The SSAT at home is the secure, live-proctored remote version of the Secondary School Admission Test, available year-round for Middle Level (grades 5-7) and Upper Level (grades 8-11) students in the U.S. and Canada. It uses the same content, length, and scoring as the paper and Prometric test center versions. This guide walks you through every system requirement, room setup rule, registration step, and test-day procedure so your family arrives at launch time fully prepared.
The SSAT at home delivers identical test content to the paper SSAT and the Prometric test center version — same number of questions, same time limits, same scoring scale. The only difference is logistics: students complete the test on a personal computer at home through a secure web application that locks down the browser and connects them to a live remote proctor. Schools that receive the score have no way to tell which delivery method was used, and there is no asterisk on the score report.
That equivalence is the single most important thing to understand before choosing a format. Choosing at-home testing is not a workaround or a "lesser" option — it is one of three legitimate paths to the same SSAT result. The trade-off is purely about environment, cost, and convenience, not difficulty or rigor.
The SSAT at home is available only for the Middle Level (grades 5-7) and the Upper Level (grades 8-11). Elementary Level test-takers in grades 3 and 4 cannot use the at-home format under any circumstances and must instead register for the paper SSAT at an in-person Standard or Flex test site. If you have an Elementary Level student, plan ahead for limited paper test dates rather than waiting to discover that at-home is not an option.
At-home testing is restricted to students physically located in the United States, U.S. territories, and Canada. Families living elsewhere need to use either the paper SSAT (where international test centers are available) or a Prometric test center. International Canadian administrations also carry a higher fee than U.S. ones, even though the test itself is the same.
| Feature | SSAT at Home | Prometric Test Center | Paper SSAT (Standard/Flex) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you take it | Your home | Prometric center near you | Approved school test site |
| Eligible grade levels | Middle (5-7) and Upper (8-11) | Middle (5-7) and Upper (8-11) | All levels including Elementary (3-4) |
| Cost (U.S.) | $255 | Varies by location, similar range | Standard $175 / Flex higher |
| Cost (international) | $320 (Canada only) | Varies | Higher international fee |
| Test format | Computer-based, secure browser | Computer-based, in person | Pencil and paper, in person |
| Score release | ~4 business days | ~Wednesday after test week | Up to 3 weeks |
| Proctoring | Live remote proctor + AI | On-site Prometric staff | On-site school proctor |
| Test dates | Multiple dates per month | Daily availability at most centers | Six Standard Saturdays + Flex |
| Best for | Comfortable home environment, faster scores | Want a center but no Standard date works | Wants traditional pencil-and-paper feel |
The SSAT at home runs through PSI's secure browser, which has strict device, browser, and network requirements. Failing any one of these is the leading cause of test-day cancellations, so check every item below well before scheduling. Run the official PSI system check on the same computer and network you plan to test on, and run it again 3-4 days before test day so you still have time to reschedule for free if anything fails.
You must use a Windows or Mac laptop or desktop. Chromebooks, iPads, Android tablets, smartphones, and any other device types are not supported by the secure browser — there are no workarounds. The monitor must be a single screen with a minimum resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, and 1920 x 1080 is recommended for a clearer view of test content. Second monitors must be physically disconnected during the test.
An internal or external webcam is required, and crucially, the camera must be repositionable — at check-in the proctor will ask you to lift or pan the laptop to show the entire room. A built-in or external speaker and microphone are both required so you can hear the proctor and respond aloud during check-in. Headphones, earbuds, AirPods, and headset-mounted microphones are explicitly prohibited; if your only mic is built into a headset, you will not pass setup.
You need a reliable broadband internet connection with sustained bandwidth of at least 300 kbps. Use Google Chrome to launch the test from the My Tests page in your SSAT account, and install the PSI secure testing application before the day arrives. VPNs and proxy services must be disabled during the session. Antivirus software and aggressive pop-up blockers can interfere with the secure browser, so whitelist or temporarily disable them before launch.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Computer Type | Windows or Mac laptop/desktop (no Chromebooks, tablets, phones) |
| Operating System | Current version of Windows or macOS supported by PSI |
| Monitor | Single screen, minimum 1366 x 768 (1920 x 1080 recommended) |
| Webcam | Internal or external — must be repositionable for room scan |
| Microphone | Built-in or external — no headset/earbud microphones |
| Speakers | Built-in or external speakers — no headphones or AirPods |
| Browser | Google Chrome (latest version) plus PSI secure testing app |
| Internet | Reliable broadband, minimum 300 kbps sustained bandwidth |
| VPN / Proxy | Must be disabled during the test session |
The U.S. administration of the Middle or Upper Level SSAT at home costs $255. The international (Canadian) administration of the same levels costs $320. There are no separate fees for video proctoring, scoring, or sending scores to up to six schools that you select during registration. Late or last-minute changes carry their own fees as outlined in the SSAT options and pricing page.
Registration for the SSAT testing year opens on August 1 each year. After you register, you must schedule a specific at-home appointment, and that scheduling step closes 72 hours before the test start time. Miss the 72-hour window and the slot is gone — you cannot squeeze in last-minute. Plan to register and schedule at least four days before your intended date to give yourself a buffer.
Middle and Upper Level students may take up to two computer-based tests (at home or at a Prometric center, in any combination) per testing year, in addition to paper SSAT options. That cap matters when you plan retakes — a botched at-home attempt that progressed past the first quantitative section counts toward your two computer-based attempts.
Families who do not have a compatible computer or reliable internet can request a free Equity Tech Kit from the Enrollment Management Association. The kit ships a laptop and a mobile internet hotspot to your home so the at-home option remains accessible. Allow several weeks for delivery — request it as soon as you register, not the week of the test. Separately, SSAT Fee Waivers can offset the registration fee itself for families who qualify financially.
Room setup is the second-largest source of test-day issues after technical failures. The proctor will scan the room with your webcam during check-in, and any visible study materials, prohibited items, or improper seating can delay the start, trigger warnings during the test, or in extreme cases invalidate the attempt. Treat the room scan like a TSA inspection.
Use a private room with a closed door so the student is alone for the full 3+ hours. The room needs good lighting so the proctor can see clearly. Walls and surrounding visible area must be free of posters, study aids, vocabulary lists, math formulas, or anything else that could give a tester an unfair advantage. The student must sit in a chair at a desk or table — couches, beds, and floor seating are not allowed.
Inside the work area, the student is allowed only three items beyond the computer: two blank pieces of paper, a pencil, and a clear unlabeled water bottle. Cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, snacks, calculators (none are permitted on the SSAT), and any second monitor must be removed from the room entirely. Even a silenced phone in a desk drawer is too close.
| Item | Allowed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Two pieces of plain paper | Yes | Must be blank — proctor will inspect during room scan |
| Pencil | Yes | Standard #2 pencil for scratch work and notes |
| Clear water bottle | Yes | Must be unlabeled and clear so proctor can verify contents |
| Cell phone | No | Must be out of the room — no exceptions, even silenced |
| Smartwatch or any watch | No | Remove before check-in; proctor will ask |
| Headphones, earbuds, AirPods | No | Audio must come through built-in or external speakers |
| Headset microphone | No | Mic must be separate from any headset |
| Snacks | No | Eat before the test or during the 10-minute breaks (outside camera view) |
| Calculator | No | Calculator is not permitted on any SSAT section |
| Second monitor | No | Must use a single monitor only |
| Other people in the room | No | Parents must leave once testing begins |
| Wall decorations / posters | No | Clear or cover anything study-related visible to the camera |
Other household members must stay out of the testing room and limit internet use during the appointment to preserve bandwidth. Streaming video, gaming, and large downloads on shared Wi-Fi can drop the test connection. The most reliable strategy is to plan an outdoor activity for siblings during the 4-hour window — both to free up the network and to eliminate background noise that the microphone might pick up.
Worked Example: Maya's Room Conversion
Setup: Maya is taking the Upper Level SSAT at Home in her bedroom. She needs to convert the space so the proctor approves it during the room scan and she does not get flagged mid-test.
SSAT remote proctoring uses a continuous live human proctor backed by AI tools — facial recognition, audio analysis, and video monitoring — that flag anomalies for the proctor to investigate. The system is intentionally strict because the SSAT at home produces an official score that schools rely on, but in practice, students who follow the rules rarely have any interruptions.
The live proctor joins your session within 10-15 minutes after the scheduled start time. Check-in includes capturing a selfie for facial verification, performing a webcam scan of the testing room (this is when the camera-must-be-repositionable requirement matters), reviewing the testing rules, and confirming any approved accommodations. The official 3-hour-10-minute test timer does not start until check-in is complete.
Throughout the test, the proctor watches the webcam feed and listens through the microphone. Students cannot talk, read questions aloud, cover their mouth, or cover their ears — these behaviors trigger flags. Looking off-screen for extended periods, leaving the seat without permission, or having someone else enter the room can result in warnings or invalidation. The AI helps the proctor spot patterns; the proctor makes the final call.
If the student needs anything during the test — a bathroom break, a tech issue, a clarification on the rules — they use the in-test chat function to message the proctor. The proctor can grant unscheduled breaks, troubleshoot minor issues, or escalate to the PSI Help Desk if needed. One important boundary: proctors cannot answer questions about test content, hints, or interpretation. Those are off-limits the same way they are in any other proctored exam.
The night before the test, charge the laptop, plug it into power, set out the two pieces of plain paper, the pencil, and the clear unlabeled water bottle. Identify the testing room and clear it of any prohibited items so the morning is uneventful. The morning of the test, restart the computer, close every background application, disable any VPN or antivirus interference, and ask other household members to limit Wi-Fi usage starting 30 minutes before the appointment.
The Middle and Upper Level SSAT at home runs 3 hours and 10 minutes total. The same six sections appear as on paper: a 25-minute Writing Sample, two 30-minute Quantitative (math) sections, a Reading section, a Verbal section, and a 15-minute Experimental section that does not count toward the score. Two 10-minute breaks are built into the sequence so students can stretch, hydrate, or eat a snack outside camera view.
| Time Before Test | Action |
|---|---|
| 3-4 days before | Run final system check on the same computer and network you will test on |
| Night before | Charge the laptop, plug into power, identify a quiet room, set out two pieces of plain paper, a pencil, and a clear unlabeled water bottle |
| 1 hour before | Restart the computer, close all background applications, ask siblings to stay off Wi-Fi |
| 30 minutes before | Launch the secure browser via Chrome from the My Tests page in the SSAT account |
| 15 minutes before | Final bathroom break, snack, and review of what to do if disconnected |
| At start time | Wait for the live proctor to join (within 10-15 minutes) |
| Check-in (~10 min) | Selfie capture, ID verification, room scan via webcam, rule review with proctor |
| After check-in | Test timer begins — Writing Sample first, then Quantitative, Reading, Verbal, Experimental |
| Mid-test | Two 10-minute breaks (stay visible to webcam in your work area where instructed) |
| End of test | Submit, log out of secure browser; scores arrive in 4 business days |
Scores from the SSAT at home are typically posted to the parent SSAT portal at ssat.org within four business days of the test. That is dramatically faster than the paper SSAT, which can take up to three weeks. Most at-home tests delivered on a Saturday have scores by the following Wednesday — if your application deadlines are tight, that compressed timeline is one of the strongest reasons families choose the at-home or Prometric formats over paper.
The at-home format puts a real responsibility on the parent or guardian. Before the test starts, you act as the on-site administrator: helping the student log in, performing the room scan with the proctor, and confirming the student understands the rules. Once testing begins, your role is to disappear from the room while staying immediately reachable in case the student or the proctor needs you.
Almost every test-day "disaster" is preventable with a system check 3-4 days out and a hard computer reboot the morning of. When something does go wrong mid-test, the right first move depends on whether it is a soft issue (lag, browser hang) or a hard disconnect (Wi-Fi drop, power outage). Knowing the disconnect-and-reschedule policy in advance keeps panic out of the equation.
Failed system check the morning of: this is the worst-case scenario because the 72-hour scheduling window has already closed. If you ran the system check 3-4 days early, you would have caught the issue and rescheduled for free. The other recurring culprit is antivirus software (especially aggressive Windows products) interfering with the secure browser — disable or whitelist before launch. Browser caches that hold an old PSI version can also block the test; clear Chrome's cache the night before.
PSI runs two separate support lines. For pre-test setup help — installing the secure browser, getting the system check to pass, or canceling and rescheduling before test day — call 1-833-207-1288. For test-day problems such as login failures, secure browser errors, or other on-the-day technical issues, call 1-833-310-6425. Save both numbers on a piece of paper next to the testing computer before test day. During the test itself, the chat function with the proctor is the right channel — the proctor can pause, escalate, or coordinate with PSI on the student's behalf.
The reschedule policy has a sharp cutoff that every family needs to memorize. If your student disconnects before reaching the first Quantitative section, you can reschedule the test for free. If the disconnect happens after the student has reached the first Quantitative section, the test cannot be rescheduled for free and the attempt counts. PSI also allows a 15-minute grace period after the scheduled start time before the appointment is canceled — if you are running late, log in immediately rather than calling first.
Use the picker below to map your situation to the right SSAT delivery format. There is no universally "best" choice — the right answer depends on your student's grade level, comfort with technology, and how soon you need the score.
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The SSAT at home is a legitimate, full-credit way to take the same test your student would take on paper or at a Prometric center — same questions, same scoring, same recipient schools. What it asks of you in exchange is preparation: a compatible computer, a properly cleared room, a 72-hour-ahead schedule, and a system check run 3-4 days out so any surprises arrive while you can still reschedule. Get those four things right and the rest of the SSAT at home experience is straightforward.