Learn how to send ACT scores to colleges in 2026: free reports at registration, the $20 additional report fee, superscoring, fee waivers, and timing.
Larry Learns
Sending your ACT scores is quick once you know where to click. Here's how to send reports through MyACT, which colleges you can add for free, what extra reports cost, and how superscoring works.
When it's time to send your ACT scores to colleges, almost everything happens in one place: your MyACT account at my.act.org. You sign in, request a score report, choose which colleges should receive it, and pay any fees by credit card. The best part is that you can list several colleges for free when you first register, so a little planning at sign-up can save you money later. This guide walks through every step, the current fees, how to choose which test date to send, and when to hit submit so your scores arrive before your application deadlines.
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ACT scores are sent online through your MyACT account, so you never have to mail anything or call a hotline. According to ACT's official guidance on sending your scores, you create or sign in to MyACT, request your reports from the dashboard, and pay by credit card. Here is the full process:
Sign in to MyACT at my.act.org using the same account you used to register for the test. If you don't have one yet, create it first.
Choose the option to send your scores. From your dashboard, look for the option to send or request score reports.
Search for colleges by name or code. You can look up each school by its name or enter its ACT college code directly if you already have it.
Select your recipients. Add each college you want to receive your scores. You can usually add more than one in a single order.
Pay any fees. If you have already used your free reports, you'll pay for each additional report by credit card before checkout.
Review and submit. Confirm the test date you're sending and the recipient list, then submit your request.
Once you submit, ACT processes the request and, as long as your scores are final, your reports go out the same day. If you're new to the ACT and still deciding when to test, our guide to ACT test dates can help you map out a schedule that leaves room to send scores on time.
Your Free Score Reports at Registration
The cheapest way to send ACT scores is to do it at registration. When you sign up for the test, the standard ACT fee includes reports for you, your high school, and up to four colleges, as long as you enter valid college codes when you register. These four reports cost nothing extra.
If four colleges isn't enough, you can add a fifth and sixth college choice for $20.00 each, but there's an important deadline: those selections (both the free four and the paid fifth and sixth) must be requested before the test date. If you wait until after you test to change or add a college, that request becomes an Additional Score Report at the regular per-report price, even for what would have been a free slot.
So the rule of thumb is simple. Decide on your colleges before test day and lock them in during registration. If you're still building your college list, it can help to know what scores schools look for first; our roundups of the average ACT score and what counts as a good ACT score are a good place to start.
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How Much It Costs to Send ACT Scores
After registration, any further reports are priced per report. The official ACT fees page lists each Additional Score Report at $20.00, which you can request online from your MyACT account once your scores are available. Here's how the costs break down:
Report
Cost
When to request
First four colleges
Free (included)
At registration, before the test date
Fifth and sixth college
$20.00 each
Before the test date
Additional Score Report
$20.00 each
Anytime after scores are final
You may have heard about "priority" or "rush" reporting from older test-prep advice. On the current ACT, there isn't a separate rush or expedited tier to pay for. ACT sends reports the same day once your scores are final, so there's effectively no faster option to buy. The best way to make scores arrive sooner is simply to test early and submit your request as soon as your results post.
If you qualify for an ACT fee waiver, the math changes a lot in your favor. The waiver covers reports to your high school and up to six college choices at registration, and after registration you can request unlimited free Additional Score Reports at any time during your college search. Fee waivers also cover up to two ACT tests, the official Kaplan self-paced course, and ACT My Answer Key. To qualify, you generally need to be enrolled in 11th or 12th grade, testing in the US, US territories, or Puerto Rico, and meet economic-need criteria.
Choosing Which Scores to Send and Superscoring
The ACT sends scores by test date, meaning one test event per report. You choose which date to send, which gives you control if you tested more than once and one sitting went better than another. This is different from sending an automatic combined history, so think carefully about which date best represents your work.
There's also superscoring. ACT automatically calculates a superscore for students who have tested more than once since September 2016 by taking your highest section scores across all your test dates and averaging them into a new Composite. When you go to send scores, you can choose to send your superscore instead of a single test date, and many colleges accept it. You can read ACT's full explanation on its understanding your scores page, but the short version is that you decide whether to send the superscore, and each college decides whether to use it.
Because superscoring rewards retesting, it often makes sense to take the ACT more than once and let your strongest sections combine. If you're weighing the ACT against the SAT, or curious how your number compares across tests, our ACT to SAT conversion chart and our overview of the ACT score range can give you helpful context. Still deciding which exam to take at all? See how to choose between the SAT and ACT.
When to Send Your Scores
Timing is where students most often get tripped up, so it helps to separate two clocks. First, your scores have to be released before anything can be sent. ACT scores generally become available online roughly two to eight weeks after your test date, with over 97% of multiple-choice scores posting within two to four weeks. Adding the writing section can push your full results later. Second, reports can't go out until all results for your test option are final, so a request you place before scores post simply waits in line.
Once your scores are final, requested reports are usually sent the same day. That makes the practical advice straightforward: order early. Work backward from each college's application deadline, leave a buffer of several weeks for scores to post, and submit your report request the moment your results appear. If you're applying early action or early decision, that buffer matters even more, because those deadlines arrive months before regular ones.
A simple plan looks like this:
Pick your colleges before test day so you use your four free reports.
Test early enough that scores post well before your earliest deadline.
Check MyACT for your scores starting about two weeks after your test date.
Send any additional reports as soon as scores are final to give colleges processing time.
The strongest scores to send are the ones you've practiced your way to. You can practice real ACT questions on Larry Learns to push your Composite higher before you ever request a report.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sending ACT Scores
How do I send my ACT scores to colleges?
You send them online through your MyACT account at my.act.org. Sign in, choose the option to send your scores, search for each college by name or code, select your recipients, pay any fees by credit card, and submit. ACT does not require mailed forms.
How many free score reports do I get with the ACT?
Paying students get up to four free college reports, included with the standard registration fee, as long as you enter valid college codes before the test date. Fee-waiver-eligible students get up to six free college choices at registration plus unlimited free additional reports afterward.
How much does it cost to send an additional ACT score report?
Each Additional Score Report costs $20.00 and can be requested online from MyACT once your scores are final. Adding a fifth or sixth college during registration also costs $20.00 each, and those must be requested before the test date.
Can I choose which ACT test date to send?
Yes. The ACT sends one test date per report, and you decide which date to send. If you tested more than once since September 2016, you can also choose to send your superscore, which averages your highest section scores across dates. Many colleges accept superscores.
How long does it take for colleges to receive my ACT scores?
Scores generally post online about two to four weeks after your test date, sometimes longer with writing. Once your scores are final, requested reports are usually sent the same day, so the main wait is for scores to release, not for delivery.
