Exam prep·United States· 9 min read

How to Send Official SAT, ACT, GRE, and TOEFL Scores to US Universities

How official score reports work: free recipients included with registration, deadlines to add them, paid extra sends, rush options, recipient codes, and why screenshots are not accepted.

Last updated 7 July 2026

Key facts

Sender: The testing agency (College Board, ACT, ETS), not you
Free reports: A limited number included with registration for each test
SAT free-send deadline: Free sends usable/changeable until ~9 days after the test
TOEFL free reports: Up to four, chosen before test day; extras cost a per-report fee
Screenshots: Not accepted — universities require agency-sent official reports
Recipient codes: Each school/program has an official code — use the correct one
Exact fees / timing: Vary — verify on each agency's official site

What an "official" score report means

An official score report is one the testing agency sends directly to a university on your behalf. The score travels from College Board, ACT, or ETS to the school through a secure channel the school trusts — you are not in the middle of that transmission.

This is why a screenshot of your score, a printout, or the copy in your own account is not accepted as official for admissions. Universities need scores that arrive through the agency's verified system so they know the results have not been altered.

The practical takeaway: viewing your score and sending an official report are two different actions. You must actively order or designate the send through the agency, and only the agency can complete it.

Free score reports included with registration

Most admissions tests include a limited number of free score sends with your registration fee, if you designate the recipients within a set window. Using these free sends is the cheapest way to get scores to schools.

Each agency sets its own rules for the free sends. For the SAT, each weekend registration lets you send scores to up to four organizations for free, and you have until roughly nine days after the test to use or change those free sends before a fee applies. For the ACT, up to four college choices are included with registration, again within a short window around the test.

For TOEFL, your test fee includes up to four free official score reports to recipients you select before test day; you can typically add or change those recipients in your ETS account until the day before the test. Confirm each agency's current free-send count and deadline on its official site.

Paid additional score reports

After the free-send window closes, sending scores to additional schools costs a per-report fee set by each agency. You order these through your account with the agency at any time while your scores remain valid.

For example, TOEFL additional reports cost a fixed fee per institution and can be ordered throughout the two-year score-validity period. The SAT and ACT similarly charge a per-report fee for sends made outside the free window. The exact amounts change, so check the current fee schedule on the official College Board, ACT, or ETS pages.

If cost is a concern, look into fee waivers. Eligible students can receive fee waivers that also cover a number of free score sends — review each agency's waiver eligibility on its official site.

Rush and priority delivery

Standard electronic delivery still takes time — scores are processed and transmitted over a number of business days, and paper delivery takes longer. If a deadline is close, agencies offer faster options for an added fee.

College Board offers rush reporting for scores that have already been released, delivering within a short number of business days for an extra charge. ETS and ACT have their own expedited or electronic-delivery options. None of these can send a score before it has been released, so rush delivery only helps once results are available.

Build in buffer time regardless. Plan to send scores well before a university's deadline rather than relying on rush delivery to rescue a last-minute submission.

Use the correct recipient code

Universities — and sometimes specific programs, campuses, or graduate departments within them — have official recipient codes that the agencies use to route your scores. Sending to the wrong code can misdirect your report.

A common pitfall for graduate applicants is that a university's main institution code may differ from a specific department or program code, and some programs want the general institution code while others want a department code. Check the exact code each program lists in its own application instructions.

For undergraduate SAT/ACT sends, most universities use a single institution code, but always confirm it on the university's official admissions or how-to-apply page rather than guessing. A correct code is what gets your score to the right office.

Score choice and what actually gets sent

Different tests give you different control over which scores are released. SAT and ACT let you choose which test dates to send, and many universities also superscore across dates — but each university sets its own policy, and some ask for all attempts. Read each school's stated requirement.

For tests like TOEFL, you send the results from a specific test date. Understand each agency's rules for selecting scores before you order, so you send exactly what a university expects and nothing you did not intend.

Whatever the test, plan your sends around each program's deadline and required scores. For the mechanics of choosing which SAT/ACT scores to release, see the linked score-choice guide; for what a strong score means on a given test, see that test's own guide.

Frequently asked questions

Why won't a university accept a screenshot of my score?

Admissions offices require scores sent directly from the testing agency through its secure system so they can trust the results have not been altered. A screenshot, printout, or the copy in your own account is unofficial. You must order or designate an official send through College Board, ACT, or ETS.

How many free score reports do I get?

Most tests include a limited number of free sends with registration if you designate recipients within a set window — for example, the SAT allows up to four free sends per weekend registration, and TOEFL includes up to four chosen before test day. Confirm the current count and deadline on each agency's official site.

How long does it take for scores to reach a university?

Electronic official reports typically take several business days to process and transmit, and paper delivery takes longer. Rush or expedited options exist for an added fee but only after scores are released. Send well before a program's deadline rather than relying on rush delivery.

How do I know which recipient code to use?

Each university, and sometimes each specific program or department, has an official code the agency uses to route your scores. Use the exact code listed in the program's own application instructions or on the university's official admissions page — for graduate programs the department code may differ from the main institution code.

Can I send scores after the free window closes?

Yes. You can order additional official reports through your account with the agency for a per-report fee while your scores remain valid. Fee waivers, where you qualify, may include extra free sends. Check current fees and waiver eligibility on the official agency site.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: College Board — Sending SAT Scores; ACT — Sending Your Scores and Additional Score Reports; ETS — Sending Your TOEFL iBT Scores; College Board — Is there a fee for sending scores?.

Last verified: 7 July 2026.