Critical MCAT® 2026
Test Dates & Deadlines
Every official 2026 MCAT® test date, registration deadline, and score release date — plus a month-by-month guide on when to sit your exam.
MCAT® 2026 Exam Schedule
| Test Date | 45-Day Deadline | 30-Day Deadline | 11-Day Deadline | Score Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9 | Nov 25, 2025 | Dec 10, 2025 | Dec 29, 2025 | Feb 10 |
| Jan 15 | Dec 1, 2025 | Dec 17, 2025 | Jan 4 | Feb 16 |
| Jan 22 | Dec 8, 2025 | Dec 24, 2025 | Jan 11 | Feb 24 |
| Feb 19 | Jan 5 | Jan 21 | Feb 8 | Mar 27 |
| Mar 7 | Jan 21 | Feb 5 | Feb 24 | Apr 7 |
| Mar 24 | Feb 7 | Feb 22 | Mar 13 | Apr 24 |
| Mar 26 | Feb 9 | Feb 23 | Mar 15 | May 12 |
| Apr 4 | Feb 18 | Mar 5 | Mar 24 | May 5 |
| Apr 11 | Feb 25 | Mar 12 | Mar 31 | May 12 |
| Apr 17 | Mar 3 | Mar 17 | Apr 6 | May 19 |
| Apr 24 | Mar 11 | Mar 25 | Apr 13 | May 27 |
| May 1 | Mar 17 | Apr 1 | Apr 20 | Jun 2 |
| May 7 | Mar 23 | Apr 7 | Apr 26 | Jun 9 |
| May 22 | Apr 7 | Apr 21 | May 11 | Jun 23 |
| May 28 | Apr 13 | Apr 28 | May 17 | Jun 30 |
| Jun 12 | Apr 28 | May 13 | Jun 1 | Jul 14 |
| Jun 25 | May 11 | May 26 | Jun 14 | Jul 28 |
| Jul 11 | May 27 | Jun 11 | Jun 30 | Aug 11 |
| Jul 17 | Jun 2 | Jun 17 | Jul 6 | Aug 19 |
| Jul 24 | Jun 9 | Jun 24 | Jul 13 | Aug 26 |
| Jul 31 | Jun 16 | Jul 1 | Jul 20 | Sep 2 |
| Aug 14 | Jun 30 | Jul 15 | Aug 3 | Sep 16 |
| Aug 22 | Jul 8 | Jul 23 | Aug 11 | Sep 23 |
| Sep 3 | Jul 20 | Aug 4 | Aug 23 | Oct 5 |
| Sep 4 | Jul 21 | Aug 5 | Aug 24 | Oct 6 |
| Sep 11 | Jul 28 | Aug 12 | Aug 31 | Oct 13 |
| Sep 13 | Jul 30 | Aug 14 | Sep 2 | Oct 15 |
What's The Best Month
To Take The MCAT®?
The MCAT® exam is offered more than 30 times yearly, starting in January and ending in September. Each month has its pros and cons, as listed below.
January / February
Earliest DatesJanuary/February test takers should start preparing in August before the start of the fall semester.
- January is ideal for students who wish to take the earliest available test date. Taking the test in January permits enough time to retake if necessary and still make the early admissions deadlines.
- January test dates are also ideal for out-of-school students who have completed their prerequisites and are taking an interim year before matriculating into medical school, or for students who attend schools with a long break between the fall and spring semesters.
March / April
Application AdvantageMarch/April test takers can begin as early as September with the start of fall classes, or as late as January with the start of spring classes.
- March/April test dates are an excellent option for students who wish to have their scores back from the AAMC before the start of the application cycle.
- This gives applicants a distinct advantage in rolling admissions since their applications will be complete and ready for review by early June when applications open up.
May
Post-Finals FocusMay test takers can begin as early as October during the middle of fall classes, or as late as January with the start of spring classes.
- Students who have completed their finals can entirely focus on taking the MCAT® without other academic distractions. In addition, students' scores will be ready by late June, just after the start of the application cycle.
- May is also a good choice for students who wish to maintain the option to retake later in the summer before the close of the application cycle.
June
Most PopularJune test takers can begin as early as January with the start of spring classes, with lots of free time during the summer spent on practice.
- Because many students wish to take the MCAT® in June, students are advised to register well in advance.
- June is a popular test date as it offers the unique convenience of allowing time for preparation over the summer and the ability to retake during the same application cycle.
July
Summer RetakeJuly test takers can begin as early as January with the beginning of the spring semester.
- July will be a popular choice for students wishing to take the early half of summer to prepare for the test.
- July will also be popular as students who've taken the exam earlier in the year look to retake the exam.
August
Late RetakeAugust test takers can begin as early as March for out-of-school students, or mid-May after finals.
- The August exam dates are not ideal for students who need longer preparation time for the MCAT®.
- These testing options will also be very popular with retesting students who wish to retake the test before the first application deadline in October.
September
Last ChanceSeptember test takers can begin as early as March for out-of-school students, or mid-May after finals.
- The September exam dates are ideal for students who need longer preparation time for the MCAT®.
- These testing options will also be very popular with retesting students who wish to retake the test before the first application deadline in October.
Not sure which date is right for you?
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Consultation with Dr. Donnelly
Dr. Stuart Donnelly’s tutoring methodology focuses on quality over quantity. After the initial complimentary assessment, each lesson becomes increasingly individualised to adapt to your particular MCAT® prep need. This will significantly increase your chances of scoring to the best of your ability in order to get accepted into the medical school of your choice.
Over the years, Dr. Donnelly has developed several unique proprietary strategies that help his students master the background topics in each of the 4 sections of the MCAT:
- Section 1: MCAT Biological Sciences Section
- Section 2: MCAT Physical Sciences Section
- Section 3: MCAT Behavioral Sciences Section
- Section 4: MCAT CARS Section
Contact Dr. Stuart Donnelly today to schedule your complimentary MCAT® consultation which will help determine the number of hours of tutoring you will probably need to reach your target score. You will also have a chance to see Stuart’s tutoring skills in action, giving you a better understanding of his unique tutoring style and teaching methodology.
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MCAT® Date?
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