Knowing your MCAT exam date in advance is essential for building a realistic study plan and meeting registration deadlines before your preferred seat fills. This page lists all 2026 Medical College Admission Test (MCAT®) test dates, registration deadlines, score release dates, and information on where the exam is administered. All dates are sourced from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC®)’s official testing calendar. You should always verify current information directly at aamc.org before registering.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| 2026 test dates | 31 dates, January through September |
| Days of the week | Primarily Fridays and Saturdays |
| Standard start time | 8 a.m. local time |
| Score release timeline | Approximately 30-35 days after test date |
| Score release time | By 5 p.m. ET on the release date |
| Testing locations | Pearson VUE centers in participating regions |
| Where to register | AAMC website |
2026 MCAT® Test Dates and Score Release Schedule
There are 31 MCAT test dates in 2026, spread across January through September. The table below shows every 2026 MCAT exam date along with its 60-, 30-, and 10-day registration deadlines and the corresponding score release date.
Registration deadlines are at 11:59 p.m. local test center time on the day listed. Scores are released by 5 p.m. ET on the score release date.
2026 MCAT Test Dates & MCAT Score Release Dates |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Date | 60-Day Registration Deadline | 30-Day Registration Deadline | 10-Day Registration Deadline | Score Release Date |
| Jan. 9 | Nov. 10, 2025 | Dec. 10, 2025 | Dec. 30, 2025 | Feb. 10 |
| Jan. 10 | Nov. 11, 2025 | Dec. 11, 2025 | Dec. 31, 2025 | Feb. 10 |
| Jan. 15 | Nov. 16, 2025 | Dec. 16, 2025 | Jan. 5 | Feb. 17 |
| Jan. 23 | Nov. 24, 2025 | Dec. 24, 2025 | Jan. 13 | Feb. 24 |
| Feb. 13 | Dec. 15, 2025 | Jan. 14 | Feb. 3 | March 17 |
| March 7 | Jan. 6 | Feb. 5 | Feb. 25 | April 7 |
| March 20 | Jan. 19 | Feb. 18 | March 10 | April 21 |
| April 10 | Feb. 9 | March 11 | March 31 | May 12 |
| April 11 | Feb. 10 | March 12 | April 1 | May 12 |
| April 24 | Feb. 23 | March 25 | April 14 | May 27 |
| April 25 | Feb. 24 | March 26 | April 15 | May 27 |
| May 2 | March 3 | April 2 | April 22 | June 2 |
| May 8 | March 9 | April 8 | April 28 | June 9 |
| May 9 | March 10 | April 9 | April 29 | June 9 |
| May 14 | March 15 | April 14 | May 4 | June 16 |
| May 22 | March 23 | April 22 | May 12 | June 23 |
| May 30 | March 31 | April 30 | May 20 | June 30 |
| June 12 | April 13 | May 13 | June 2 | July 14 |
| June 13 | April 14 | May 14 | June 3 | July 14 |
| June 26 | April 27 | May 27 | June 16 | July 28 |
| June 27 | April 28 | May 28 | June 17 | July 28 |
| July 11 | May 12 | June 11 | July 1 | Aug. 11 |
| July 24 | May 25 | June 24 | July 14 | Aug. 25 |
| July 31 | June 1 | July 1 | July 21 | Sept. 2 |
| Aug. 15 | June 16 | July 16 | Aug. 5 | Sept. 15 |
| Aug. 21 | June 22 | July 22 | Aug. 11 | Sept. 22 |
| Aug. 22 | June 23 | July 23 | Aug. 12 | Sept. 22 |
| Sept. 3 | July 5 | Aug. 4 | Aug. 24 | Oct. 6 |
| Sept. 4 | July 6 | Aug. 5 | Aug. 25 | Oct. 6 |
| Sept. 11 | July 13 | Aug. 12 | Sept. 1 | Oct. 13 |
| Sept. 12 | July 14 | Aug. 13 | Sept. 2 | Oct. 13 |
Registration note: The 10-day deadline is the final date to schedule, reschedule, or cancel your reservation and to update registration information such as your name or address.
When do MCAT scores come out?
MCAT scores are released approximately 30 to 35 days after your test date. The AAMC publishes the exact score release date for every exam date in the annual testing calendar. The corresponding release date appears in the tables above.
What time do MCAT scores come out? Scores are posted by 5 p.m. ET on the listed score release date. There is no specific posting time earlier in the day. Scores may appear at any point before the 5 p.m. ET deadline. You will not receive an automatic notification when your score posts.
How to check your MCAT score: Log into your AAMC account on or after your official score release date to view your results. Your score report includes your total score, 4 section scores, and percentile rankings. For a full explanation of how MCAT scores are calculated and what a competitive score looks like for medical school applications, visit the MCAT scores and percentiles page.
MCAT Registration Deadlines and How to Register
Each MCAT test date has 3 registration windows.
- 60-day deadline: This is the earliest recommended point to register. Most seats are still available, and you have the full range of testing locations to choose from.
- 30-day deadline: Seats at popular testing centers begin to fill. Registration is still open, but your location options may be reduced.
- 10-day deadline: The final date to register, reschedule, or cancel. This is also the last date to update your registration information.
Early registration is strongly recommended. Seats at testing centers in major metro areas and high-demand cities fill quickly, especially for spring and summer exam dates. For registration steps, fees, and what you need to create an AAMC account, visit the MCAT registration and cost page.
When does MCAT registration open for 2026? Registration for 2026 MCAT test dates opened at Noon ET Oct. 21-23, 2025, depending on your region. Students with approved testing accommodations received advance scheduling access in December 2025. MCAT registration dates for 2027 should open in October 2026.
Where Can I Take the MCAT? Test Centers and Locations
The MCAT is administered at hundreds of Pearson VUE testing centers across the United States, Canada, and internationally. There is no fixed list of open MCAT exam locations. Available seats at each center are shown in real time during the registration process on the AAMC website.
How to find MCAT testing locations near you: Use the AAMC’s Test Center Lookup Tool during registration. The tool shows all available Pearson VUE centers in your area and lets you filter by date and location. Testing centers have limited capacity and seats are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tips for securing your preferred location:
- Register as early as possible when your registration window opens.
- Search nearby cities or zip codes if your primary location is full.
- Smaller or less central locations often have more available seats.
- Have a backup MCAT test location in mind before registering.
MCAT Test Dates for U.S. Territories and International Students
International students and students testing in U.S. territories have fewer available MCAT exam dates than mainland U.S. students. Score release dates for international and territory test-takers correspond to the same U.S. release schedule.
Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands each have their own testing calendars with a reduced selection of dates. The full date listings for each territory are included below and in the AAMC’s official calendar.
2026 MCAT Test Dates for Guam
| Jan. 9 | June 12 |
| Feb. 13 | July 24 |
| March 20 | Aug. 21 |
| April 10 | Sept. 3 |
| May 8 |
2026 MCAT Test Dates for Puerto Rico
| Jan. 9 | May 9 | Aug. 7 |
| Jan. 10 | May 14 | Aug. 8 |
| Jan. 15 | May 22 | Aug. 14 |
| Jan. 23 | May 30 | Aug. 15 |
| Feb. 13 | June 12 | Aug. 20 |
| March 7 | June 13 | Aug. 21 |
| March 20 | June 26 | Aug. 22 |
| April 10 | July 27 | Aug. 28 |
| April 11 | July 11 | Sept. 3 |
| April 24 | July 24 | Sept. 4 |
| April 25 | July 25 | Sept. 5 |
| May 2 | July 31 | Sept. 11 |
| May 8 | Aug. 1 | Sept. 12 |
2026 MCAT Test Dates for the U.S. Virgin Islands
| Jan. 9 | June 12 |
| Feb. 13 | July 24 |
| March 20 | Aug. 21 |
| April 10 | Sept. 3 |
| May 8 | Sept. 4 |
For full information on registration, available testing locations, and score policies for students testing outside the United States, visit the MCAT international students page.
Choosing the Right MCAT Exam Date for You
Selecting an MCAT test date is a preparation decision as much as a logistics one. Most students need 3 to 6 months of dedicated study time before sitting the exam, and your target score and medical school application timeline should drive your date selection.
Key considerations when choosing an MCAT exam date include the following.
Application cycle timing: Most medical school applications open in late May or June. To submit your AAMC primary application with your MCAT score included, your exam date and score release date must fall before your target submission date. A May or June exam date with a late June or July score release is the most common timeline for students applying in the current cycle.
Preparation time: Work backward from your target MCAT exam date to confirm you have enough time for a full preparation cycle. If 3-6 months is the standard recommendation and you are starting from scratch on content review, a test date fewer than 12 weeks away may not leave adequate preparation time.
Retake planning: If you plan to allow for a potential retake, select a first exam date early enough in the year that a second attempt (with a second score release 30-35 days later) still lands before your application deadline.
For a structured preparation timeline tied to a specific exam date, visit the MCAT study guide.
