ACT Guide for International Students

Living outside the United States does not stop you from taking the ACT. ACT runs international testing on its own fee schedule, deadlines and ID rules, with registration through the same MyACT account (my.act.org). Non-US test dates cover all countries outside the United States, US territories and Puerto Rico. More than 200 universities outside the US accept ACT scores directly.

This guide walks through international test centers, registration steps, fees, test-day ID rules, score reporting to US colleges, and how ACT scores sit alongside TOEFL and other English-proficiency requirements. The international fee starts at $188.50, well above the domestic US price, so settle your test date and add-ons before you pay. Seven international test dates run in the 2026-27 cycle, each with an early deadline and a later deadline carrying a late fee. Start practicing early: our ACT practice tests and drills are free, with no signup required.

International Test Center Availability

Eligibility for non-US testing reaches every country beyond the United States, its territories and Puerto Rico. Coverage of a country is not the same as a test center in your city. ACT publishes no fixed list of international centers on its website. Centers surface inside MyACT during registration, after you choose a test date, so the list you see is built for the single date you selected.

If no center appears near you, go back and try another date in the cycle, since the center list changes from date to date. Seat availability moves as registrations come in, and a full center drops out of the options. Registering as soon as the window opens gives you the widest choice of locations and the best chance at a center you are able to reach. Budget travel time and cost if the nearest center sits in another city or country.

Two practical checks before you commit. First, confirm the registration window for your chosen date on ACT's international registration page. Second, note the $49.00 change fee, since moving your center or date after you register is not free.

How to Register From Outside the US

Registration runs through a free MyACT account at my.act.org. Have your school details, payment method and photo ready before you start. The steps below follow the order MyACT uses.

1. Create a free MyACT account at my.act.org from an internet-connected computer.
2. Enter your personal details in the account profile.
3. Pick your test date, then pick a test center from the options MyACT lists for the date you chose.
4. Choose your test option: English, Math and Reading only, or with the Science add-on, the Writing add-on, or both.
5. Add the college and scholarship-agency codes for your score reports.
6. Pay the registration fee with a valid payment method.
7. Upload a clear photo of yourself before the photo deadline for your test date, or your registration stays incomplete.

International registration differs from standard US domestic ACT registration in the fee, the deadline set and the center list, while the account and the steps look the same. Late registration is allowed up to the late deadline for an extra $42.00. Changing your test date or center after you register costs $49.00, so lock in both before you pay.

Passport and Photo ID Rules

Test-day ID rules for international test-takers are strict, and staff turn away anyone whose ID falls short. Your ID must meet the following.

• An original, current, hard plastic government- or school-issued photo ID, presented in person on test day.
• A valid, current passport qualifies as government-issued ID.
• An expired passport, or one too worn to confirm your identity, is not accepted.
• Photocopies of any ID are not accepted.
• Without an official photo ID, an ACT Student Identification Form with a photo, completed by a school official or a notary rather than a relative, serves as a backup.

Check your passport expiry date against your test date as soon as you register. Renewals take weeks in many countries, and a passport expiring before test day leaves you without valid ID. If a renewal will not land in time, start the Student Identification Form with your school early.

International Registration Fees

International ACT registration fees run higher than domestic fees and rise with each add-on you choose. The table below lists the current fees.

For comparison, the domestic US base fee for English, Math and Reading runs $68.00 to $70.00 depending on the registration page you view, plus $4 to $5 for Science and $25 for Writing. Confirm the exact domestic amount at booking, since ACT lists both figures. The international price gap is the reason to get your date and add-ons right the first time.

2026-27 International Test Dates and Deadlines

ACT publishes seven international test dates for the 2026-27 cycle. Each date has an early registration deadline and a later deadline carrying the $42.00 late fee. The table below lists them as shown on ACT's international registration page.

A two-day listing, such as October 23-24, does not mean the test runs two days for one student. It reflects morning and afternoon sessions scheduled across regions and time zones inside one test date window. Pick the date, and your center confirms the session. Register before the early deadline to keep the $42.00 late fee off your total.

Sending ACT Scores to US Colleges

You choose which colleges receive your scores when you register, by entering college or scholarship-agency codes into MyACT. Your registration fee covers reports for up to four college choices, and a fifth or sixth choice costs $20.00 each. You are allowed to order additional reports later through MyACT for a fee. Entering four codes at registration is the cheapest route, so have your college list ready before you start.

Over 97% of ACT scores post online within two to four weeks of the test date. Work backwards from your application deadlines when you pick a test date, and leave room for the reporting window on top of the scoring window. See our ACT score reporting guide for the full process, including how to add colleges after test day.

ACT scores follow a fixed scale, whichever country you test in. The table below shows how each section is scored on the redesigned ACT.

ACT Scores and English-Proficiency Requirements

Many US colleges ask international applicants for an ACT score and separate proof of English proficiency, such as TOEFL or IELTS. This split comes from each college, not from ACT. ACT publishes no policy linking ACT scores to a TOEFL or IELTS waiver. Your ACT English score sits on the same 1-36 scale as every other section, and admissions offices read it as a subject score rather than a proficiency certificate.

Check the international admissions page of every college on your list before you book a separate English test. Requirements differ by campus and sometimes by program, so treat general advice as a starting point only. Ask the admissions office directly when a page states no rule, and keep the written reply. Plan for both tests until a college tells you otherwise, since booking an English test late is harder than dropping one you no longer need.

Online ACT Testing Outside the US

ACT publishes no single global answer on whether international centers run the on-screen ACT or the paper test. No official ACT page lists the delivery mode for each center, so do not assume your country runs one format everywhere. Two steps settle the question for your own booking. After you register, open your admission ticket in MyACT and read the center and delivery details printed on it. If the ticket leaves the format unclear, ask ACT international customer support or your assigned test center directly which version they administer.

Registration itself is online in every country: an internet-connected computer is required to open the MyACT account, register and upload your photo. Test delivery is a separate question from registration, and one is no guide to the other. See our ACT online vs paper testing guide for what changes between the two formats.

Once your date is booked, put the time into full-length practice under real timing. Our ACT practice tests and drills are free, with no signup required, and they run in the same section order as the real test. Time every section to the minute in practice, whichever format your center ends up running, because pacing is the part of test day you control.

Sources

• ACT Test Fees for Non-US Students
• ACT Registration Fees (US Domestic)
• ACT Registration for Non-US Students
• ACT Global Solutions
• ACT Test Day for Non-US Students
• ACT Score Delivery for International Test Takers
• Understanding Your ACT Scores