Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT would be a whole lot easier if we were allowed to bring them home to take at our leisure. Unfortunately, these anxiety-provoking exams are defined in part by their stringent time limits. The minutes allotted per section often seem insufficient compared to the number and complexity of questions to be answered. Of course, time management is part of the test!
But some students have diagnosed disabilities that allow additional time for academic tasks. With the proper documentation, these accommodations can be applied to SAT and ACT administrations. Most test takers who are approved for this time of accommodation will receive Extended Time, while Double Time or Special Testing is reserved for students with more serious needs. These are the Extended Time regulations for the tests as of January 2024:
Extended Time
Extended Time is the most common accommodation approved for test takers. In fact, almost 80% of the accommodations approved for the ACT are for 50% extended time. Usually, students take Extended Time SATs and ACTs in small groups and must complete all tests/sections in a single session.
ACT Extended Time
Students who qualify for National Extended Time receive a total of ~4.5 hours for the four multiple choice sections alone with regular breaks. This accommodation doesn’t automatically include extra or extended breaks–test takers must request them as separate accommodations. Students who take the ACT with Extended Time follow the following structure:
English – 52.5 minutes
Math– 75 minutes
< 10 minute break >
Reading – 60 minutes
Science – 60 minutes
< 5 minute break >
Writing– 60 minutes
SAT Extended Time
Students who qualify for Time and One-Half on the SAT receive 50% more time per section than usual, for a total of 3 hours, 41 minutes. Bluebook automatically sets the applicable test time for students testing with extended time.
Reading & Writing Module 1 – 48 minutes
< 5 minute break >
Reading & Writing Module 2 – 48 minutes
< 10 minute break >
Math Module 1 – 53 minutes
< 5 minute break >
Math Module 2 – 53 minutes
Since Spring 2025, SAT test takers testing with Extended Time don’t need to use all of their time: test takers may choose to move to the next part of the test after standard testing time has passed. That said, we recommend that students with extended time take full advantage of their necessary accommodation.
Note that students may qualify for extended time on only one of the two sections of the SAT. Students approved for extended time for Reading & Writing receive a break after the first module in both the Reading & Writing section and the Math section. For extended time for Math only, students receive a break after the first Math module.
Double Time
Some students qualify for 100% additional time or more. Exams under this accommodation are administered over two or more days at a student’s school rather than a designated test center. This accommodation is rare compared to 50% Extended Time.
ACT Special Testing
Special Testing students receive double time per section. Test sections are spaced out over two or more days, but students may not stop mid-section. Breaks are determined by each individual student’s accommodations.
English – 70 minutes
Math – 100 minutes
Reading – 80 minutes
Science – 80 minutes
Essay – 80 minutes
SAT Double Time
Students who qualify for more than time and a half receive Double Time, which comes to 100% more time per section. Test timing is managed by Bluebook, with breaks determined by each individual student’s accommodations.
Reading & Writing Module 1 – 64 minutes
< 5 minute break >
Reading & Writing Module 2 – 64 minutes
< 20 minute nutrition break >
Math Module 1 – 70 minutes
< 5 minute break >
Math Module 2 – 70 minutes
Is Extended Time Worth It?
Obviously, more time per question can be advantageous for those students who know how to use extra time properly. But this accommodation is a double-edged sword, potentially as perilous as it is beneficial. After all, under standard timing, an ACT will run an exhausting four hours or more. Imagine how much more of an endurance trial a five or six hour test must be.
The key to making the most of this accommodation is practice. Students need to take timed practice tests to refine their time management strategies while building focus endurance. Since most proctored practice tests are administered without accommodations or extended time, extended time students must practice on their own… with their accommodations.
Note that Extended Time comes with no stigma attached. A student’s score report makes no mention of the accommodations (or lack thereof) applied to a given ACT or SAT administration. These accommodations exist to level the playing field for students with professionally diagnosed and documented disabilities. Thus, the rational decision for any test taker is to use all the accommodations that he or she needs and qualifies for.
LAST UPDATED: September 2025
My son is taking the act for the seventh time, he has no problem answering the questions but the time he is allotted is so short that he answers a big number randomly , 18 is the best he can achieve. how do i apply for the extended time?
Poor kid. Applying for testing accommodations is easy as long as a student qualifies for them: https://chariotlearning.com/applying-for-testing-accommodations/
Speak to his school counselor about accommodations. He should also get coaching to learn not just what is on the tests but how to answer questions as quickly, easily, and accurately as possible. Taking the test over and over without prep leads to more of the same frustration.
My son has a processing speed disorder. He runs out of time on standardized tests . He received extended time for the SAT w/essay and did well. We requested extended time for the ACT. He received extended time for the essay (not the multiple choice). I cannot find a reference to extended time only for the ACT essay.
Bottom line: If my son has extended time for the ACT Essay does that also “qualify” him for extended time on the multiple choice?
ACT doesn’t share a lot of information about that specific accommodation, but the accommodations office has confirmed that a student can receive extended time on just the essay. In that instance, the student takes the multiple choice sections at the regular time, followed by the ACT Writing Test at double time. This is considered Special Testing, which means he would test separately from the main group, but all testing is done in the same day.
Stumbled across this Mike. Great information here. Thanks for posting!
Great information! My son is approved for 50% more time with ADHD but in practices still has a hard time finishing the English and science sections of the act. He gets 3/4 through. What do they look for to approved double time over multiple days? Thank you in advance!
Skp, sorry to hear that your son is struggling with time on some of the ACT sections, but that’s more common than you’d think. He’s unlikely to get a more serious accommodation unless new medical evaluations necessitate a change. That happens rarely. Instead, I recommend connecting your son with some high quality test prep–like Chariot Learning, of course–to learn how to work more quickly and accurately. Practice and coaching make a world of difference.
Will the schedule for time and a half be the same for the 2021 SAT?
As far as we know, this will be the Extended Time format for the foreseeable future.