After years of shadowing, volunteering, and diligently maintaining your GPA, you’ve arrived at the next big step in your journey to medical school: the Medical College Admission Test. It’s no secret the MCAT is a big deal, from how long it is to how long it takes to prep for the MCAT and even the race to register for a test date that makes getting concert tickets on Ticketmaster look like a free-for-all. MCAT exam dates are released in September, but MCAT registration opens up twice every year; you can register for January-June test dates in October and then July-September test dates the following February.

It’s worth noting that if you plan on taking the MCAT in January, you should start your MCAT prep before registration opens in October. Schedule an MCAT consultation with our MCAT Advisors to help you find the MCAT study plan to hit your goals and fit your timeline.

It’s always a mad dash to register because popular dates and test centers fill up quickly. To help take some of that stress off, here’s how to register for the MCAT with ease.

Create an AAMC Account
To register for the MCAT exam, you need to create an account with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). It’s not unusual for the AAMC to do some system maintenance the closer it gets to the registration date, so you might be temporarily barred from signing up.

When you create an account, you’ll receive your unique AAMC ID. You might already have an AAMC ID if you’ve ever purchased or accessed other AAMC products/services, including the Medical School Admissions Requirements™ (MSAR®) database, the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®), or AAMC prep products. Never create multiple AAMC IDs—if you can’t remember it, there are options on the log-in page to request help.

Have an MCAT-Acceptable ID Ready
The first and last name(s) on the ID that you will use on test day must EXACTLY MATCH the name in your MCAT registration. Middle names and initials are not required, even if they appear on your ID. Make sure you have your ID with you when registering so there’s no confusion on test day. Acceptable forms of identification include:

• State driver’s license
• Passport
• Passport card
• Permanent resident card (green card)
• Employment Authorization Document
• Canada health card (Ontario and British Columbia ONLY)
• Consular ID card
• Canadian aviation card

Find out if You’re Eligible to Take the MCAT
If you’re reading this, you probably already hit the main criteria, which is “you’re preparing to apply to a health professions program that accepts the MCAT to satisfy an admissions test requirement.” In other words, you’re a future doctor trying to get into medical school! However, you should be aware of the MCAT testing limits, especially if this isn’t your first time taking the test.

• You can only register for one MCAT at a time
• You can take the MCAT up to three times in one testing year
• You can take the MCAT up to four times over two consecutive testing years
• You can take the MCAT seven times in your lifetime (beginning with the April 2015 administrations)

MCAT Cost
MCAT fees seem to change every year, so it’s important to always stay up-to-date on the fee schedule to avoid sticker shock at registration time. Below are the 2024 MCAT fees:

• Regular Registration: $335
• Additional Fees:
  • International Fee: $120
  • Date and/or Test Center Reschedule:  $50-$200

The AAMC has a Fee Assistance Program (FAP) to help alleviate some of the cost. If you qualify for the program, your MCAT fees are reduced and you get tons of other benefits when applying to medical schools!

• FAP Registration: $140
• FAP Reschedule: $20-$80

If you’re considering the Fee Assistance Program (FAP), you need to apply ASAP! There is a ~2-week turnaround and reduced fees are NOT retroactive. You must have FAP approval BEFORE you register for the exam.

Pre-Register for the MCAT
A few days before registration opens, the AAMC will allow you to “pre-register” for the MCAT, which is slightly less exciting than it sounds. You’ll be able to complete some of the required information including your contact and background information and agree to the terms. You won’t, however, have the option to select a test date and location at this point. Starting the registration process early will allow you more time to enter your personal information and read/accept MCAT policies and forms before choosing a test.

For January-June 2024 testing dates, the system will be open October 9 at noon ET through October 23 at 11 a.m. ET to allow you to fill out this information.

Find Your Registration Date
MCAT registration is split up between two days and you can register based on your preferred testing location.

Below is the 2024 MCAT Registration Schedule (for January-June 2024 testing dates):

Group A Test Centers: Tuesday, October 24 at noon ET 
Test centers located in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

International locations: Australia, select provinces in eastern Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario), China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Qatar, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom.

Group B Test Centers: Wednesday, October 25 at noon ET 
Test centers located in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

International locations: Select provinces in western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan).

You should have an idea of what MCAT exam date you want, and a few backups just in case before the registration date. Once registration opens up, log-into your AAMC account and have your credit card ready. You’ll be asked to select a test date, state, and then a testing location. If your state isn’t listed, then all of the seats for that date have been filled.

Remember, it’s first-come, first-served. There might be “TBD sites” available, which are sites within a 40-mile radius of a metropolitan area. If the option is available for you, only choose it as an absolute necessity and if you’re prepared to travel.

If you have approved accommodations, you might be eligible for advanced scheduling. You will receive an email notification from Pearson VUE the first week of October with instructions to begin submitting scheduling requests. Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait your turn on Registration Day. There also isn’t an advantage to logging into the registration system more than 10 minutes before scheduling begins. Anyone who logged in by 11:50 a.m. ET is randomly assigned a place in line to register when the system opens.

After Registration
After you register for the MCAT, you will receive a confirmation from the AAMC within 24 hours; if not, contact them immediately. Then, the fun stuff begins, i.e. MCAT prep!

You definitely should use the official AAMC MCAT prep resources, but we know that’s not enough for students trying to break into those high percentiles. That’s why Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step) students receive the AAMC resources with our Self-Paced MCAT Courses, Live Courses, and MCAT Tutor Packages. Get started with a free MCAT diagnostic and one free practice exam.