MCAT Test Dates 2026 and 2027 When can you test, and when do scores come back?
Every 2027 U.S. test date with its three scheduling deadlines and its score release date, what the exam costs, how often you can sit it, and how to line a date up with your AMCAS application.
- 2027 testing: Jan 15 – Sep 11
- Registration: Oct 20–22, 2026
- Fee: $360 ($145 with FAP)
- Scores: 31–33 days after the test
The short answer
The AAMC offers 35 MCAT test dates at U.S. test centers in 2027, from January 15 to September 11, 2027; there is no testing October through December. Registration for every 2027 date opens on October 20–22, 2026 (12 p.m. ET, by test-center location). Scores come back 31 to 33 days after each test, and standard registration costs $360 ($145 with the AAMC Fee Assistance Program).
No 2026 test dates remain: the 2026 testing year ended with the September 11 and 12, 2026 exams, whose scores are released on October 13, 2026.
2027 testing year · U.S. test centers
What are the 2027 MCAT test dates?
All 35 U.S. dates, each with its three scheduling deadlines and its score release date, as published by the AAMC. Deadlines fall at 11:59 p.m. local test-center time; scores are released by 5 p.m. ET; the standard start time is 8:00 a.m.
| Test date | Score release | 60-day deadline | 30-day deadline | 10-day deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 15 | Tue, Feb 16 | Nov 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | Jan 5 |
| Sat, Jan 16 | Tue, Feb 16 | Nov 17, 2026 | Dec 17, 2026 | Jan 6 |
| Thu, Jan 21 | Tue, Feb 23 | Nov 22, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | Jan 11 |
| Fri, Jan 29 | Tue, Mar 2 | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 30, 2026 | Jan 19 |
| Sat, Jan 30* | Tue, Mar 2 | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Jan 20 |
| Fri, Feb 12 | Tue, Mar 16 | Dec 14, 2026 | Jan 13 | Feb 2 |
| Sat, Mar 6 | Tue, Apr 6 | Jan 5 | Feb 4 | Feb 24 |
| Fri, Mar 19 | Tue, Apr 20 | Jan 18 | Feb 17 | Mar 9 |
| Fri, Apr 9 | Tue, May 11 | Feb 8 | Mar 10 | Mar 30 |
| Sat, Apr 10 | Tue, May 11 | Feb 9 | Mar 11 | Mar 31 |
| Fri, Apr 16 | Tue, May 18 | Feb 15 | Mar 17 | Apr 6 |
| Sat, Apr 17 | Tue, May 18 | Feb 16 | Mar 18 | Apr 7 |
| Sat, May 1 | Wed, Jun 2 | Mar 2 | Apr 1 | Apr 21 |
| Fri, May 7 | Tue, Jun 8 | Mar 8 | Apr 7 | Apr 27 |
| Sat, May 8 | Tue, Jun 8 | Mar 9 | Apr 8 | Apr 28 |
| Thu, May 13 | Tue, Jun 15 | Mar 14 | Apr 13 | May 3 |
| Fri, May 14* | Tue, Jun 15 | Mar 15 | Apr 14 | May 4 |
| Fri, May 21 | Wed, Jun 23 | Mar 22 | Apr 21 | May 11 |
| Sat, May 29 | Tue, Jun 29 | Mar 30 | Apr 29 | May 19 |
| Fri, Jun 11 | Tue, Jul 13 | Apr 12 | May 12 | Jun 1 |
| Sat, Jun 12 | Tue, Jul 13 | Apr 13 | May 13 | Jun 2 |
| Fri, Jun 25 | Tue, Jul 27 | Apr 26 | May 26 | Jun 15 |
| Sat, Jun 26 | Tue, Jul 27 | Apr 27 | May 27 | Jun 16 |
| Fri, Jul 9* | Tue, Aug 10 | May 10 | Jun 9 | Jun 29 |
| Sat, Jul 10 | Tue, Aug 10 | May 11 | Jun 10 | Jun 30 |
| Fri, Jul 23 | Tue, Aug 24 | May 24 | Jun 23 | Jul 13 |
| Fri, Jul 30 | Tue, Aug 31 | May 31 | Jun 30 | Jul 20 |
| Sat, Aug 14 | Tue, Sep 14 | Jun 15 | Jul 15 | Aug 4 |
| Fri, Aug 20 | Tue, Sep 21 | Jun 21 | Jul 21 | Aug 10 |
| Sat, Aug 21 | Tue, Sep 21 | Jun 22 | Jul 22 | Aug 11 |
| Sat, Aug 28* | Tue, Sep 28 | Jun 29 | Jul 29 | Aug 18 |
| Thu, Sep 2 | Tue, Oct 5 | Jul 4 | Aug 3 | Aug 23 |
| Fri, Sep 3 | Tue, Oct 5 | Jul 5 | Aug 4 | Aug 24 |
| Fri, Sep 10 | Tue, Oct 12 | Jul 12 | Aug 11 | Aug 31 |
| Sat, Sep 11 | Tue, Oct 12 | Jul 13 | Aug 12 | Sep 1 |
* Dates offered only at select U.S. test centers
- January 30: Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, DC
- May 14: Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, DC
- July 9: Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, DC
- August 28: Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, DC
Testing in Canada or outside the United States?
The AAMC publishes separate Canadian and U.S. territories and international calendars, and their dates differ from the U.S. list above — the 2027 Canadian calendar, for example, has 36 dates, several of them in late July and August on days U.S. centers do not test.2026 testing year
Are there any 2026 MCAT test dates left?
No. The 2026 testing year ran January to September and ended on September 12, 2026; there are no October–December dates. The last scores of the year are released on October 13, 2026, and the next U.S. test date is January 15, 2027.
| Test date | Score release |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 15, 2026 | Tue, Sep 15, 2026 |
| Fri, Aug 21, 2026 | Tue, Sep 22, 2026 |
| Sat, Aug 22, 2026 | Tue, Sep 22, 2026 |
| Thu, Sep 3, 2026 | Tue, Oct 6, 2026 |
| Fri, Sep 4, 2026 | Tue, Oct 6, 2026 |
| Fri, Sep 11, 2026 | Tue, Oct 13, 2026 |
| Sat, Sep 12, 2026 | Tue, Oct 13, 2026 |
Registration & scheduling deadlines
When does 2027 registration open, and what do the 60-, 30- and 10-day deadlines mean?
Registration for the whole 2027 testing year opens on October 20–22, 2026, from 12 p.m. ET, with the day set by your test center's location. From then on, each test date carries three deadlines that decide what a change costs:
| Deadline | What changes after it |
|---|---|
| 60 days before the test | The cheapest window closes: rescheduling rises from $55 to $110 (fee assistance: $25 to $45). |
| 30 days before the test | The last day to cancel with a refund ($180 standard, $75 with fee assistance); rescheduling rises to $210 ($85). |
| 10 days before the test | The last day to schedule, reschedule or cancel, and to edit registration details such as your name, address and consents. After it, no changes are possible. |
| Score release | 31–33 days after the test, by 5 p.m. ET on the published date. |
Seen “Gold, Silver and Bronze zones” elsewhere?
Some guides still describe the MCAT's scheduling windows as Gold, Silver and Bronze zones. The AAMC's current calendars for both 2026 and 2027 use 60-day, 30-day and 10-day deadlines instead, and its fee schedule is set out the same way — plan around the dates in the table above.Cost
How much does the MCAT cost in 2027?
The AAMC charges $360 to register for a 2027 test date, or $145 if you have been approved for its Fee Assistance Program (FAP). Testing outside the United States, Canada and U.S. territories adds a $130 international fee, which is not refundable. Changes cost more the closer you get to test day.
| When you make the change | Reschedule fee | Cancellation refund | Reschedule fee (FAP) | Cancellation refund (FAP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 or more days before the exam | $55 | $180 | $25 | $75 |
| 30–59 days before the exam | $110 | $180 | $45 | $75 |
| 10–29 days before the exam | $210 | No refund | $85 | No refund |
| Fewer than 10 days before the exam | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed |
- Registration fee: $360 standard; $145 with fee assistance. The $130 international fee and any reschedule fee are not refunded if you later cancel.
- Fee assistance first: the AAMC requires a final FAP approval before you choose a test date and location. FAP benefits also include free MCAT Official Prep products.
Two different fee figures are in circulation
Several prep-company calendars still list a $355 registration fee and a $175 refund. The AAMC's own fee pages list $360 and $180 for 2027 test dates, so this page uses the AAMC figures. Confirm the amount in the AAMC's MCAT Registration System when you book.Retakes
How many times can you take the MCAT?
The AAMC caps attempts three ways, and a no-show or a voided exam each counts as an attempt toward the lifetime limit. Schools see your scores, too: AMCAS adds every MCAT score from 2003 onward to your application automatically.
| Period | Maximum attempts |
|---|---|
| One testing year | 3 |
| Two consecutive testing years | 4 |
| Lifetime (counted from April 2015) | 7 |
If a retake is possible, test early in the year
The AAMC's advice to anyone who may retest is to sit the exam earlier in the testing year: you get your score back, decide, and still have later dates to choose from. With 2027 scores taking 31–33 days, a spring test leaves the summer dates open. Whether a retake is worth it is a separate question — see when to consider a retake.On the day
What happens on MCAT test day?
The standard start time is 8:00 a.m. and the day lasts about 7.5 hours at the test center, including optional breaks. Of that, 6 hours 15 minutes is testing time, across four scored sections and 230 questions. For what each section covers and how to prepare, see the MCAT guide.
| Section | Questions | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 | 95 |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | 53 | 90 |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 95 |
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 | 95 |
| Total | 230 | 375 |
Planning · AMCAS
Which MCAT date should you pick if you are applying through AMCAS?
Work back from when your score needs to exist. The AAMC notes that to start medical school right after college, you take the MCAT and begin applying in your junior year — the year before you plan to enroll. In the two most recent cycles, AMCAS opened in early May, took submissions from late May and began sending verified applications to medical schools in late June:
| AMCAS cycle (entry year) | Application opens | Submissions open | First transmission to schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | May 1, 2025 | May 27, 2025 | June 27, 2025 |
| 2027 | May 5, 2026 | May 28, 2026 | June 26, 2026 |
| Score released by | Latest 2027 test date | Its score release |
|---|---|---|
| End of April 2027 | Fri, March 19, 2027 | Tue, April 20, 2027 |
| End of May 2027 | Sat, April 17, 2027 | Tue, May 18, 2027 |
| End of June 2027 | Sat, May 29, 2027 | Tue, June 29, 2027 |
| End of July 2027 | Sat, June 26, 2027 | Tue, July 27, 2027 |
| End of August 2027 | Fri, July 30, 2027 | Tue, August 31, 2027 |
| End of September 2027 | Sat, August 28, 2027 | Tue, September 28, 2027 |
- You can submit before your score is out. The AMCAS application asks whether you have an upcoming or recently taken MCAT whose scores have not been released, and released scores are added to your application automatically.
- Schools see a score only once it is released. The first applications went to schools on June 27, 2025 and June 26, 2026. If the next cycle follows suit, May 21, 2027 is the last test date whose score (out June 23) would be released before then; scores from later dates reach schools after the first applications do.
- Leave room to retest. If you may sit the exam again in the same cycle, the earlier dates are the ones that leave later 2027 dates open for a second attempt.
MSAR · 2027 entry
How late can you test for a cycle, and how old can your score be?
Each school sets both limits. For the class entering in 2027, the AAMC's Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) report lists the latest and oldest MCAT test date each U.S. MD school will consider, as the schools reported them. Of the 162 schools that listed a latest date, 128 would not consider a test taken after September 30, 2026, and 60 named September 12, 2026 — the final test date of the 2026 testing year. Only 21 of 161 accepted a score from before 2023.
| Latest test date considered | Schools |
|---|---|
| Before September 1, 2026 | 10 |
| September 1–15, 2026 | 72 |
| September 16–30, 2026 | 46 |
| October 1 – December 31, 2026 | 24 |
| In 2027 | 10 |
| Not listed | 1 |
| Total | 163 |
| Oldest accepted test date | Schools |
|---|---|
| 2021 or earlier | 8 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 76 |
| 2024 | 63 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| Not listed | 2 |
| Total | 163 |
These limits are for 2027 entry; schools can change them for the next cycle. Check MSAR or each school's admissions page for the cycle you apply in, and compare programs side by side on MD school entry requirements.
Questions
MCAT test dates — FAQs
Sources
Sources (accessed October 7, 2026)
Every date, fee and figure on this page comes from one of these documents, each checked on the date above. Where a source did not state something, this page does not state it either. The AAMC changes dates and fees between testing years — check the source before you act on it.
- AAMC — U.S. MCAT Calendar, Scheduling Deadlines, and Score Release Dates — 2027 U.S. test dates, 60-, 30- and 10-day deadlines and score release dates; the final 2026 dates; 8 a.m. start; 5 p.m. ET score release; 11:59 p.m. deadlines; what the 10-day deadline closes; select-center dates and areashttps://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/us-mcat-calendar-scheduling-deadlines-and-score-release-dates-0
- AAMC — 2027 Schedule for the Medical College Admission Test (PDF) — the same 35 U.S. test dates and score releases; no testing October through December 2027https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/15141/download
- AAMC — 2027 Canadian Schedule for the MCAT (PDF) — the 36 Canadian test dates for 2027, which differ from the U.S. listhttps://students-residents.aamc.org/media/15146/download
- AAMC — Register for the MCAT Exam — registration for the whole 2027 testing year opening October 20–22 by test-center location; Canadian and international calendars; Fee Assistance Program benefitshttps://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/register-mcat-exam
- AAMC — 2027 MCAT Registration Opening — scheduling opening at 12 p.m. ET on each location group’s dayhttps://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/2027-mcat-registration-opening
- AAMC — MCAT Scheduling Fees — fees for 2027 test dates: $360 standard and $145 FAP registration, the $130 international fee, reschedule fees by window, FAP approval before schedulinghttps://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/mcat-scheduling-fees
- AAMC — MCAT Essentials: Registration Fees, Cancellations, and Refunds — cancellation refunds by window; changes allowed up to 10 days before the examhttps://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/publication-chapters/registration-fees-cancellations-and-refunds
- AAMC — MCAT Essentials: Testing Attempt Limits — three attempts per testing year, four over two consecutive years, seven in a lifetime from April 2015; no-shows and voids counthttps://students-residents.aamc.org/register-mcat-exam/publication-chapters/testing-attempt-limits
- AAMC — When Is the Right Time to Take the MCAT Exam? Three Questions to Ask Yourself — testing earlier in the year if you may retest; testing and applying the year before you plan to enrollhttps://students-residents.aamc.org/prepare-mcat-exam/when-right-time-take-mcat-exam-three-questions-ask-yourself
- AAMC — 2027 AMCAS Application Workbook (PDF) — 2027 AMCAS application opening May 5, 2026; MCAT scores updating in the application automatically; the pending-score questionhttps://students-residents.aamc.org/media/14376/download
- AAMC — AMCAS Opening Cycle Webinar for Registrars (PDF, March 2025) — 2026 AMCAS cycle: opened May 1, submissions from May 27, first transmission June 27, 2025https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/18491/download
- Grinnell College Center for Careers, Life, and Service — AMCAS 2027 Updates — the AAMC’s 2027 AMCAS dates: submissions from May 28 and transmission from June 26, 2026https://career.grinnell.edu/blog/2026/04/10/amcas-2027-updates/
- Shemmassian Academic Consulting — Medical School Application Timeline — cross-check of the 2027 AMCAS dates (May 5, May 28 and June 26, 2026)https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/medical-school-application-timeline
- AAMC MSAR — Latest & Oldest MCAT Administration Dates Considered (PDF) — the latest and oldest MCAT test date each U.S. MD school considers for 2027 entry, as reported by the schoolshttps://students-residents.aamc.org/media/7036/download
- Shemmassian Academic Consulting — 2027 MCAT Test Dates — cross-check of the 2027 dates and score releases, reschedule fees, FAP and international fees, attempt limitshttps://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/mcat-test-dates
- UWorld — MCAT Registration, Scheduling, and Cost — cross-check of the FAP registration fee, international fee and reschedule feeshttps://gradschool.uworld.com/mcat/registration-scheduling-and-cost-fees/
- Shemmassian Academic Consulting — How Long Is the MCAT? — section question counts and timings; 6 hours 15 minutes of testing and about 7.5 hours seatedhttps://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-long-is-the-mcat
- The Princeton Review — MCAT Sections — cross-check of section question counts and timings and the 7.5-hour test dayhttps://www.princetonreview.com/medical/mcat-sections
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