MCAT

Overview

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, computer-based exam developed and administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Most MD- and DO-granting medical schools in the United States and Canada require MCAT scores as part of admissions, and some podiatric and veterinary programmes accept it as well. The exam tests problem solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioural and social science concepts that underlie the practice of medicine, across four sections taken in a single sitting.

Who can apply

There is no fixed eligibility rule on age, nationality or completed coursework. Anyone intending to apply to a health professions school that accepts MCAT scores — including MD, DO, podiatric (DPM) and veterinary (DVM) programmes — may register, and registration requires agreeing to a statement confirming that intent. AAMC does not mandate prerequisite courses, but recommends completing introductory biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, psychology and sociology coursework first, since the exam draws on that content. International candidates can register under the same conditions and sit the exam at international test centres.

Exam pattern

The three science sections each mix 10 passage-based question sets (4–6 questions per passage) with 15 standalone questions. CARS is entirely passage-based — 9 passages of 5–7 questions each, drawn from humanities and social-science writing — and tests reading comprehension and reasoning rather than outside subject knowledge. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so every question is worth attempting.

Actual question-answering time across the four sections totals 6 hours 15 minutes. With an optional 10-minute tutorial at the start, two optional 10-minute breaks, one optional 30-minute lunch break, and a void-decision screen and survey at the end, total seated time at the test centre runs to about 7 hours 30 minutes. The clock for each break keeps running even if a candidate shortens or skips it.

Syllabus

Section 1 covers introductory biology and biochemistry, with the chemistry needed to understand living systems at the molecular, cellular and organ-system level. Section 2 covers general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, applied to the chemical and physical processes that keep the body functioning. Section 3 covers introductory psychology, sociology and biology as they relate to behaviour, including how psychological, social and biological factors influence perception, behaviour and health outcomes. CARS draws passages from the humanities (such as philosophy, ethics, and studies of literature or religion) and social sciences (such as history, population health and cultural studies); candidates are evaluated on comprehension, analysis and reasoning, not on memorised content from these fields.

Marking and results

Each of the four sections is scored from 118 to 132, with 125 as the midpoint, and the four section scores combine into a total score ranging from 472 to 528. A candidate's raw score reflects only the number of questions answered correctly, since there is no deduction for a wrong or skipped answer. AAMC releases scores 30–35 days after the test date, posting them in the candidate's account by 5:00 p.m. ET on the date published in its testing-year calendar, and the score is sent automatically to the AMCAS application linked to that attempt. AAMC keeps every MCAT score a candidate has ever earned on its own records; each medical school sets its own rule for how old a score it will still consider, so candidates should check a target school's policy rather than assume a fixed expiry.

A candidate may sit the MCAT no more than three times in a single testing year, no more than four times across two consecutive testing years, and no more than seven times in a lifetime. A no-show without cancellation, or a voided attempt, both count toward these limits the same as a scored attempt.

Important dates

AAMC publishes a full MCAT testing calendar for each calendar year, with test dates typically spread from January through September and administered at centres across the United States, Canada, and a number of international locations. Each test date carries its own registration deadline and score-release date, both listed on AAMC's calendar. AAMC opens registration for an upcoming year's dates through a staggered, region-by-region "Registration Opening Day" rollout rather than all at once, and recommends registering as early as possible once a year's dates open, since seats at popular centres and dates fill first.

Fees

For 2026, the standard MCAT registration fee is $355. Candidates testing outside the United States, Canada and US territories pay an additional$130 international fee. Rescheduling a test date or changing the test centre closer to the exam date carries extra fees on AAMC's published scheduling-fee schedule, which increase the closer the change is made to the test date.

Candidates approved for AAMC's Fee Assistance Program (FAP) pay a reduced $145 registration fee instead, and also receive a complimentary two-year subscription to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database, a waiver covering AMCAS primary-application fees for up to 20 medical schools, and the MCAT Official Prep Online-Only Bundle — together worth more than$2,000. For 2026, FAP eligibility is based on total family income at or below 400% of the 2025 federal poverty guideline for the candidate's family size, and requires a US-based home address. FAP approval must be granted before a candidate books a test date and location; the reduced fee is not retroactive, and registering before approval forfeits it.

How to apply

Candidates first create an AAMC account (an "AAMC ID") if they do not already have one, entering profile details that match their government-issued photo ID exactly. They then use the MCAT Registration System to view available test dates and centres, select a slot, and pay the registration fee online by debit or credit card; a confirmation is issued once payment clears. Candidates applying through the Fee Assistance Program must apply for and receive FAP approval before selecting a test date, since the reduced fee applies only at the point of booking.

After the exam

Immediately after finishing the last section, candidates get an optional window to void their own score before leaving the test centre. A voided score is never calculated or released, but it still counts toward the lifetime attempt limit. For scores that are not voided, AAMC posts the score online in the candidate's account on the published release date, and releases it at the same time to any AMCAS application the candidate has linked to that attempt.

Preparation tips

Since the three science sections share the same question format and timing, practising full 95-minute passage sets under timed conditions builds the pacing needed on test day. CARS has no content to memorise, so it rewards repeated timed practice on reading comprehension rather than subject review. AAMC's own practice products — free and paid full-length practice exams, Question Packs, and Section Bank passage sets — are built from previously administered MCAT questions, so working through them gives the most realistic sense of the real exam's difficulty and format.