SAT is a widely known test for admissions to US undergraduate colleges. The full form of the acronym SAT is Scholastic Assessment Test. It is increasingly gaining traction in India, thanks to the SAT Scholarships provided by the College Board through the ‘College Board India Scholars Program’.
Introduced in the 2018-19 academic year, the College Board India Scholars Programme aims to support Indian students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Eligible students who achieve a score of over 1300 on the SAT and whose family income falls below a specified threshold are granted 100% tuition-fee scholarship. These scholarships enable students to pursue their studies at select top-tier private universities in India that are affiliated with the India Global Alliance (IGA).
Now in its second year, the College Board India Scholars Program continues to offer full-tuition scholarships to eligible Indian students. Moreover, this year’s program boasts of an expanded list of participating Indian universities, providing test-takers with a broader range of educational opportunities to choose from.
What is SAT?
SAT stands for Scholastic Assessment Test. For nearly a century now, SAT has stood as a leading standardised test for seeking college admissions in the United States. Developed and published by the College Board, an American non-profit organisation, the SAT assesses proficiency of the students in key academic areas, measuring the reasoning, knowledge and skills essential for college and career readiness.
Beyond complementing grades of the students or GPA, it provides tangible evidence of their preparedness for the academic challenges inherent in higher education. Serving as a widely recognised benchmark, the SAT helps colleges in evaluating potential of the applicants to succeed in their chosen fields of study.
SAT Scholarships in India
College Board has teamed up with leading Indian universities to establish a consortium of educational institutions called the India Global Alliance (IGA). The Alliance offers a platform for Indian educational institutions to collaborate with some of the world’s most renowned universities, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Cambridge, Columbia University, McGill University, and the University of Hong Kong, among others.
As part of this initiative, universities within the India Global Alliance accept SAT scores for admissions. Moreover, participating universities provide scholarships to top performers in the SAT exams based on their financial need.
Indian Universities Accepting SAT Score
The following universities are among the members of the India Global Alliance that accept SAT score for admissions while offering SAT scholarship benefits to the eligible candidates:
| Name of the University | About the University |
| Ahmedabad University | A private university in Gujarat that offers students liberal education focused on research and interdisciplinary learning. |
| Ashoka University | A private research university located in Sonipat, Haryana that provides liberal education in social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education | An institution of eminence, deemed-to-be university is synonymous for excellence in higher education. |
| NMIMS Deemed-to-Be University | A private deemed-to-be university located in Mumbai offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. |
| Shiv Nadar University | A private research university located in Uttar Pradesh. |
| BML Munjal University | A not-for-profit initiative founded by the Hero Group and mentored by Imperial College, London. |
| Shoolini University | A not-for-profit multi-disciplinary private university founded by leading academicians and professionals. |
| Plaksha University | A not-for-profit private research university located in Mohali, Punjab, aiming to create a new model of higher education that combines academic excellence with industrial relevance. |
| Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET) | A deemed-to-be-university in Patiala that offers a wide range of courses in various streams. |
Apart from the list of above-mentioned universities, some of the member institutions as mentioned below accept SAT scores for admission to their specific programmes:
Eligibility Criteria and Discounts for SAT ScholarshipStudents willing to avail 50% SAT discount voucher are required to fulfill the eligibility criteria mentioned below in order to avail the benefits of SAT scholarship:
College Board is providing a 90% discount voucher and a 100% tuition fee scholarship for students with a family income of less than ₹8,00,000. To be eligible for this discount, students must meet the following criteria:
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How to avail a SAT fee discount voucher?
To avail discount voucher for the SAT exam and applicants must follow steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Visit the official website of Buddy4Study.
Step 2: Apply for the SAT voucher by clicking on the respective avail discount vouchers.
Step 3: Fill in the application form with the required details and upload the documents.
Step 4: Tick the check box on terms and conditions and submit to make the payment.
Upon receipt of payment of the discounted SAT fee, students will receive the voucher code within 2 days to their email ID.
How to apply for the SAT Scholarship programme?
After having received the SAT voucher, students can redeem it by applying for the SAT Scholarship program by following the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Visit the College Board SAT registration website.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Register Now’ button and fill in the required details to register and become a College board India Scholar.
Note:- Students are advised to redeem their fee discount voucher within 15 days of receiving it from Buddy4Study or before the deadline of registration, whichever is earlier.
SAT Preparation: How to Prepare for the SAT?
College Board has officially joined hands with Khan Academy, a leading educational platform renowned for its online tools and resources, to provide free SAT practice accessible on both mobile devices and laptop. Through the official SAT practice platform, students can access personalised practice plans tailored to their diagnostic results. This partnership aims to offer world-class SAT preparation resources to all students, completely free of charge.
SAT Practice on Khan Academy has proven highly beneficial for test-takers, facilitating score improvements and success in the exam. With thousands of practice questions, interactive problems, videos, lessons, and 8 full-length practice tests, students have ample preparatory study material to familiarise themselves thoroughly with the SAT exam pattern.
When can an interested applicant take the SAT exam?
In India, the SAT examination is conducted 4 times a year, typically in the months of March, May, October, and December. These tests are conducted at over 80 test centers spanning more than 40 cities across the country.
Timelines for March–June 2024 SAT test are as under, students can also avail the SAT Fee Discount Voucher for taking the SAT exam on the following dates.
| SAT Test Dates* | Registration Deadline* | Deadline for Updation, Regular Cancellation, and Late Registration** |
| March 9, 2024 | February 23, 2024 | February 27, 2024 |
| May 4, 2024 | April 19, 2024 | April 23, 2024 |
| June 1, 2024 | May 16, 2024 | May 21, 2024 |
| Important Note:-
*SAT students requiring a College Board device for registration, must request for it at least 30 days before their test date. **International registration for March and beyond opens in March 2024. Additional fee may apply. |