The MCAT runs from late January to early September, with score release roughly a month after each administration. This page covers how the calendar and registration windows work, and how to choose a date that fits your application cycle.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated September 11, 2026
2027 test dates
Thirty-five administrations run from January 15 to September 11, 2027. Scores are released by 5:00 p.m. ET on the date shown, typically 30 to 36 days after the exam.
MCAT 2027 test dates and score release dates
Test date
Scores released
Availability
January 15, 2027
February 16
Nationwide
January 16, 2027
February 16
Nationwide
January 21, 2027
February 23
Nationwide
January 29, 2027
March 2
Nationwide
January 30, 2027
March 2
Select U.S. test centers
February 12, 2027
March 16
Nationwide
March 6, 2027
April 6
Nationwide
March 19, 2027
April 20
Nationwide
April 9, 2027
May 11
Nationwide
April 10, 2027
May 11
Nationwide
April 16, 2027
May 18
Nationwide
April 17, 2027
May 18
Nationwide
May 1, 2027
June 2
Nationwide
May 7, 2027
June 8
Nationwide
May 8, 2027
June 8
Nationwide
May 13, 2027
June 15
Nationwide
May 14, 2027
June 15
Select U.S. test centers
May 21, 2027
June 23
Nationwide
May 29, 2027
June 29
Nationwide
June 11, 2027
July 13
Nationwide
June 12, 2027
July 13
Nationwide
June 25, 2027
July 27
Nationwide
June 26, 2027
July 27
Nationwide
July 9, 2027
August 10
Select U.S. test centers
July 10, 2027
August 10
Nationwide
July 23, 2027
August 24
Nationwide
July 30, 2027
August 31
Nationwide
August 14, 2027
September 14
Nationwide
August 20, 2027
September 21
Nationwide
August 21, 2027
September 21
Nationwide
August 28, 2027
September 28
Select U.S. test centers
September 2, 2027
October 5
Nationwide
September 3, 2027
October 5
Nationwide
September 10, 2027
October 12
Nationwide
September 11, 2027
October 12
Nationwide
When registration opens
Scheduling for every 2027 date opens across three days in October 2026, staggered by test-center location. Popular date-and-location combinations go quickly, so register the day your group opens if a specific date matters to you.
2027 registration opening
Test-center group
Opens
Time
Group A
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
noon ET
Group B
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
noon ET
Group C
Thursday, October 22, 2026
noon ET
How the calendar is shaped
The MCAT testing year runs from late January to early September. There are no administrations between September and January, which is the single most important fact for planning: if you miss the end of a testing year, the next opportunity is months away.
Within the year, dates cluster heavily in spring and summer, and many are offered in both morning and afternoon administrations. Seats are allocated by test centre, so a date that appears full in one city may still be open an hour away.
Choosing a window
Window
What it is
Implication for your cycle
January – March
Earliest dates in the cycle
Score back well before applications open
April – June
Peak testing window
Score available at or near the opening of the cycle
July – early September
Late dates
Still usable, but little room to retake within the cycle
October – December
No administrations
The MCAT is not offered in these months
Registration opens in phases
The AAMC does not open the whole year at once. Blocks of dates are released on a schedule announced in advance, and the most convenient combinations of date and location go quickly. If a specific date matters to you, know when its block opens and register that day.
Score release and rolling admissions
Scores arrive roughly 30 to 35 days after the test. Because most medical schools use rolling admissions, submitting early in a cycle carries a real advantage — which in turn means testing early enough that your score is in hand when applications open. Working backwards from that point is usually a better way to pick a date than picking one that simply feels far enough away.
Leave room for a retake. A date late in the testing year gives you no second attempt within the same cycle. Testing in spring rather than late summer is the difference between having a contingency and not having one.
Fees, rescheduling, and assistance
Standard registration for the 2026 testing year was $355, reduced to $145 for applicants approved through the AAMC's Fee Assistance Program. The 2027 fee had not been announced at the time of writing. Rescheduling and cancellation fees rise as the date approaches, and no changes are permitted fewer than 10 days before the exam. Fee Assistance also covers other application costs and cannot be applied retroactively, so check your eligibility before you register rather than after.
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The MCAT is offered from late January through early September each year, with no administrations in the autumn or early winter. Dates cluster most densely in the spring and summer: May 2027 alone has seven administrations, while February has one.
Scheduling for all 2027 dates opens October 20-22, 2026, staggered by test-center location: Group A at noon ET on Tuesday, October 20, Group B on Wednesday, October 21, and the remaining locations on Thursday, October 22. Popular dates and locations fill quickly, so register the day your group opens.
Scores are released by 5:00 p.m. ET on a published date, typically 30 to 36 days after your test date. The AAMC publishes a specific release date for each administration when the calendar is announced, so you can work backwards from an application deadline with reasonable confidence.
For a given cycle, testing by late spring generally means your score is available when applications open, which matters because most medical schools use rolling admissions. Testing in late summer still works but leaves less margin — if the score disappoints, there may be no time to retake within the cycle.
Yes, subject to deadlines and fees that increase as the date approaches. Rescheduling well in advance costs relatively little; changes close to the date cost substantially more, and past a cut-off no refund is available at all. Check the current fee schedule before booking.
Up to three times in a single testing year, four times across two consecutive years, and seven times in a lifetime. Voided exams and no-shows count toward these limits, so book only dates you intend to keep.