HSPT in Washington DC 2026: dates, fee and test sites
The Archdiocese of Washington (ADW) gives the HSPT on Saturday, December 5 and Saturday, December 12, 2026, with a make-up date on January 9, 2027. The fee is $70 for score reports to up to four ADW schools. Dates still ahead on our list: Sat, Nov 14, 2026 (Bishop Ireton); Wed, Dec 2, 2026 (ADW school students); Sat, Dec 5, 2026 (ADW sites (Dec 5), Bishop Ireton); Sat, Dec 12, 2026 (ADW sites (Dec 12)); Sat, Jan 9, 2027 (ADW sites (Jan 9)).
Updated October 25, 2026 · by AdmitTest
The Archdiocese of Washington publishes one HSPT dates, locations and fees page for its Catholic high schools in Washington DC and Maryland. Northern Virginia schools belong to the Diocese of Arlington and register separately; we could read Bishop Ireton's page. Everything below was read on October 25, 2026.
Washington DC area HSPT dates, fees and registration
| School or group | Date | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of the Holy Cross, DeMatha, Georgetown Visitation, Gonzaga, Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Mary's Ryken | Sat, Dec 5, 2026 | Test sites on this date. Students who do not attend an Archdiocese of Washington Catholic elementary school may test at any site, whatever school they apply to. Register by Nov 29 (accommodation requests by Nov 17). | Archdiocese of Washington: HSPT dates |
| Archbishop Carroll, Bishop McNamara, Elizabeth Seton, St. John's College HS, St. Vincent Pallotti | Sat, Dec 12, 2026 | Test sites on this date. Register by Dec 6 (accommodation requests by Nov 24). | Archdiocese of Washington: HSPT dates |
| Academy of the Holy Cross, Bishop McNamara, Gonzaga, St. Vincent Pallotti, St. Mary's Ryken | Sat, Jan 9, 2027 (final date offered) | Mainly a make-up for students who miss a December test; they get priority seating. Register by Jan 3, 2027 (accommodation requests by Dec 15). | Archdiocese of Washington: HSPT dates |
| Students in Archdiocese of Washington Catholic schools | Wed, Dec 2, 2026 (at their own school) | Given at their own schools, not at the sites above. | Archdiocese of Washington: HSPT dates |
| Bishop Ireton High School (Alexandria, VA) | Sat, Nov 14, 2026 (recommended) Sat, Dec 5, 2026 (for students who could not attend Nov 14; snow date Dec 13) | For students at public or other private schools. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 201 Cambridge Rd. Fee $50; pre-registration required, space limited. Only once, and only as an 8th grader. Students at Diocese of Arlington Catholic schools test at their own school on Thu, Dec 3. | Bishop Ireton: placement tests |
No date is left on our list for this season. Check with your school or diocese: each sets its own date (STS: test dates). HSPT dates by region.
ADW's page does not list test start times. The ADW fee is $70 for reports to up to four ADW schools, plus $15 for each additional Baltimore or Arlington school. The ADW school-choice window closes Sunday, December 13, 2026.
Schools
Test sites on the ADW page (a site is a school that hosts the test; that is not a statement about who gets in):
- December 5: Academy of the Holy Cross, DeMatha Catholic High School, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Gonzaga College High School, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School and St. Mary's Ryken High School.
- December 12: Archbishop Carroll High School, Bishop McNamara High School, Elizabeth Seton High School, St. John's College High School and St. Vincent Pallotti High School.
- Northern Virginia: Bishop Ireton High School lists its own dates. Bishop O'Connell High School says current 8th graders in the metropolitan DC area who apply must take the HSPT, that there is no minimum national score, and that it has an online HSPT registration link; it gives no date on that page.
How it works, from the diocese pages
- Everyone must be registered; there are no walk-ins (ADW).
- Students in ADW Catholic schools test at their own school on Wednesday, December 2.
- Missed a December date? A parent emails the school office by the Monday after the missed date to reschedule (ADW).
- Accommodations: every ADW site offers limited accommodated testing, with earlier registration deadlines: November 17 for December 5, November 24 for December 12 and December 15 for January 9.
What to do in the weeks before your date
Count back from the date of the school you test at. This is our own plan, not STS's:
- Four weeks or more: take one full timed test now to see where the points go, then follow the 4-week study plan.
- Two to three weeks: one full timed test, a week of short daily practice on the weakest section (see the Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, Mathematics and Language guides), then a second full test. The preparation guide has a day-by-day two-week plan.
- Under two weeks: one full timed test, then daily 20-minute sessions on the one or two weakest skills, and an early night before the test day.
The test is on paper and has no calculator, so practice without one. The free HSPT practice test has all five sections on their own clocks; for the dates in other areas, see HSPT test dates 2026.
Free full-length HSPT practice test. 298 questions in five timed sections, no sign-up. Your child's score by section and by skill when it ends.
Start the free testCommon questions
When is the HSPT in Washington DC in 2026?
The Archdiocese of Washington lists Saturday, December 5 and Saturday, December 12, 2026 as test dates, Wednesday, December 2 at their own schools for students in ADW Catholic schools, and Saturday, January 9, 2027 as a final make-up date. Dates still ahead on our list: Sat, Nov 14, 2026 (Bishop Ireton); Wed, Dec 2, 2026 (ADW school students); Sat, Dec 5, 2026 (ADW sites (Dec 5), Bishop Ireton); Sat, Dec 12, 2026 (ADW sites (Dec 12)); Sat, Jan 9, 2027 (ADW sites (Jan 9)).
How much is the HSPT in the Archdiocese of Washington?
The fee is $70, which covers score reports to up to four ADW schools. Each additional school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore or the Diocese of Arlington adds a $15 fee.
What are the ADW HSPT registration deadlines?
Registration opened October 5, 2026. The deadlines are November 29 for the December 5 test, December 6 for the December 12 test and January 3, 2027 for the January 9 test, or earlier if the sites fill. There are no walk-ins.
Where is the HSPT in Northern Virginia?
Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria lists Saturday, November 14 (recommended) and Saturday, December 5, 2026 for students at public or other private schools, with a $50 fee. Students at Diocese of Arlington Catholic schools test at their own school on Thursday, December 3.
Can my child choose any test site in the Archdiocese of Washington?
Students who do not attend an ADW Catholic elementary school may test at any listed site, regardless of where they plan to apply.