Learn when to take the MCAT, including the earliest date and the absolute latest date you should take the exam
(Note: This resource also appears in our MCAT Ultimate Guide.)
What You'll Learn
When is the best time to take the MCAT?
The optimal timing depends on where you are in your education and when you plan to apply to medical school, but it generally falls between completing the majority of your prerequisite coursework and the early months of your application cycle.
Which MCAT test month is best?
There is no universal month that works best for everyone; however, testing early in the annual testing cycle is advantageous because it gives you a clear sense of your standing before primary applications open.
When is the earliest you should take the MCAT?
You should test no earlier than late in your undergraduate sophomore year or the summer immediately following it, ensuring you have already completed most required science coursework to minimize extra study burdens.
When is the latest you should take the MCAT?
Your final attempt should take place by mid-spring of your application year so that your score is available for rolling admissions, helps guide your school selection, and leaves ample time for writing application essays.
How many times can you take the MCAT?
There are strict limits enforced per testing year, across consecutive years, and over the course of a lifetime—with voided exams and missed test appointments still counting toward these total allowances.
Should you postpone the MCAT?
You should delay taking the exam if you have not finished the vast majority of your prerequisite courses, if your official practice exam scores are consistently below your target, or if external commitments prevent adequate preparation.
When is the best time to take the MCAT?
What year of college should you take the MCAT?
When is the MCAT offered?
Which MCAT test month is best? Pros and cons of each
When is the earliest you should take the MCAT?
When is the latest you should take the MCAT?
When should you start studying for the MCAT?
How long are MCAT scores valid?
Do you take the MCAT before applying to medical school?
How many times can you take the MCAT?
Should you postpone the MCAT?
What factors should you consider when choosing your MCAT date?
When to take the MCAT in special cases
MCAT timing FAQs
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When is the best time to take the MCAT?
If you’re applying to medical school, the many application components you need to take care of, from your personal statement to your letters of recommendation, might make your medical school application timeline feel like a juggling act.
However, all premeds know to plan around one major milestone: the MCAT. Your score on this formidable exam, along with your college GPA, will, of course, be a huge factor in determining which schools you get into.
We get a lot of questions about what MCAT score to aim for or what a good MCAT score is, which are closely followed by questions about when to take the MCAT, variations of which include:
When should I take the MCAT?
When is the best time to take the MCAT?
When is the earliest I should take the MCAT?
When is the latest I should take the MCAT?
What’s the latest date I can take the MCAT and still apply during a given application cycle?
What months is the mcat offered?
How often is the MCAT offered?
So, when should you take the MCAT to maximize your score and improve your admissions odds?
While the AAMC offers around 30 MCAT test dates each year, some will be better options for you than others depending on where you are in your education and when you intend to apply to medical school. There is no universal “best month” to take the MCAT.
In this guide, we’ll answer the most common MCAT questions in order to help you effectively plan your medical school admissions process.
(Suggested reading: Average GPA and MCAT Score For Every Medical School)
Torn between taking the MCAT this spring or waiting until your prerequisites are done, even if it pushes your application back a year? In this clip, Dr. S explains how to weigh that tradeoff, and why there may be a middle path.
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When to take the MCAT overview
Most applicants should take the MCAT between January and April of the year they apply to medical school, about 16 months before they plan to start. Scores arrive roughly 30–35 days after the exam, so this timing gets your score to schools before AMCAS begins sending applications in late June and leaves room for a retake. The earliest sensible time is after you've finished most prerequisites, typically the summer after sophomore year.
The ideal MCAT timeline at a glance
| If you want to start med school in… | You'll apply in… | Take the MCAT by… | If you're in college, that's… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2028, no gap year | Summer 2027 | April 2027 | Spring of junior year |
| Aug 2028, one gap year | Summer 2027 | April 2027 | Spring of senior year |
| Aug 2029, two gap years | Summer 2028 | April 2028 | The year after graduation |
When do most people take the MCAT?
Most people take the MCAT during their junior or senior year of college, or during a gap year after graduation. The typical test date falls in the spring or summer before they submit their medical school applications. Because a growing share of applicants take at least one gap year (nearly half of matriculants take a gap of 1–2 years according to the Matriculating Student Questionnaire), "senior year or later" is now as common as the traditional junior-year timeline.
Most test-takers fall into one of three patterns:
Junior year (no gap year): Students who want to start medical school right after graduation usually take the MCAT in the spring of junior year, or the summer before it. That way their score is in hand when applications open that May.
Senior year (one gap year): Students who plan one gap year often study during the summer after junior year and test in the fall or spring of senior year. They then apply the summer after graduating.
After graduation (two or more gap years or a nontraditional path): Career changers, postbacc students, and applicants taking multiple gap years test whenever they've finished their prerequisites. They still aim for the spring of the year they apply.
Across all three groups, test dates cluster between March and June. 27 of the 35 test dates in 2027 fall between April and September, so seats for popular spring dates often fill quickly after registration opens.
That said, when most people take the MCAT matters less than when you will be ready. The right test date is one where you've finished most of your prerequisites and your practice scores are close to your goal. It should also leave room for a retake before your application year. Use the timeline table above to find your target date and develop a study schedule to plan backward from it.
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What year of college should you take the MCAT?
We sometimes get this variant of the "What is the earliest/latest I should take the MCAT?" question. While you can technically take the MCAT any time, you should take it during the summer after sophomore year at the earliest, and April of your application year at the latest. Sometimes, your "application year" corresponds to spring of your junior year; other times, it corresponds to the spring of your senior year or a gap year. Just make sure to optimize for your best score in the fewest possible attempts.
If you’re applying without a gap year
If you want to start medical school right after graduating, you'll apply the summer after your junior year. That means taking the MCAT by April of your junior year at the latest. For example, if you'll graduate in May 2028 and want to start medical school that August, you'll apply in summer 2027 and should take the MCAT by April 2027.
This is the tightest timeline, because you'll need to finish most of your prerequisites by the middle of junior year. Map out your courses early, and try to complete general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics by the end of sophomore year. Take biochemistry, psychology, and sociology by fall of junior year. Most students on this track study during winter break or the summer after sophomore year. Many test in January, which leaves room for a retake in the spring if needed.
If your coursework or practice scores aren't on track by the start of junior year, adding a gap year is often a better choice than rushing the exam. A stronger score, even a year later, will usually help your application more than applying on time with a weaker one.
If you’re taking one gap year
If you're planning one gap year, you'll apply the summer after you graduate. That means taking the MCAT by April of your senior year at the latest. For example, if you graduate in May 2027 and want to start medical school in August 2028, you'll apply in summer 2027 and should take the MCAT by April 2027.
This timeline gives you an extra year to finish your prerequisites, which means you can also use the summer after junior year as a dedicated study period. Many students on this track test in late summer or early fall of senior year, which leaves January through April for a retake if needed. Others study during the fall semester and test in January or March.
Your gap year also gives you time to strengthen the rest of your application, through clinical work, research, or other meaningful experiences. But don't let the extra time push your MCAT date back. Testing after April of your senior year can still delay your application or crowd out time you'll need for your essays.
If you’re taking two or more gap years or you’re a nontraditional applicant
If you're taking two or more gap years, or you're coming to medicine later through a career change or postbacc program, take the MCAT in the spring of the year you apply. That usually means January through April, just as it does for traditional applicants. The difference is that you have more control over when your application year falls. Pick that year first, then plan your MCAT date backward from it.
For example, if you graduate in May 2027 and plan to take two gap years, you'd apply in summer 2028 and start medical school in August 2029. Your target MCAT window would be January to April 2028.
Don't test too early. More flexibility makes it tempting to take the MCAT during college "while the material is fresh." For multi-gap-year applicants, that can backfire. Most medical schools accept MCAT scores only from the past two to three years. A score from junior year could be near or past some schools' cutoffs by the time you apply, and it would almost certainly expire if you had to reapply. Before you lock in an early date, check the score-validity policies of the schools on your list in MSAR.
Plan for more content review if your prerequisites are older. If you finished your science courses several years ago, budget extra time to relearn the material. Biochemistry, organic chemistry, and physics tend to fade fastest. Some applicants take an upper-level course, such as biochemistry, in the year before testing to refresh key concepts.
Build a study timeline around your job. Most nontraditional applicants study while working. Expect your prep to take closer to four to six months of part-time study rather than two to three months of full-time study. If you can, arrange lighter hours or time off during your final few weeks.
Postbacc students should follow their program's timeline. Formal postbacc programs, especially those with linkage agreements, often set specific MCAT deadlines or minimum scores. If you're completing prerequisites on your own, test after you've finished most of them. Ideally, that includes biochemistry and at least introductory psychology and sociology.
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When is the MCAT offered?
What months is the MCAT offered, and how often?
The MCAT is offered annually from January to September. It’s preferable for most students to take the MCAT early in this cycle so that you have the best idea of your standing before the AMCAS application opens in May. See our guide on the 2027 MCAT test dates for a full schedule and more information.
2027 MCAT test dates and score release dates
The AAMC will offer 35 test dates in 2027. They run from mid-January through mid-September, with no testing from October through December. Scores are usually released 30 to 35 days after each exam.
If you're applying in the 2027 cycle, focus on the January through April dates. Scores from those dates arrive before AMCAS starts sending applications to schools in late June, and they leave time for a retake if you need one.
When does the MCAT registration open?
Registration for the entire 2027 MCAT testing year opens October 20–22, 2026, split by testing center location group through the MCAT registration system.
MCAT rescheduling and cancellation deadlines
Within 10 days of your exam, you can't reschedule or cancel. Check out our guide on 2027 MCAT test dates for more information on rescheduling and cancellations.
Rescheduling or canceling before test day doesn't count toward your lifetime attempt limits. Not showing up, or sitting for the exam and voiding it, does. If your practice scores aren't where you want them, it's usually better to reschedule early than to skip your test date.
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Which MCAT test month is best? Pros and cons of each
There's no single best MCAT month, but for most applicants the best window is January through April of the year you apply. Those dates get your score to schools on time and still leave room for a retake. If you're testing a full year before you apply, summer dates (June through September) are often best, because you can study full-time during the break.
| Test month | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Leaves the most time for a retake before applications open, and you can use winter break for final review. | Your studying overlaps with fall finals and the holidays. | Applicants who want a built-in retake cushion. |
| March–April | Scores arrive well before AMCAS opens, and there's still time for one retake. | Studying competes with spring coursework, and seats fill quickly. | Most applicants testing in their application year. |
| May | This is the last month that keeps your application on schedule. | It leaves no realistic time for a retake, and it overlaps with finals and writing your personal statement. | Confident test-takers with strong practice scores. |
| June–September | Summer break allows full-time study, and there are many dates to choose from. | It's too late for that year's cycle: a score from late summer arrives after rolling admissions is well underway. | Students testing the year before they apply, and retakers applying the following cycle. |
If you're unsure, choose the earliest month in which your practice scores will be within a few points of your goal. Then confirm that it leaves time for a retake before May of your application year.
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When is the earliest you should take the MCAT?
The earliest you should take the MCAT is sometime late in your sophomore year or during the summer between your sophomore and junior years. You’ll have completed most of your medical school prerequisites by then, thus minimizing the amount of content review you’ll have to take on, regardless of which MCAT prep books or course you purchase.
If you’re an early bird when it comes to taking the MCAT, you’ll have plenty of test date options, as 24 of the 30 or so test dates fall between April and September. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of study time—somewhere between two and four months, depending on your command of the materials and your ability to devote full effort—so you can do as well as possible during your first attempt. Taking the MCAT isn’t fun and retaking the MCAT is even less so.
(If you’re wondering how far in advance to study for the MCAT, we suggest you read the following guide: The Ideal MCAT Study Schedule.)
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When is the latest you should take the MCAT?
You should plan to take the MCAT for the final time between January and April of your application year. For instance, if you’d like to enroll in medical school in August 2028, you’ll want to take your MCAT during the first four months of 2027—that is, no later than April 2027.
You may wonder why you need that kind of window. After all, AMCAS won’t even let you submit your primary application until late May.
There are a few reasons why the latest date you take the MCAT should be by April:
You’ll want to spend serious time writing your application essays. If you wait too long to take your MCAT, you won’t be able to devote enough attention to your medical school personal statement, AMCAS Work and Activities section, and numerous secondary essays (including pre-writing secondary essays before secondary applications are released).
Your MCAT score(s) will be a primary factor in determining which medical schools you should apply to. You don’t want to spend valuable time and money applying to certain med schools and find out after the fact that your MCAT score doesn’t even put you in the running for consideration.
Your MCAT score won’t be released until about a month after the exam. If you want adcoms to review your applications with your full set of scores in hand, and you want to take full advantage of medical schools’ rolling admissions process, you should complete your testing early.
We emphasize final time because you may want to take the MCAT more than once. You can take it up to three times during a testing year, four times during two consecutive years, and seven times during your life. (Note: Voiding your exam or failing to show up to a scheduled test date will still count towards these limits.)
That means that if you’re not scoring as high as you’d like on your diagnostics or practice tests by the end of the summer before your application year, it’s a good idea to build in some time to take the MCAT twice, just in case. You don’t want to be rushing through the test while also writing your medical school personal statement and secondary essays, prepping for CASPer, and (hopefully) readying yourself for medical school interviews.
To avoid causing any application delays, the latest date you’ll want to take the MCAT is the last test date offered in May of your application year. MCAT scores are released roughly one month after you take the exam, and since AMCAS applications aren’t released to schools until late June, taking the MCAT on the last May date won’t delay review of your application in any way.
Be aware that AACOMAS (the DO medical school application) and TMDSAS (the Texas medical school application) have slightly earlier timelines: AACOMAS starts transmitting applications to med schools on June 15th, and TMDSAS begins on June 1st. So, if you’re also submitting applications within these systems, the latest date you’ll want to take the MCAT is by mid-May or the end of April.
Of course, most medical schools don’t really review your application until you submit their secondary application. Therefore, the real answer to this question is: The latest date to take the MCAT is whichever test date has a score release date closest to your secondary application submission.
Nevertheless, we still don’t recommend that you consider MCAT test dates later than May of your application year for the reasons discussed above.
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When should you start studying for the MCAT?
Your MCAT study schedule should begin three to six months before your test date. If you're testing between January and April of your application year, that usually means starting the summer or fall before. The right start date depends on two things: how many prerequisites you've finished and how many hours a week you can study. Students who have completed most of their coursework and can study full-time over a summer often need about three months. Students who are studying alongside classes or a job, or who are reviewing material they learned years ago, should plan for closer to six. Either way, don't begin full-length practice exams until you've finished most of your prerequisites, ideally including biochemistry and introductory psychology and sociology. Starting too early tends to mean relearning material you've forgotten by test day.
How long should you study for the MCAT?
The answer to this question varies from person to person, but in most cases, we find that students who do well on the MCAT spend three to six months in focused preparation. It’s a good idea to follow an MCAT study schedule to stay disciplined and organized, and to maintain momentum.
A sample backward-planning timeline
Working backwards, here’s a conservative plan designed to give you your best shot at acing the MCAT:
Summer before your application year (i.e., June–August): Study for the MCAT
Fall before your application year (i.e., September): Take the MCAT once (Note: The MCAT is not offered between October and December)
Winter of your application year (i.e., January–April): Retake the MCAT, if necessary
If you’re a terrific test taker and have been scoring well, you may not need to bake in that second try. Nevertheless, if you’re applying to med school while still in college, plan to devote the summer before your application year (i.e., the summer between sophomore and junior year) to studying for the MCAT in order to give yourself the greatest number of testing options going forward.
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How long are MCAT scores valid?
At the majority of medical schools, MCAT scores earned within the past two to three years are considered valid. However, to make matters more complicated, some med schools require a score achieved within two to three years of the date of application, whereas others count backwards from matriculation—this can result in a discrepancy of a year or more between schools.
Do MCAT scores expire?
MCAT scores technically don’t “expire” as far as the AAMC is concerned. Rather, the window of acceptable score dates is set by each individual medical school.
That’s why you should look up in advance the earliest test date accepted by each med school that interests you. MSAR or schools’ admissions websites will be able to provide this information.
How gap years and reapplying affect MCAT score validity
Sometimes students who plan to graduate early or take a gap year ask us how those plans will affect the expiration dates of their MCAT scores. The answer is: they don’t. So, regardless of when you graduate (including if you’re a nontraditional applicant), remember that what matters when determining score validity is when you want to begin medical school.
For example, let’s say you’ll be graduating in May 2026 and plan to take a gap year before entering med school in August 2027. Based on the reasons outlined above, we’d recommend taking the MCAT no later than April 2026. Setting a foolproof earliest test date is more complicated; nevertheless, summer 2024—between sophomore and junior year—would likely be the earliest date you’d want to consider.
Bear in mind, however, that if you didn’t get in anywhere and had to reapply to medical school the following year, a summer 2024 date would be expired in the eyes of some medical schools, thus potentially forcing you to take the MCAT again.
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Do you take the MCAT before applying to medical school?
While it is certainly possible to apply to med school before taking the MCAT, most medical schools require applicants to take the MCAT before they finish reviewing their application. Postponing the MCAT until you apply to med school can significantly disadvantage you.
Cost
Applying to med school is expensive, so you should limit your applications to schools where you stand a realistic chance of gaining acceptance. If you complete your primary application before taking and receiving your MCAT score, you may apply to schools where you otherwise would not have chosen to apply.
Delays
Most schools won’t even complete a review of your application without an MCAT score. If you were sending in your application early—to take advantage of rolling admissions, for example—not having your MCAT score to send can greatly delay a review of your application.
Errors
Finally, if you’re planning to retake the MCAT, sending your application materials ahead of your retake MCAT score can potentially cause confusion and an inaccurate evaluation of your application. Naturally, you’d want to inform the school that you are taking the MCAT soon and will have your latest score sent to them before the application deadline.
However, since your previous MCAT score will show up with your application, the school may think that that score is the one with which you’re applying. Adcoms are only human, and mistakes can happen. For that reason alone, it’s definitely worth waiting until you have your latest (and, hopefully, higher) MCAT score to send along with your application.
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How many times can you take the MCAT?
You should take the MCAT as few times as possible. However, this doesn't mean that taking the MCAT multiple times necessarily looks bad. So far as your scores meaningfully increase from administration to administration, med schools will likely be fine with it. For example, suppose you start out with a 508 on your first attempt and get a 518 on your second attempt. We would all agree that your retake was worth it. However, if you start with a 508 and get a 509 on your second attempt, we would probably say that your retake wasn't worth it.
If you're considering a second (or third) attempt or simply want to learn more about how how adcoms view multiple MCAT attempts, we suggest you read our guide on retaking the MCAT.
As daunting as the MCAT and its preparation can be, there will be times when you’ll feel compelled to retake it, for whatever reason(s). You can actually retake the MCAT up to three times in a testing year and up to four times in two consecutive years. Ultimately, you’re permitted to retake the MCAT up to seven times in your lifetime. Regardless of how many times you opt to retake the MCAT, keep in mind that you must wait at least 31 days between attempts. (You’ll likely want to spend more time than that in preparation for your next attempt anyway.)
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Should you postpone the MCAT?
Postpone the MCAT only if you're clearly not ready. That means your practice scores are well below your goal, you haven't finished the content, or something in your life is getting in the way of studying. Don't postpone just because of test anxiety or because your scores are a point or two short of perfect. Every delay pushes back your application and uses up time you could spend on a retake. If you do decide to postpone, reschedule as early as possible, while changes are cheapest and you have the most date options. Rescheduling before test day doesn't count against your attempt limits, but a no-show does.
Signs you should postpone your MCAT
Since the MCAT is so important, you’ll want to be adequately prepared for the MCAT each time you take it. Therefore, here are some considerations for when not to take the exam:
If you haven’t studied many of the topics on the test in college (we recommend having completed at least 80 percent of your prerequisites)
If you’re scoring poorly on the AAMC practice exams and need more time to study
If you feel spread so thin with other priorities that you may need separate time solely allotted for MCAT studying
Signs you shouldn't delay any longer
Many students think about when they “must” take the MCAT or how long they can put it off, but an equally important consideration is when you shouldn’t postpone taking it. It’s not uncommon for students to postpone taking the MCAT out of anxiety or fear of doing poorly.
However, if you’re doing pretty well on your practice MCAT exams and your score is very close to your goal score, it’s probably best to go ahead and take the real MCAT. Further postponing the exam also eats away at your opportunity to retake the MCAT—especially as application deadlines approach.
Another consideration is your knowledge of MCAT content areas. Do you feel as though you have learned everything you need to know to do your best? Have you thoughtfully utilized the best MCAT prep resources available? If so, and you’ve taken a decent number of practice exams to determine your average for those practice exams, then you are probably ready to take the plunge and sit for the real MCAT.
You’ll also want to consider rolling admissions and deadlines. Will postponing the MCAT affect your ability to submit your application as early as you’d like? If so, it might be best to take it sooner rather than later, assuming you have no other reason to postpone it.
Finally—and perhaps the best reason to go ahead and take it—there’s no replacement for taking the exam! To get the best feel for what taking the exam is like, it’s a good idea to take it if the only thing holding you back boils down to having test anxiety.
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What factors should you consider when deciding when to take the MCAT?
The decision as to when you should take the MCAT is not a light one, and there are several factors you should consider when making that determination. These factors include your academic readiness, personal circumstances, application timelines, and test registration fees and deadlines. Each of these factors impacts your test-taking strategy in a different way.
Academic readiness and prerequisites
Though most premeds will adhere to similar med school requirements and will generally take the same courses, each student is different regarding how prepared they are. Some will complete courses feeling very prepared, while others may feel overwhelmed and uneasy. In any case, you should wait until you are feeling confident in your ability to do well in all content areas that are covered on the MCAT—even if that means taking time to enroll in MCAT study prep courses beforehand.
Personal circumstances
Another important factor in determining whether the time is right for you to take the MCAT is your personal life and whether there are circumstances going on that might distract you from doing your best. For example, if you know you’re making a cross-country or long-distance move in one month, that might not be the best time to take the MCAT, since you’ll need to spend time preparing for the move and might have many of your belongings packed up for weeks beforehand. (Additionally, some students don’t do well when their personal space is cluttered or limited, which often happens in the process of a move.) While you cannot always predict every circumstance that may arise, if you do know of something that is supposed to happen, take that into consideration when scheduling your MCAT.
Family responsibilities
If you're caring for children, aging parents, or other family members, your study schedule and test timing need to account for these realities. Unlike traditional college students, you may not have the luxury of dedicating entire summer breaks to MCAT prep.
Consider whether your caregiving responsibilities will be more or less demanding during certain periods. For example, if you know a parent has more doctor appointments or exams scheduled during the summer, scheduling a test date during that time of year might actually be more challenging. In this case, a fall or winter test date could be more realistic. Try to give yourself as much uninterrupted study time as possible.
Work and financial obligations
If you're working significant hours at a part-time or full-time job, you'll need to be realistic about your available study time and may need to extend your prep timeline accordingly.
You might want to ask your boss if you can reduce your hours during your final month of preparation, or schedule your test date at certain times of year that are less demanding at your job. For instance, if you work in retail or the hospitality industry, you might want to avoid taking the MCAT during the holiday season.
Extracurricular commitments
This one is not often talked about, but if you have certain extracurriculars that are more active during particular times of year, you’ll want to schedule around those activities. For example, your sport's season, with all of its games and practices, can severely limit study time. It might be better to take the MCAT during your off-season, even if it means adjusting your medical school application timeline.
Similarly, if you’re a leader in some student groups or at a community clinic, you’ll want to think about how your responsibilities there will affect your study time. Sometimes stepping back from activities for a semester to focus on MCAT prep is the right choice for your long-term goals.
Mental health and test anxiety
Taking the MCAT during periods of high personal stress or mental health challenges can seriously undermine months of preparation. If you're dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns, it's worth considering whether additional time for treatment might lead to a better outcome than rushing to meet an arbitrary timeline.
Many students feel pressure to stick to the "traditional" timeline, but remember that medical schools will be there next year. A higher MCAT score from taking the test when you're in a better headspace can make a substantial difference in your med school admission odds.
Testing accommodations
If you’re a student in need of testing accommodations for the MCAT, you’ll need to consider the timeline for requesting and receiving your accommodations since this will have a big impact on when you take the MCAT.
It typically takes up to 60 days for the AAMC to make a decision on your accommodations request so you’ll need to factor that into your test date. If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal, however, your appeal request can take another 30 days to be decided.
Additionally, you’ll need to have your accommodations approval in hand at least 15 days prior to your testing date. Because of this, we recommend submitting your request at least 120 days before your scheduled test to ensure you have every chance for reconsideration and enough time to obtain your approval before test day.
Application timelines
Depending on whether you plan to take a gap year or not, your entire application timeline may look different from the next student’s. In this guide, we mentioned that the earliest you should take the MCAT is the summer following your sophomore year, and that recommendation was for someone who is not planning to take a gap year. If you do plan to take a gap year, you will have a bit of a buffer and some more time. If you are going to take more than one gap year, you’ll have even more time. In any case, keep this in mind as you decide when it would be best for you to take the MCAT.
Registration fees and fee assistance
Finally, it is important to consider test registration fees and deadlines. As of September 2025, the initial registration fee for the MCAT exam is $345. For many students, this is a lot of money that may take some time to save up. That fee must be paid when you schedule your exam, and the latest you can schedule the exam is 10 days prior to the exam date. Thus, you’ll want to be sure you have the needed funds in time to register for the exam for your chosen test date, so you’ll need to take this into consideration when deciding when you can take the MCAT. If the registration fee is simply too steep, the AAMC offers a Fee Assistance Program (FAP) with a reduced rate registration fee of $140. The Fee Assistance Program is only open to test-takers that have a U.S.-based home address and meet certain income requirements. Additionally, if you’re planning to take the MCAT outside of the U.S. or Canada, you’ll be charged an additional $120 fee.
The AAMC further recommends considering three distinct questions:
When do you want to attend medical school?
Will you be taking the MCAT more than once?
Have you mastered the material covered on the MCAT?
As long as you’ve completed most of the prerequisites for medical school, you’ll want to consider the year you would like to matriculate into medical school and then work your way backward—possibly accounting for multiple attempts at a high MCAT score.
For instance, if you plan to matriculate in the fall of 2026, you must apply during the cycle that opens in May 2025. To ensure that you’re including your MCAT score, the latest you can take it would be April 2025. If you think you’d like to allow for two opportunities to take the MCAT, then you’ll need to take the first MCAT no later than February or March 2025.
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When to take the MCAT in special cases
The standard advice is to take the MCAT between January and April of your application year. That works for most applicants, but some paths have different deadlines, requirements, or constraints. If one of these applies to you, adjust your timeline as follows.
MD/PhD applicants
MD/PhD applicants should aim for the same January-to-April window. If they can, they should test even earlier, since MD/PhD programs interview heavily in early fall and reward complete, early applications. Most MD/PhD applicants apply through AMCAS on the same timeline as MD applicants, but your research commitments can make dedicated study time harder to find.
If you're working full-time in a lab during a gap year, plan your study months around your research deliverables, not the academic calendar. Since summer is often the busiest time in a lab and MD/PhD programs weigh your research essays heavily, finish the MCAT early enough that it doesn't compete with those essays in May and June.
Canadian medical school applicants
If you're applying to Canadian medical schools, you can often take the MCAT later than US applicants. Most Canadian application deadlines fall in the fall rather than on a rolling basis, and many schools accept scores from test dates as late as early September of the application year.
Canadian schools also differ in whether and how they use the MCAT:
Some schools don't require it. For example, the University of Ottawa, NOSM University, and the French-language schools in Quebec don't require the MCAT.
Some use only part of it. McMaster, for instance, considers only the CARS section.
Others require it with minimum section or total scores.
Career changers and postbacc students
When you should test depends on the kind of postbacc program you're in:
Career-changer postbacc programs typically take one to two years to complete the prerequisites. Take the MCAT near the end of the program, once you've covered biochemistry and at least introductory psychology and sociology. Many students study during a "glide year" between the postbacc and medical school.
Programs with linkage agreements often set their own MCAT deadlines, minimum scores, or both. Some require you to test during the spring of the postbacc year, so that you can apply early to a partner school.
Record-enhancer postbacc programs are for students who have already completed their prerequisites. If you already have an MCAT score, check whether it will still be valid when you apply. Also decide whether you plan to retake the exam after strengthening your coursework.
DIY postbacc students should follow the same rule as other nontraditional applicants: test in the spring of your application year, after completing most prerequisites.
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MCAT timing FAQs
Can anyone take the MCAT?
The MCAT is intended for people planning to apply to medical school or other health professions programs. If you're taking it for another reason, such as test preparation or research, you need special permission from the AAMC.
How old do you have to be to take the MCAT?
There's no minimum age requirement, but you must meet the AAMC's eligibility criteria. In practice, most people take the MCAT during or after college, once they've completed their prerequisites.
Can you take the MCAT at any time?
No. You can only take the MCAT on scheduled test dates, which run from January through September. The exam isn't offered from October through December.
Do you take the MCAT before or after medical school?
Before. The MCAT is an admissions exam for medical school. The licensing exams you take during and after medical school are the USMLE (for MD students) and COMLEX (for DO students).
Is it bad to take the MCAT in senior year?
No. Taking the MCAT in your senior year is common if you're planning a gap year. If you're applying without a gap year, a senior-year test date is too late for your application cycle.
When do you write the MCAT in Canada?
Canadian applicants usually write the MCAT in the spring or summer of the year they apply. Many Canadian schools accept scores through early September, so the window is somewhat later than in the US.
How long is the MCAT?
The MCAT takes about 7.5 hours from check-in to finish, including optional breaks. For a section-by-section breakdown, see our guide.
Will the MCAT go away?
There's no indication that the MCAT is being phased out. Nearly all US MD and DO schools require it. A small number of schools and programs don't require it, including some early assurance programs, BS/MD programs, and some Canadian schools.
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Final thoughts
Students often ask when is the best time to take the MCAT. The answer depends on when you can adequately prepare for the exam and when you want to enter medical school.
Don’t rush the studying process and risk a lower score, and don’t spend so much time studying that you end up delaying your applications. The same thinking applies to the question, “What year of college should I take the MCAT?”
We suggest building your medical school application timeline around your MCAT test dates. Remember that it’s just the starting point, though, and that once you have your ideal score in hand, you’ll want to turn your whole attention to the many essays that still remain. That just makes it all the more important that you get the timing right for this crucial exam.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For over 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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