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Medical School Application Timeline (2027 Cycle)

Applying to medical school runs on a calendar most premeds only see once. Here is every date that matters, from official pages.

For the 2027 entering class, AMCAS opened May 5, 2026, took submissions from May 28 and sent the first applications to schools on June 26. AACOMAS opened May 4 and TMDSAS took submissions from May 15. Secondaries follow in summer, interviews run from August into March, MD acceptances start October 15, and you choose one school by April 30, 2027. Each school sets its own deadline.

What is the medical school application timeline for 2027?

The 2027 cycle is for students starting in fall 2027. The AMCAS page says “If you wish to start medical school in Fall 2027, please complete and submit the 2027 AMCAS application.” The dates below come from the AAMC, AACOM, TMDSAS and four schools' own pages. AAMC protocol dates are the same ones on our AAMC traffic rules guide.

2027 entering class (apply in 2026, start in fall 2027)

May and June 2026: applications open (5)
Summer 2026: secondaries, Early Decision, interviews (4)
Fall 2026: Early Decision results, acceptances, deadlines (3)
2027: Texas Match and choosing one school (5)

When does AMCAS open, and when should you submit?

The AAMC's 2027 AMCAS slides list the dates: the application opened May 5, submission began May 28, and the initial transmission of application data to medical schools was June 26. MCW's admissions page gives the same days with the year: “The primary (AMCAS) application opens on May 5, 2026. The earliest date applicants may submit their AMCAS application is May 28, 2026.”

Submitting is only the first step. AMCAS checks your coursework against your transcripts before any school sees it, and the 2027 AMCAS Applicant Guide says “During peak season, AMCAS verification may take six to eight weeks.” It adds that “Application materials received during peak periods (June through September) may take longer to process”. Letters of evaluation can arrive later: “Letters are not required for the program to verify your application.”

That is why late May and June submissions reach schools first. Have your Work and Activities entries and personal statement done before May 28, and order transcripts as soon as the application opens.

What are the AACOMAS and TMDSAS dates?

AACOMAS (DO schools): opened May 4, 2026, last day April 30, 2027

AACOM lists May 4, 2026: “AACOMAS application opens for submissions. Colleges begin receiving and processing applications.” The cycle ends April 30, 2027, the “last day for AACOMAS application submissions to be completed”. That is the latest possible date, not a target. “Deadlines for each college program can be found in the Choose DO Explorer.”

TMDSAS (Texas public schools): opened May 1, 2026, school deadline October 1

The TMDSAS deadlines page for Entry Year 2027 gives May 1 for the application to open and May 15 for submission, both at 8 a.m. CST. The medical school deadline is October 1, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. CST, and “TMDSAS does not grant deadline extensions under any circumstances.” Letters of evaluation are due October 15. Early Decision applicants to the Texas programs that offer it (TTHSC SOM, UNTHSC TCOM and UTRGV SOM) apply by August 1 and have all documents in by August 15.

When are medical school application deadlines?

There is no single AMCAS deadline. The applicant guide says “Each medical school determines its AMCAS application deadline”, and the AAMC slides put most of them between September and December. An application is on time if it is submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on the deadline date, and “Official transcripts for regular applicants must be received within 14 calendar days of the application deadline”. Four schools' deadlines for 2027 entry, from their own pages:

Rush Medical College

Primary deadline: October 1, 2026 (AMCAS). Secondary deadline: November 13, 2026. Rush Medical College admissions

Baylor College of Medicine

Primary deadline: October 1, 2026 (TMDSAS). Secondary deadline: November 1, 2026. Baylor College of Medicine admissions

Wake Forest

Primary deadline: October 15, 2026 (AMCAS). Secondary deadline: November 15, 2026. Wake Forest admissions

Medical College of Wisconsin

Primary deadline: November 2, 2026 (AMCAS). Secondary deadline: December 7, 2026. Medical College of Wisconsin admissions

Deadlines are not targets. MCW says “Applications are generally reviewed by the Admissions Committee on a rolling basis by date of completion.” With a November 2 deadline, MCW still prefers the AMCAS application by July 1 and the secondary by August 15. Look up each of your schools on its own admissions page.

When is the Early Decision deadline?

For AMCAS schools it was August 3, 2026. The AAMC Early Decision page sets the deadline at “August 1 for schools that participate in AMCAS” and adds “If August 1 or October 1 falls on a weekend/holiday, the deadline will apply to the next business day.” August 1, 2026 was a Saturday. You “apply to only one U.S. medical school, once per application cycle”, hear by October 1, and if not accepted, “applicants will automatically be placed in the regular applicant pool”. Our Early Decision medical schools guide lists the schools that offer it. Some schools list August 1 on their own pages (MCW and Wake Forest), while the AAMC deadline for 2026 was August 3, so check each school.

When do secondaries and interviews happen?

Secondary applications come once a school receives your verified primary. Baylor's supplemental opened June 1, MCW sent invitations from July 6, Rush from July and Wake Forest from mid-July. Draft answers to common prompts before then with our secondary essays guide.

Interviews at these four schools run from August 2026 into March 2027: Wake Forest August to January, Baylor August to January, Rush early September through the end of February, and MCW September through March. Our medical school interview timeline has the windows for many more schools. Interviewers may ask what has changed since you applied:

“What have you been doing since you submitted your application?”

A strong answer names one or two real things from the months since you applied, what each taught you, and how it connects to the doctor you want to be.

Practice answering out loud

When do medical school acceptances come out?

Under the AAMC protocols for admission officers, schools “notify all Regular MD program applicants of their acceptance on or after October 15 of each admission cycle, but no earlier.” Early Decision results come by October 1. From February 19, 2027 you can mark “Plan to Enroll” in AMCAS. By April 15 you hold no more than three acceptances, and by April 30 you “choose the school or program to which you plan to matriculate and promptly withdraw your acceptances from all other schools or programs.” Texas public schools run a match: rank by January 29, results February 12, 2027. The AAMC traffic rules guide explains each protocol.

When should you take the MCAT for the 2028 cycle?

As of October 28, 2026, the AMCAS pages cover the 2027 application only, so the 2027 cycle dates above are the current ones. The 2027 US MCAT calendar is out: 35 test dates from January 15 to September 11, 2027. “Scores are released by 5:00 p.m. ET on the scheduled score release date.” For the 2027 cycle, MCW, Wake Forest and Rush accepted MCAT scores from tests through September 12, 2026. If you plan to submit in late May, a test by April leaves time for the score to arrive. What counts as a strong score is in what is a good MCAT score.

January 2027 test dates
  • January 15: scores February 16
  • January 16: scores February 16
  • January 21: scores February 23
  • January 29: scores March 2
  • January 30: scores March 2 (select test centers only)
February 2027 test dates
  • February 12: scores March 16
March 2027 test dates
  • March 6: scores April 6
  • March 19: scores April 20
April 2027 test dates
  • April 9: scores May 11
  • April 10: scores May 11
  • April 16: scores May 18
  • April 17: scores May 18
May 2027 test dates
  • May 1: scores June 2
  • May 7: scores June 8
  • May 8: scores June 8
  • May 13: scores June 15
  • May 14: scores June 15 (select test centers only)
  • May 21: scores June 23
  • May 29: scores June 29
June 2027 test dates
  • June 11: scores July 13
  • June 12: scores July 13
  • June 25: scores July 27
  • June 26: scores July 27
July 2027 test dates
  • July 9: scores August 10 (select test centers only)
  • July 10: scores August 10
  • July 23: scores August 24
  • July 30: scores August 31
August 2027 test dates
  • August 14: scores September 14
  • August 20: scores September 21
  • August 21: scores September 21
  • August 28: scores September 28 (select test centers only)
September 2027 test dates
  • September 2: scores October 5
  • September 3: scores October 5
  • September 10: scores October 12
  • September 11: scores October 12

Once interview invites arrive, the dates matter less than how you talk about yourself. Our medical school interview prep guide covers where to start, and our school-specific prep page shows how to practice for each school on your list.

Sources: AAMC 2027 AMCAS webinar slides, 2027 AMCAS Applicant Guide, AMCAS program page, AAMC Early Decision Program, AAMC protocols for applicants, AAMC protocols for admission officers, AMCAS Choose Your Medical School tool, 2027 US MCAT calendar, AACOM: apply to medical school, TMDSAS deadlines, MCW admissions, Wake Forest how to apply, Rush process and timeline, Baylor important dates. All checked October 28, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

When should I submit my AMCAS application?

As early as you can do it well. For the 2027 cycle, submission began May 28, 2026 and AMCAS sent the first verified applications to schools on June 26. Verification may take six to eight weeks in peak season, so a June submission reaches schools far sooner than a September one.

What is the AMCAS deadline?

There is no single AMCAS deadline. Each medical school sets its own, mostly between September and December, due by 11:59 p.m. ET. For 2027 entry, Rush's is October 1, Wake Forest's is October 15 and MCW's is November 2, 2026.

What is the AACOMAS deadline?

AACOMAS opened May 4, 2026, and the last day to submit for the 2026-2027 cycle is April 30, 2027. Each osteopathic college sets its own deadline, listed in the Choose DO Explorer.

When is the Early Decision deadline for medical school?

August 3, 2026 for AMCAS schools in the 2027 cycle. The rule is August 1, or the next business day when August 1 falls on a weekend. Early Decision applicants hear by October 1.

When do medical schools send acceptances?

MD schools may accept regular applicants on or after October 15. Texas public schools also start offers October 15 and announce TMDSAS match results February 12, 2027. By April 30, 2027 you choose one school and withdraw from the rest.

Are the 2028 cycle dates out yet?

Not for AMCAS. As of October 28, 2026, the AMCAS pages cover the 2027 application only. The 2027 MCAT calendar is out, with 35 test dates from January 15 to September 11, 2027.