The MCAT is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and is open to individuals planning to apply to medical school (allopathic MD or osteopathic DO programs), dental school, veterinary school, or other health professional programs that accept MCAT scores. There is no formal prerequisite coursework requirement to register for the MCAT — technically, anyone can register and sit for the exam.
In practice, the AAMC and most pre-medical advisors strongly recommend completing specific undergraduate science coursework before taking the MCAT, as the exam tests content at the introductory college level: one year of biology (with lab), one year of general chemistry (with lab), one year of organic chemistry (with lab), one year of physics (with lab), one semester of biochemistry, one semester of statistics or biostatistics, and psychology and sociology courses. Without completing these courses, candidates are unlikely to have the foundational knowledge needed to perform well.
There is a limit on how many times you can take the MCAT: 3 times per calendar year, 4 times in a two-year period, and 7 total lifetime attempts. These limits are strictly enforced by the AAMC and apply regardless of which medical programs you plan to apply to. Medical schools see all MCAT attempts through AMCAS (the medical school application service) — score history transparency is the norm. Most medical schools take the highest score when multiple attempts exist, but some consider trends across attempts.
MCAT registration is completed entirely online through the AAMC's official registration system. The process involves several steps and has important timing considerations — registering early is strongly recommended for securing your preferred test date and location.
Go to aamc.org and create an AAMC account if you do not already have one. You will use this same account for your medical school applications (AMCAS) later, so use your full legal name exactly as it appears on the government-issued ID you will bring to the testing center. Inconsistencies between your AAMC account name and your ID can cause issues on test day.
MCAT is administered at Pearson Professional Centers and select approved testing facilities across the United States and internationally. Test dates are released on a rolling basis — the AAMC typically announces each year's testing schedule in the fall of the previous year. Test dates fill quickly, especially for dates in late winter and spring (which correspond to the May–July MCAT window preferred by applicants applying in the next cycle). Check the AAMC registration system regularly once dates are released to secure your preferred date and location before seats fill.
Once you have selected your test date and location, complete the registration and pay the exam fee. The fee can be paid by credit card through the AAMC registration system. Registration opens approximately 60 days before each test date. The AAMC's Fee Assistance Program (FAP) is available for applicants who demonstrate financial need — FAP provides significant discounts on MCAT registration fees and provides free access to official MCAT prep materials.
After registering, verify your ID requirements. You must bring one government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license) whose name exactly matches your AAMC account. If you have a disability or medical condition requiring testing accommodations (extra time, rest breaks, alternative formats), apply for accommodations through the AAMC Accommodations process before registering — the accommodations review process can take 8 to 12 weeks, so apply well in advance of your planned test date.
The MCAT is offered on approximately 25 to 30 dates per year, clustered across four testing windows that align with medical school application timelines.
The AAMC organizes MCAT testing into windows that typically follow this schedule each year (verify exact dates at aamc.org for 2025): January/February window — limited dates, good for applicants who need an early score for the upcoming application cycle; March/April window — popular dates for applicants planning a summer application; May/June window — peak popularity, seats fill very quickly; July/August window — used by applicants who missed earlier windows or want a final score before September application deadlines; September/October/November window — late-season dates, scores may not be available before some application deadlines. For most pre-medical students applying in the traditional cycle, a May or June MCAT date is ideal — scores are released in time for July or August AMCAS submission.
Register as soon as registration opens for your target test date — typically 60 days before the test. Popular dates at convenient locations fill within days of opening. If you are flexible on location, you have more options. If you are limited to a specific city, you may need to register on the first day registration opens to guarantee your preferred date. It is common for applicants to register for a date and later reschedule if their preparation is ahead of or behind schedule — the AAMC allows rescheduling with applicable fees.
MCAT scores take approximately 30 to 35 days to be released. Plan your test date accordingly: if submitting a primary application in early June (AMCAS opens in May for verification, submission typically June), you need a score from a test taken no later than early May. For a July application submission, a May or early June MCAT date is workable. Scores are released to AMCAS automatically — you do not need to request score transmission.
MCAT fees are set by the AAMC and are updated periodically. The standard registration fee and associated fees as of 2025:
The standard MCAT registration fee is approximately $330 (verify the current fee at aamc.org, as fees are updated annually). This fee covers one exam attempt at any registered testing center. There are no separate facility fees — the registration fee is all-inclusive for the testing experience.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your MCAT registration, fees apply based on how far in advance you make the change. Rescheduling more than 30 days before your test date incurs a fee of approximately $95; changes within 30 days to 8 days before the test incur a fee of approximately $145; changes within 7 days or no-shows result in forfeit of the entire registration fee. If you need to cancel, the AAMC refunds a portion of the fee if cancelled in advance. Review current fee schedules on the AAMC website before making registration changes.
The AAMC Fee Assistance Program significantly reduces MCAT registration costs for eligible applicants. FAP recipients pay a reduced registration fee of approximately $130 (about $200 reduction). FAP also provides free access to official MCAT preparation materials worth hundreds of dollars, including full-length official practice exams, the Official Guide to the MCAT Exam, and prep course discounts. Apply for FAP at aamc.org/fap well before registering for the MCAT — FAP approval takes time and must be in place before you register at the reduced rate.
After taking the MCAT, your score is released approximately 30 to 35 days after your test date. This timeline is important for planning your application cycle.
Immediately after completing the MCAT, before leaving the testing center, you have the option to void your score. If you void, your score is not calculated, not reported to any medical schools, and does not count against your attempt limits (though the test date is recorded). Consider voiding only if you experienced a significant disruption during testing (illness, technical failure, personal emergency) — not simply because you felt uncertain. Most candidates who feel uncertain after the exam score higher than they expected. Voiding cannot be undone once selected.
The AAMC offers a Score Preview service that allows you to see your score before deciding whether to release it to medical schools. Score Preview is available for an additional fee. You have approximately 7 days after your score is released to decide whether to send it. If you choose not to release your score, it is not transmitted to AMCAS and medical schools do not see it — but the attempt still counts against your lifetime attempt limit. Score Preview is useful if you are on the borderline of your target score and want to avoid transmitting a score you would retake.
MCAT scores are automatically transmitted to AMCAS when you add the MCAT to your application. You select which scores to send — but AMCAS transmits all MCAT scores from all attempts (not just your best score) to every school you apply to. There is no way to hide a poor MCAT score from medical schools through AMCAS if any attempt has been transmitted. Plan your MCAT test strategy with this transparency in mind.