All that hard work studying is about to pay off in a big way! The MCAT test dates for 2021 are upon us. Start planning your study schedule now with these MCAT test dates and MCAT registration dates.
We share the most recent information released by the AAMC regarding MCAT registration, MCAT score release, and where you can take the MCAT internationally.
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MCAT Test Dates 2021
| MCAT 2021 Test Date (Start at 7:30AM or 3PM local time) | MCAT 2021 Score Release | When To Begin Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, January 15, 2021 | Tuesday, February 2, 2021 | September-December |
| Saturday, January 16, 2021 | Tuesday, February 2, 2021 | September-December |
| Thursday, January 21, 2021 | Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | September-December |
| Monday, January 25, 2021 | Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | September-December |
| Saturday, March 13, 2021 | Tuesday, April 13, 2021 | November-February |
| Friday, March 26, 2021 | Tuesday, April 27, 2021 | November-February |
| Saturday, April 10, 2021 | Tuesday, May 11, 2021 | December-March |
| Friday, April 23, 2021 | Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | December-March |
| Friday, April 30, 2021 | Tuesday, June 1, 2021 | December-March |
| Saturday, May 1, 2021 | Tuesday, June 1, 2021 | January-March |
| Friday, May 14, 2021 | Tuesday, June 15, 2021 | January-March |
| Saturday, May 15, 2021 | Tuesday, June 15, 2021 | January-March |
| Thursday, May 20, 2021 | Tuesday, June 29, 2021 | January-March |
| Friday, May 28, 2021 | Tuesday, June 29, 2021 | January-March |
| Friday, June 4, 2021 | Wednesday, July 7, 2021 | February-April |
| Friday, June 18, 2021 | Tuesday, July 20, 2021 | February-April |
| Saturday, June 19, 2021 | Tuesday, July 20, 2021 | February-April |
| Saturday, June 26, 2021 | Tuesday, July 27, 2021 | February-April |
| Wednesday, June 30, 2021 | Tuesday, August 3, 2021 | February-April |
| Saturday, July 17, 2021 | Tuesday, August 17, 2021 | March-May |
| Thursday, July 22, 2021 | Tuesday, August 24, 2021 | March-May |
| Friday, July 30, 2021 | Tuesday, August 31, 2021 | March-May |
| Saturday, August 7, 2021 | Wednesday, September 8, 2021 | April-June |
| Friday, August 13, 2021 | Tuesday, September 14, 2021 | April-June |
| Saturday, August 21, 2021 | Tuesday, September 21, 2021 | April-June |
| Thursday, August 26, 2021 | Tuesday, September 28, 2021 | April-June |
| Friday, August 27, 2021 | Tuesday, September 28, 2021 | April-June |
| Thursday, September 2, 2021 | Tuesday, October 5, 2021 | May-July |
| Friday, September 3, 2021 | Tuesday, October 5, 2021 | May-July |
| Friday, September 10, 2021 | Tuesday, October 12, 2021 | May-July |
| Saturday, September 11, 2021 | Tuesday, October 12, 2021 | May-July |
The MCAT score release is at 5PM on the scheduled date of release
MCAT Registration
It’s fair to say that you are better off registering for your chosen MCAT test date at least 3 weeks before the exam, as the cost for registration is $310. There are 3 ‘zones’ for MCAT registration deadlines that come with corresponding fees, re-scheduling fees, cancellation refund, and fee-assistance program (FAP).
Until further notice, the AAMC has suspended all rescheduling fees (including date and testing center location change) and they have also offered full refund of cancellation! Here is a closer look at the MCAT registration deadlines and fees for registration and rescheduling/cancellation:
MCAT Registration Deadlines for 2021
| Zone | Deadline | Registration Fee | Re-schedule Fee | Cancellation Refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 1 month before MCAT | $320 ($130 with Fee Assistance) | Temporarily Waived (Covid-19) | $320 ($130 with Fee Assistance) |
| Silver | 3-4 weeks before MCAT | $320 ($130 with Fee Assistance) | Temporarily Waived (Covid-19) | $320 ($130 with Fee Assistance) |
| Bronze | 1-2 weeks before MCAT | $320 ($130 with Fee Assistance) | Temporarily Waived (Covid-19) | $320 ($130 with Fee Assistance) |
For more on the MCAT registration deadlines for each zone, have a look at the AAMC’s official scheduling deadlines:
Click here to download the AAMC essentials addendum
How to Register for your MCAT Date
All MCAT registration takes place on AAMC’s website. Generally speaking, MCAT registration dates for the January-June MCAT test dates will open up in October and the MCAT registration dates for the rest of the summer test dates will open up in February.
Upon MCAT registration, you’ll need to select your date as well as location. Because each location and seat number varies, it’s recommended to register for the MCAT as early as possible before seats fill up and to avoid higher registration costs.
When to Take the MCAT
There are 31 MCAT test dates to choose from in 2021, but knowing which one to choose can be key in strategizing how to land your highest score.
The AAMC recommends that the average pre-med should study for the MCAT for anywhere between 300-350 hours. At a rate of 10-15 hours, this will usually take you between 3-5 months of prep. With this in mind, the minimum you should do to determine when to take the MCAT is consider a date that is going to give you between 3-5 months to devote these hours of MCAT prep to.
That said, we think there is a better strategy for choosing the best MCAT test date based on data on the highest scorers. 2/3 of the highest MCAT scores occur between August and September. This is likely because students have their summer to prep. If you anticipate having extra time to prep for the MCAT over the summer that you may not be able to get otherwise, then this is likely going to be the best time for your to take the MCAT.
We dive further into these questions in our post When Should I Take the MCAT?
MCAT International Fees
If you are planning on taking the MCAT internationally, you will be subjected to the above MCAT registration deadlines and costs as well as an additional $115 fee. This additional MCAT registration fee is not refundable in the case of cancellation.
MCAT International Testing Center Locations
Testing centers for the MCAT are located across America and Canada. You can also register for a seat to take the test in any of the following international locations MCAT test dates by following the same process for registering on the AAMC website. As you can tell by this chart, locations and seats are limited for international testing locations, so be sure to register early.
MCAT International Testing Locations
Canada China: Hong Kong Cyprus France Germany
Guam Australia Israel Japan Kazakhstan
Lebanon Malaysia Puerto Rico Qatar Singapore
South Africa Taiwan Thailand United Kingdom Virgin Islands, U.S.
MCAT Test Date Archive
MCAT Test Dates for 2020
| MCAT 2020 Test Date (Start at 8AM) | MCAT 2020 Score Release | When To Begin Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, January 17, 2020 | Tuesday, February 18, 2020 | September-December |
| Saturday, January 18, 2020 | Tuesday, February 18, 2020 | September-December |
| Thursday, January 23, 2020 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020 | September-December |
| Saturday, May 9, 2020 | Tuesday, June 9, 2020 | January-March |
| Friday, May 15, 2020 | Tuesday, June 16, 2020 | January-March |
| Saturday, May 16, 2020 | Tuesday, June 16, 2020 | January-March |
| Thursday, May 21, 2020 | Tuesday, June 23, 2020 | January-March |
| Friday, May 29, 2020 | Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | January-March |
| Friday, June 5, 2020 | Tuesday, July 7, 2020 | February-April |
| Friday, June 19, 2020 | Tuesday, July 21, 2020 | February-April |
| Saturday, June 20, 2020 | Tuesday, July 21, 2020 | February-April |
| Saturday, June 27, 2020 | Tuesday, July 28, 2020 | February-April |
| Tuesday, July 7, 2020 | Thursday, August 6, 2020 | March-May |
| Saturday, July 18, 2020 | Tuesday, August 18, 2020 | March-May |
| Thursday, July 23, 2020 | Tuesday, August 25, 2020 | March-May |
| Friday, July 31, 2020 | Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | March-May |
| Saturday, August 1, 2020 | Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | April-June |
| Friday, August 7, 2020 | Wednesday, September 9, 2020 | April-June |
| Saturday, August 8, 2020 | Wednesday, September 9, 2020 | April-June |
| Friday, August 14, 2020 | Tuesday, September 15, 2020 | April-June |
| Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Tuesday, September 29, 2020 | April-June |
| Thursday, September 3, 2020 | Tuesday, October 6, 2020 | May-July |
| Friday, September 4, 2020 | Tuesday, October 6, 2020 | May-July |
| Friday, September 11, 2020 | Tuesday, October 13, 2020 | May-July |
| Saturday, September 12, 2020 | Tuesday, October 13, 2020 | May-July |
MCAT Test Dates 2019
| MCAT 2019 Test Date | MCAT 2019 Score Release | When To Begin Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, January 18, 2019 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | September-December |
| Saturday, January 19, 2019 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | September-December |
| Thursday, January 24, 2019 | Tuesday, February 26, 2019 | September-December |
| Friday, March 15, 2019 | Tuesday, April 16, 2019 | November-January |
| Friday, March 29, 2019 | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | November-January |
| Friday, April 5, 2019 | Tuesday, May 7, 2019 | December-February |
| Saturday, April 6, 2019 | Tuesday, May 7, 2019 | December-February |
| Saturday, April 13, 2019 | Tuesday, May 14, 2019 | December-February |
| Saturday, May 11, 2019 | Tuesday, June 11, 2019 | January-March |
| Saturday, May 18, 2019 | Tuesday, June 18, 2019 | January-March |
| Thursday, May 23, 2019 | Tuesday, June 25, 2019 | January-March |
| Friday, May 24, 2019 | Tuesday, June 25, 2019 | January-March |
| Friday, May 31, 2019 | Tuesday, July 2, 2019 | January-March |
| Saturday, June 1, 2019 | Tuesday, July 2, 2019 | March-April |
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 | Tuesday, July 16, 2019 | March-April |
| Friday, June 28, 2019 | Tuesday, July 30, 2019 | March-April |
| Saturday, June 29, 2019 | Tuesday, July 30, 2019 | March-April |
| Wednesday, July 10, 2019 | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 | April-May |
| Saturday, July 13, 2019 | Tuesday, August 13, 2019 | April-May |
| Friday, July 19, 2019 | Tuesday, August 20, 2019 | April-May |
| Saturday, July 20, 2019 | Tuesday, August 20, 2019 | April-May |
| Friday, August 2, 2019 | Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | May-June |
| Saturday, August 3, 2019 | Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | May-June |
| Friday, August 9, 2019 | Tuesday, September 10, 2019 | May-June |
| Saturday, August 17, 2019 | Tuesday, September 17, 2019 | May-June |
| Friday, August 30, 2019 | Tuesday, October 1, 2019 | May-June |
| Saturday, August 31, 2019 | Tuesday, October 1, 2019 | May-June |
| Friday, September 6, 2019 | Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | June-July |
| Friday, September 13, 2019 | Tuesday, October 15, 2019 | June-July |
| Saturday, September 14, 2019 | Tuesday, October 15, 2019 | June-July |
MCAT Test Dates FAQ
Is the MCAT hard to pass?
The MCAT is a very difficult test, especially compared to other graduate admissions tests. If you have already taken the college classes suggested before the MCAT, then you will need to focus your efforts on content review and practice. With an effective study plan, however, you can still do very well on the MCAT!
Is taking the MCAT in June too late?
June is not too late for the MCAT. In fact, 2/3 of the highest MCAT scorers take the MCAT between the months of August and September. Put simply, you should take the MCAT once you have completed your study plan and feel confident. If, however, you are planning on applying for medical school that summer, taking the MCAT in June may mean you would be completing your AMCAS without knowing your score. Read more on when you should take the MCAT to prepare your medical school timeline.
What is the best month to take the MCAT?
The best month to take the MCAT depends on your schedule and when you’ll be able to put in the MCAT prep specifically for the score you need. It’s suggested to choose the MCAT test date first then plan your study schedule around this deadline.
Is 500 hours enough for the MCAT?
The AAMC recommends 300-350 hours of prep for the average MCAT test taker. This means 500 hours of efficient MCAT prep should be enough. It’s suggested to take your MCAt diagnostic test before planning your MCAT study schedule, since this is the most important factor in how long you’ll need to prep for the score you’re trying to achieve.
For more information in regards to international testing centers, visit the AAMC’s MCAT International Testing Dates to keep posted on testing dates and locations.
Have you already taken the MCAT? Do you like free money? Browse our list of 52 MCAT Scholarships.
