
The Physics Wallah Scholarship cum Admission Test (PW SAT) 2026 is currently in its Phase 1 cycle. This national-level scholarship exam is a gateway for students in Classes 7 to 12, as well as JEE/NEET aspirants (droppers), to secure up to 90% scholarships at PW Vidyapeeth and Pathshala centers.
To avoid confusion, remember:
SAT Cut Off 2026 will be decided after Phase 1 is completed.
The expected cut-off ranges given on this page are for the overall SAT 2026 Phase 1 performance.
Final scholarship lists and admission offers will be based on SAT 2026 scores as per Physics Wallah’s official policy.
The SAT 2026 Cut-Off is the minimum score students need to qualify for PW scholarships and admission-related opportunities. It decides whether a student can move ahead in the selection process. Since SAT is a competitive exam, the cut-off is not announced before the test. It is prepared after the result based on factors like total marks, paper difficulty level, number of students appearing, and the number of available scholarships and seats across different categories.
The SAT 2026 cut-off is the minimum score required to:
Become eligible for PW scholarships (up to 90% fee waiver).
Be considered for shortlisting and admission to PW Vidyapeeth and Pathshala centres.
Move ahead in the selection/admission process for various PW courses.
Cut-off is not announced before the exam. It is decided after the result, based on:
Total marks (SAT is generally out of 160 marks).
Difficulty level of the paper.
Number of test-takers in that year.
Number of available scholarships and seats in different categories/streams.
Based on previous trends and the current exam pattern (160 marks, 40 objective questions), the expected SAT 2026 cut-off for Phase 1 is:
|
SAT 2026 Phase 1 Expected Cut-Off |
||||
|
Year |
Maximum Marks |
Top Scholarship Cut-Off (≈90%) |
Partial Scholarship Cut-Off |
Lowest Qualifying Cut-Off |
|
2026 (Expected) |
160 |
135 – 150 |
90 – 125 |
70 – 85 |
*Lowest qualifying cut-off = minimum marks expected to stay in the scholarship/selection zone.
Important: These are indicative ranges, not official final numbers. Official SAT 2026 cut-offs will be published by Physics Wallah after Phase 1 results.
Past trends help you understand how competitive SAT is and how much you should target.
| Previous Year SAT Cut-Off | ||||
| Year | Maximum Marks | Top Scholarship Cut-Off (90%+) | Partial Scholarship Cut-Off | Lowest Qualifying Cut-Off |
| 2026 (Exp) | 160 | 135 – 150 | 90 – 125 | 70 – 85 |
| 2025 | 160 | 130 – 145 | 85 – 120 | 65 – 80 |
| 2024 | 160 | 125 – 140 | 80 – 115 | 60 – 75 |
Key learnings from the trend:
To get top scholarships, candidates often need 80% or more of the total marks (130+ out of 160).
For partial scholarships, a score in the mid-range (around 90–110 / 160) has usually been competitive.
Basic qualification cut-off usually lies around 40–50% of full marks, but this can change based on difficulty and participation.
Because Phase 1 is the first major window for the 2026 session, the overall competition is high:
With a large pool of early-bird applicants, the high-scoring candidates usually push the top scholarship cut-off toward the higher side.
Final SAT 2026 cut-off for this phase will be calculated only after the evaluation of both online and offline test-takers.
Students targeting 90% or higher scholarships should aim for the upper range of the expected cut-off, not just the minimum.
The SAT cut-off is not fixed in advance. It depends on multiple factors every year, such as:
Number of candidates: More students usually mean stronger competition.
Difficulty level: Tough papers may lead to slightly lower cut-offs; easier papers push them higher.
Performance distribution: How many students score in each band (like 140+, 120+, 100+) matters.
Scholarship structure: Number of seats and scholarship categories (JEE, NEET, Foundation, etc.).
Category / stream differences: Cut-offs vary by class, stream, and study center.
To clear the SAT cut-off and aim for better scholarship slabs, follow these strategies:
Cover NCERT-based syllabus thoroughly: Focus on Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology, and Mental Ability.
Revise all key concepts: Use NCERT textbooks as your primary source for conceptual clarity.
Solve SAT-style questions: * Classes 7–10: Practice Olympiad-type and mental ability questions.
Classes 11–12 & Droppers: Practice JEE/NEET level MCQs to ensure familiarity.
Target a safe score: Aim for 135+ / 160 if you want to be in a strong position for top scholarships.
Time management: You have 60 minutes for 40 questions. Practice with a timer to ensure speed and accuracy.
SAT 2026 results are released on the official PW website.
Check Results: Log in to the official portal using your registered mobile number and OTP.
Timeline: Results are generally declared within 1 to 2 days for online exams and within 5 days for offline exams.
Scorecard Details: Your result will display your total marks, AIR (All India Rank), and the scholarship percentage you have qualified for.
The cut-off is finalized and shared after results, once PW processes the scores of all candidates for Phase 1.