?
Use NYC’s free official SHSAT practice tests, which run in the real test software, and PrepCAT’s free SHSAT practice test for a quick adaptive check with a score estimate.
Practice before test day
NYC’s four official SHSAT practice tests and PDFs run in the real test software. For a shorter check, PrepCAT’s free SHSAT practice test follows the 2026 adaptive rules and takes 40 minutes. See also how the 2026 adaptive SHSAT works and the study plan builder.
PrepCAT is independent and not affiliated with NYC Public Schools, the NYC DOE or Pearson.