COVID-19 vs. International Students

On March 11, the coronavirus (COVID-19) was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, after infiltrating at least 114 countries and killing more than 5,000 people. This pandemic has caused governments to implement strict quarantine protocols, restrict international travel, and advise their citizens to practice social distancing to avoid the spread of this deadly disease. This has started to affect other important aspects of the everyday lives of people, including higher education.

How is COVID-19 affecting international students?
Admissions tests are one area of concern for prospective international students.
Students around the world are in a state of limbo as the dates of SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests and APs are continuously changing or being cancelled.

ACT

• ACT has rescheduled its 3rd/4th April 2020 international test dates to 12th/ 13th June in response to the coronavirus(COVID-19) pandemic. 
• All students registered for the 3rd / 4th April 2020 test dates have received an email from ACT informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to the 12th and 13th June 2020 or future international test dates.
• The next ACT international test dates available are 12th/13th June and 17th/18 July 2020. We advise the students to accordingly register for the same at the earliest.

SAT & SAT Subject Test

• To keep students safe, the College Board will not administer the test on June 6, 2020.
• College Board will administer an SAT starting in August. This includes a new administration in September and the previously scheduled tests on August 29, October 3, and December 5.
• The capacity for fall SATs will be significantly expanded.
• Students can register for these test dates starting in May. Students can get early access to register for August, September, and October if they are already registered for June or in high school class 2021 or do not have SAT scores.
• College Board will continue to focus on students with fee waivers and those with accommodations.
• In case the schools do not reopen this fall, College Board will provide a digital, remote version of the SAT that would measure students learning in school.

AP

• College Board is working to give every AP student the opportunity to claim the credit they have earned, College Board is finalizing streamlined AP exam options that would allow students to test at home, depending on the situation. 
• For the 2019-2020 exam administration only, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home.
• Each AP subject will have two different testing dates so that students can choose when to take the exam.
• Students will be able to take these streamlined exams on any device they have access to; computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will also be an option.
• The exam questions will be designed in ways that will prevent cheating. College Board will be using a range of digital security tools and techniques, including plagiarism detection software, to protect the integrity of the exams.
• Students who need mobile tools or internet access, kindly contact the College Board. 

The above information has been compiled from official websites. However, we recommend everyone check the respective official websites before taking any action. We will keep you updated regarding any changes via email or our social media channels.

Stay Safe. Stay healthy!