MCAT Registration 2027: How to Register, Step by Step

How must your name match your ID?

Exactly, first and last name. The MCAT Essentials say a mismatch on test day means you are not allowed to test. You are counted as a no-show, get no refund and lose a testing attempt. The rules people miss:

• No nicknames or initials. The AAMC's own example: if your name is Matthew, you register as Matthew, not Matt.
• Two last names on your ID both go in the Last Name field.
• If you have one legal name, the Essentials explain how to enter FNU or LNU.
• Name changes must be done at least 10 days before the exam.

Between 10 and three days before the exam you can submit an ID Exception Request, which the AAMC approves at its discretion. Inside three days, none are accepted. Which IDs count on test day, and what else to bring, is in what to bring to the MCAT.

Who can register for the MCAT?

Anyone preparing to apply to a health professions program that accepts the MCAT who is not and has not been enrolled in one, per the Essentials. You need special permission if you are taking it for another reason, or you are in or were enrolled in a program and want to change schools. If you have been accepted but have not started classes, you don't.

You also need it if you can't follow standard testing procedures for a reason other than a medical condition or disability, which go through accommodations instead. Ask through the “Submit another service request” option in the Registration System. The AAMC says review typically takes five business days, so ask before the date you want fills up.

There are also testing limits. The Essentials say “You may attempt the exam no more than three times in a testing year.” You may also test “no more than four times over two consecutive testing years” and “no more than seven times in your lifetime (beginning with the April 2015 test dates)”. A no-show counts as an attempt.

What does MCAT registration cost?

$360 for a standard registration, or $145 with AAMC Fee Assistance, per the AAMC fees page. That is $215 less, by our math. The program also gives approved applicants the online Official Prep products. The full reschedule and refund table is on our test dates page, and what each change costs in practice is in how to reschedule the MCAT.

Order matters. The AAMC says you must have final Fee Assistance approval before you select your test date, the benefits are not retroactive and review takes about five business days. So apply first, wait for approval, then book. Who qualifies is in our Fee Assistance guide. Canadian examinees have a separate AAMC and AFMC program.

How do you register with accommodations?

In two steps, per the AAMC's scheduling page. First, apply in the online accommodations system with documentation. The AAMC says it is your current functional limitations, not a diagnosis alone, that decide what fits. Second, once approved, call Pearson VUE to schedule.

• Approval and a scheduling request with Pearson VUE must both be in at least 15 days before the exam.
• You can fill in your registration tabs before you apply or get your decision letter.
• You may book a standard seat online first, but the AAMC says it may not support your accommodations, and Pearson VUE may need to change it.
• Once scheduled with accommodations, changes go through Pearson VUE, not online.

How do you register to test outside the US?

The same way, in the same system. The differences are the dates and one fee:

• Testing outside the US, Canada and US territories adds a nonrefundable $130 fee, so a standard registration comes to $490 by our math. US territories pay no international fee, per the international calendar.
• The international calendar lists 2027 dates by country, and many countries have fewer dates than the US.
• Canada has its own calendar. Four 2027 dates are at select centers only, and the AAMC will not give the exam in Quebec in 2027.

What if your MCAT date is full?

Seeing a test center in the AAMC's locator doesn't mean it has seats. Only the Registration System shows that. If your date is full:

1. Submit an appointment notification request on the registration page. The AAMC emails you if your preferred date and location open.
2. Check nearby test centers on the same date, then your backup dates.
3. Book the best open option. You may hold one appointment at a time, so if your first choice opens later, you can move to it. Moving 60 or more days out costs $55.

The Essentials also note that seats fill toward the end of the year, so book late summer dates early.

A checklist before you book

Ours, built from the AAMC rules above:

• I have one AAMC ID, and I reset my password instead of making a new account.
• My registration name matches my ID letter for letter, with no nickname or initials.
• My ID meets the MCAT Essentials ID rules and will still be valid on test day.
• Fee Assistance is approved, or I have decided not to apply.
• If I need accommodations, I have left time for the review and the 15-day scheduling cutoff.
• I have two backup dates and know each one's score release date.
• I know the 60, 30 and 10 day deadlines for the date I picked.
• I have my card ready and browser autofill turned off.
• I have saved my confirmation email.

Questions about registration go to the MCAT Program at 202-828-0600, and the AAMC asks you to call before your 10-day deadline. Once you are booked, plan your prep with our MCAT study schedule and start on CARS early. Test day itself is in how long is the MCAT.

Practice an interview question about your MCAT

Schools see every scored attempt, and your timeline can come up at interviews. Our medical school interview questions guide has more.

Frequently asked questions