# SAT for Indian Students: Colleges and Routes | topin On this page ## Start with your route, not your score “Accepts the SAT” means very different things in India. At some universities it is one way to apply as a resident Indian student; at IIIT Hyderabad and BITS it belongs to a route for overseas or foreign-passport applicants that most students schooled in India cannot use. A high score cannot fix the wrong category. __SAT routes in India at a glance (institute pages, checked 4 October 2026)__ | Route | Who can use it | SAT minimum | SAT code | | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | | Ashoka University (undergraduate) | Resident and international applicants | None; SAT is optional | 7343 | | FLAME University (undergraduate) | Resident and international applicants | None; SAT or ACT replaces the FEAT entrance test | 6784 | | Plaksha University (BTech, 2027 intake) | Resident and international applicants | Not published; SAT is one of several accepted tests | See Plaksha’s page | | IIIT Hyderabad DASA (2026–27) | Classes XI–XII completed abroad, or a foreign passport | 1070 | 6997 | | BITS International Student Admission (2026–27) | Foreign passport holders only | 1160 | 7759 | College Board’s list of Indian institutions that accept the SAT is a good starting point, but confirm the programme, route and year on the institution’s own page. Figures for IIIT Hyderabad and BITS here come from their 2026–27 notices; the 2027 notices were not out on 4 October 2026, so check them when they appear. ## Universities with SAT options for students in India * Ashoka: SAT submission is optional, and Ashoka says it does not use score cutoffs. A strong score adds to your application; the essays and interview still carry the decision. * FLAME: SAT or ACT scores can be used instead of FLAME’s own entrance test, FEAT, and stay valid for five years. FLAME publishes no SAT cutoff. * Plaksha: for the 2027 BTech intake, the SAT is one of the accepted test options alongside the ACT, JEE Main and Class XII results. No SAT minimum is published. Other universities appear on College Board’s India list, but this guide only includes routes confirmed on the institution’s own site. If you see a minimum quoted for a university not covered here, ask the admissions office for the official figure. ## IIIT Hyderabad DASA: the 1070 minimum IIIT Hyderabad runs its own DASA admission, separate from the NIT system. For 2026–27 you needed a total SAT score of at least 1070 and either Classes XI and XII completed outside India with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, or a foreign passport. An Indian passport holder schooled in India is not eligible for this route. Applicants are ranked by SAT total, with Reading and Writing and then Math breaking ties, and superscores are accepted. In the 2026 cycle the application closed on 22 May 2026 and official scores had to reach code 6997 by 31 May 2026. The “IIIT Hyderabad needs 1550” claim you will see online is not an official figure. 1070 is the eligibility floor; the score needed for a seat depends on that year’s applicants, and the institute does not publish a closing score. ## BITS International Student Admission: foreign passports only The BITS 2026–27 brochure limits this route to citizens of countries other than India, with a minimum SAT score of 1160\. For BE and MSc programmes you also need Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics with at least 75% aggregate and 60% in each. Indian citizens living abroad (NRIs) with Indian passports are not eligible. College Board’s India page describes BITS as accepting SAT scores from “foreign nationals and nonresident Indians”, which conflicts with the brochure. Follow the BITS brochure, since BITS sets the rules. Scores go to code 7759, by the deadline in that year’s brochure. ## NIT-system DASA and CIWG no longer use the SAT The central DASA scheme for NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes, including the CIWG category for children of Indian workers in Gulf countries, switched from SAT to JEE Main from 2021–22\. Older articles still say these routes use SAT Subject Tests, which ended in 2021. So if you are an NRI or OCI applicant aiming for NITs through DASA, you need JEE Main, not the SAT. IIIT Hyderabad’s DASA is the exception because the institute runs it separately. [SAT vs JEE](/articles/sat-vs-jee) compares the two exams if you are considering both. ## SAT fees in India (2026–27) __College Board international fees through June 2027 (checked 4 October 2026)__ | Item | Fee | | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Registration | $68 | | International fee (all tests outside the US) | $43 | | Total for one SAT in India | $111 | | Late registration | $38 extra | | Score reports | First 4 free if ordered within 9 days of the test; then $15 each | | Rush reporting | $31 plus the report fee | You pay in US dollars, so the rupee amount depends on your card’s exchange rate and any foreign-transaction fee. Add travel to the test centre if there is none in your city. Routes such as IIIT Hyderabad’s require official reports, so use your free reports on the institutions that need them. ## SAT dates for Indian applicants Indian centres use the same dates as the US: 7 November and 5 December 2026, then 6 March, 1 May and 5 June 2027\. Registration closes at 11:59 pm US Eastern Time, which is 9:29 or 10:29 am the next day in India, depending on US daylight saving, and popular centres fill early. [Our SAT test dates guide](/articles/sat-curve-test-dates-2026) lists every deadline and score release. Plan around board exams and JEE sessions. For 2026 entry, IIIT Hyderabad needed scores by the end of May, so a June test was too late. ## A checklist by applicant type * Indian passport, schooled in India: look at Ashoka, FLAME, Plaksha and universities abroad; IIIT Hyderabad DASA and BITS ISA are not open to you. * Indian passport, Classes XI–XII abroad: IIIT Hyderabad DASA is open to you; BITS ISA is not. * Foreign passport, including OCI cardholders: both IIIT Hyderabad DASA and BITS ISA may be open; check the subject and marks rules. * Aiming for NITs through central DASA or CIWG: prepare for JEE Main, not the SAT. Students strong in JEE-level maths usually find SAT Math comfortable; [Reading and Writing](/sat/reading-writing) is where most need dedicated practice. [topin’s first full-length SAT mock is free](/sat/practice-test), scored on the 400–1600 scale with explanations, so you can see how far you are from 1070, 1160 or your own target before paying $111. ## Try a full SAT mock free Timed like test day, every section scored, every answer explained. [Take the free mock ](/sat/login) ## FAQs Which Indian universities accept the SAT? Ashoka, FLAME and Plaksha accept it for regular undergraduate admission. IIIT Hyderabad (DASA) and BITS (International Student Admission) use it for overseas and foreign-passport applicants. What is the minimum SAT score for IIIT Hyderabad? 1070 for the 2026–27 DASA route. It is an eligibility floor; admission depends on your rank among applicants. Does IIIT Hyderabad require 1550 on the SAT? No. The official minimum is 1070; 1550 is an unofficial figure, and the institute does not publish a closing score. Can an NRI with an Indian passport use BITS SAT admission? No. The BITS 2026–27 brochure limits International Student Admission to foreign passport holders. What is the BITS SAT cutoff? The minimum is 1160 for 2026–27, plus at least 75% aggregate and 60% in each of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Can I use the SAT instead of JEE Main for NITs? No. The central DASA scheme for NITs switched to JEE Main from 2021–22. How much does the SAT cost in India? $111 per test through June 2027: a $68 registration fee plus a $43 international fee, charged in US dollars. ## Sources (checked 4 October 2026) * [College Board: SAT acceptance in India](https://international.collegeboard.org/students/sat/acceptance-india) * [IIIT Hyderabad: DASA admission](https://ugadmissions.iiit.ac.in/dasa/) * [BITS Pilani: International Student Admission brochure 2026–27 (PDF)](https://www.bitsadmission.com/ISA/downloads/ISA%5FBrochure.pdf) * [Ashoka University: FAQs](https://www.ashoka.edu.in/faq/) * [FLAME University: Admission procedure](https://www.flame.edu.in/admissions/ug/admission-procedure) * [FLAME University: Minimum eligibility](https://www.flame.edu.in/admissions/ug/minimum-eligibility) * [Plaksha University: BTech admissions](https://btech-admissions.plaksha.edu.in/) * [NIT Kurukshetra: DASA admission criteria (JEE Main from 2021–22, PDF)](https://nitkkr.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/admission-criteria-and-other-conditions-for-DASA-SII-MEA-ICCR-04052021.pdf) * [College Board: International SAT fees](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration/international-testing/fees) * [College Board: SAT dates and deadlines](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/dates-deadlines) ## Related articles [All SAT study guides ](/sat) * [SATAdmissionsColleges requiring testsWhich colleges require the SAT or ACT for autumn 2027 entry, which bring testing back for the Class of 2028 or 2029, and the last test date each accepts.Updated 4 Oct 2026](/articles/colleges-requiring-sat-2026) * [SATAdmissionsSAT scores at top collegesMiddle-50% SAT scores for all eight Ivies, MIT, Stanford and 15 more top colleges from their 2025–26 Common Data Sets, with each 2027 testing policy.Updated 4 Oct 2026](/articles/sat-scores-ivy-league-top-colleges) * [SATScores & percentilesPSAT, SAT and National MeritPSAT to SAT conversion, the Selection Index formula, Class of 2027 National Merit cutoffs for every state and the October 2026 PSAT score release dates.Updated 4 Oct 2026](/articles/psat-to-sat-national-merit-2026) * [SATScores & percentilesSAT curve and score datesThere is no SAT curve: the digital SAT is scored by adaptive item response theory. Here is what that means, plus every 2026–27 test date and score release.Updated 4 Oct 2026](/articles/sat-curve-test-dates-2026)