Homeschool CEEB Code: What It Is and Which Code to Use

One of the less-obvious landmines in the homeschool standardized testing process is the school code — the CEEB (College Entrance Examination Board) code required when registering for the SAT, PSAT, ACT, and AP exams. Enter the wrong code and your scores may be sent to a local high school instead of your home address. Skip it entirely and your application may lack the identifying link that connects your test scores to your college application.

Here is exactly what to enter.

What Is a CEEB Code?

A CEEB code is a six-digit identifier assigned to educational institutions by the College Board. When you register for the SAT, you enter your high school's CEEB code so that your scores can be associated with your school and, in most cases, sent to you directly. For students attending a traditional school, this is automatic — the school has its own code on file.

Homeschoolers don't have an institutional CEEB code. Your "school" has never been registered with the College Board, and it shouldn't be — you're not trying to act as an institution. What you need instead is the universal homeschool code that tells College Board and ACT to route scores directly to the student's home.

The Codes to Use

For the SAT (and PSAT): Use code 970000. This is the universally recognized homeschool code for SAT registration. When you enter 970000, your scores are sent to your home address rather than to a school. This is important: if you accidentally enter a local public school's code, your score report goes to that school — not to you.

The code 970000 is used by homeschool students across all 50 states for the SAT. Some sources also reference 990000 as a homeschool code; 970000 is the more consistently cited universal code for SAT registration, though both appear in documentation. When in doubt, confirm with College Board directly before your registration deadline.

For the ACT: ACT uses a similar system. When registering, select "Homeschool" from the high school type dropdown and enter your home address as the school address. ACT's system does not require a numeric CEEB code in the same way — the homeschool designation routes scores correctly. However, some ACT registration flows prompt for a school code: use 000000 or the equivalent "no code" entry, and confirm your home address is listed as the school location.

For AP Exams: AP exams are administered through a host school — a local public or private high school that has agreed to proctor the exam for you. You register through that school's AP coordinator, not through the College Board directly. The CEEB code that appears on your AP score report will be the host school's code, not yours. This is expected and normal; admissions offices understand this process. What matters is that you list your correct home address for score report delivery and that your AP scores are linked to your Common App profile using your student account.

For the PSAT/NMSQT: The PSAT is administered at schools, and homeschoolers must arrange to sit at a local school that agrees to host them. The homeschool PSAT code situation is similar to AP: your score report will show the host school's code. For National Merit Scholarship consideration, you must take the PSAT at a school, and your homeschool status must be correctly noted on the registration. Contact the school's test coordinator well in advance — registration cutoffs are typically in early fall.

Why This Matters for College Applications

When you self-report scores on the Common App or the Coalition App, the scores you enter must eventually be verified by official score reports. The SAT score report associated with code 970000 routes correctly and is considered official documentation.

The more significant issue is the connection between your testing records and your college profile. If you use a school's code accidentally, the scores are in that school's system, not yours. Sorting it out requires contacting College Board to redirect scores — a process that takes time and should be avoided by entering 970000 correctly from the start.

Some colleges that request your high school's CEEB code on their own supplemental materials will not have a code for your homeschool. In those cases, leave the field blank or write "Homeschool" and your state. Admissions offices at selective colleges see this regularly and have processes for it.

What About FAFSA?

The FAFSA uses a separate system from CEEB codes. When filling out FAFSA, you select "Homeschooled" as your high school completion status. There is no FAFSA school code for a homeschool high school — you manually enter your homeschool's name (e.g., "Smith Family Homeschool") and your city and state. The federal system recognizes this entry and processes your aid eligibility accordingly.

Homeschool graduates are fully eligible for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants and subsidized loans, without a GED, as long as the homeschool education was conducted in compliance with state law.

Registering for Tests: The Practical Checklist

Here is what to confirm before registering for any exam:

• SAT registration: Enter school code 970000 and your home address as the school address
• ACT registration: Select "Homeschool" as school type; use your home address
• PSAT: Contact a local school by early September to arrange a seat; confirm homeschool designation with the test coordinator
• AP exams: Contact local school AP coordinators by September; ordering deadline is November — do not wait until spring
• Score delivery: Always verify that scores are routed to your address, not to an institution

The United States University Admissions Framework walks through the complete standardized testing strategy for homeschoolers — including how to use test scores as an external validator for your parent-issued transcript, which matters especially at "test-optional" schools where homeschoolers are often held to a different standard than traditional applicants.