There are three ways to sit the SSAT, and the choice is not purely a matter of preference: two of them are closed to the youngest candidates, and one is restricted by where the student physically is on test day.
Paper
Available in the United States, Canada and many international locations, and the only format open to Elementary Level candidates.
- Middle and Upper Level: up to six Standard tests plus one Flex test per testing year.
- Elementary Level: up to three tests, of which at most two are Standard and one Flex.
SSAT at Home
Proctored computer-based testing at home. Available in the United States (including its territories) and Canada only, Middle and Upper Level only, and limited to one sitting per testing year.
Prometric test centre
Proctored computer-based testing at a Prometric centre, available in the United States, Canada and many international locations. Middle and Upper Level only. One sitting per testing year at the time of writing, which EMA says will become two later in the autumn.
Where the student is matters
Availability depends on the student's physical location on test day, not their home address. EMA's own example: a student living in the United States who travels to Germany cannot take the SSAT at Home while in Germany.
What each costs
All figures in US dollars, from EMA's pricing page.
United States and Canada
| Format | Elementary (grades 3–4) | Middle / Upper (grades 5–11) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard or school Flex | $112 | $177 |
| Flex with an educational consultant | $172 | $272 |
| SSAT at Home | — | $263 |
| Prometric | — | $250 |
International testing
$229 for Elementary Level and $339 for Middle and Upper Level, covering paper, Flex and — for Middle and Upper — Prometric centres.
Fee waivers exist and are requested from the schools rather than from EMA. They cover the registration fee and online practice.
Changing your mind later is possible, but never free
There are no refunds. What you can do is move the booking, under rules that differ by format:
- Paper, Standard or Flex: date, location or mode can change up to 72 hours before the original test date, for a $49 fee. For Standard tests that means by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on the Tuesday. A paper booking can be moved to another paper test, to Prometric, or to SSAT at Home.
- SSAT at Home: free until 72 hours before the appointment, but the format cannot change.
- Prometric: free 29 or more days ahead; a $35 Prometric fee between 3 and 28 days; not permitted within 2 days.
Any new date must fall before 20 July of the current testing year, and not every format has availability that late.