Confused about how to register for the ACT as an international student? Unsure how to answer some of the questions? This page outlines step by step instructions on ACT registration.
When you register, you’ll be asked questions about your high school courses, university plans and interests, parental details. Are all of these questions required? Check out our guide below!
1. Create an account via ACT
- Activate your portal using the activation link sent to your email account
Expert’s Tip:
Create a new Gmail account specifically for the college-related process including ACT registration.

2. Getting Started with the MyACT
- Get comfy – it only takes about 15 minutes for ACT registration
- Have your credit card ready
- Decide if your school requires writing section
- Photo to upload
- Decide where you want to sit for the ACT. In Kenya, the ACT rotates between:
- Brookhouse International School – Nairobi
- Maxwell Adventist Academy – Nairobi
- Oshwal Academy – Nairobi
- Rosslyn Academy – Nairobi
- Aga Khan Academy – Mombasa
- Institute of Advanced Technology (NT) – Mombasa
- Chogoria Girls High School – Chogoria
- Naisula School – Kajiado
- Rift Valley Academy – Kajiado
- Machakos Academy Girls High School – Machakos
- St Andrews School, Turi – Molo
- Menengai High School – Nakuru

3. High School Resume – optional
- Math, English, Science,
Social Studies, Languages
- For international students, this can be confusing! In the US, students are required to take four years of Math and English, three yeas for science and social studies and 2 yeas of foreign language, in order to be considered for college/university.

4. Preferences
- Where to send scores?
- Send each score report to up to 6 schools. Research early to shortlist your university choices using factors to consider when applying to universities.
- 4 for free if you add them no later than 24 hours after testing
- $13 per college
- List colleges in order of preference (1 = most preferred)
5. Paying for ACT Registration
- Cost is $150 without essay
- Cost is $166.50 with essay
- Includes four free score reports sent to schools
Expert’s Tip:
Colleges and universities buy names from ACT based on your scores and demographics. That boosts their prospect pool of names; you may get emails from schools you’ve never heard from that are encouraging you to apply, giving you an application waiver, and guaranteeing you a scholarship. How did they get your information? They bought your data from ACT!
That’s it! The ACT registration is complete! Once you’ve paid you’ll receive confirmation. Print that out and carry It with you (and your ID) to the testing location.