The cost of registering for the MCAT exam is $330 per applicant in all US and Canadian centers (US, Canada, Guam, The U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico-based citizens). International students pay an additional fee of $120 (this fee is non-refundable upon cancellation) on top of this amount, along with any local taxes such as sales tax or value-added telecoms surcharge, depending upon where they’re taking it. No registration and rescheduling are accepted less than ten days before the test date.
MCAT Fees: Registration, Rescheduling, and Refund Policy
| Deadline | Registration Fee (w/ FAP) | Reschedule Fee (w/ FAP) | Cancellation Refund (w/ FAP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 or more days before exam | $330 ($135) |
$50 ($20) |
$165 ($70) |
| 30-59 days before exam | $330 ($135) |
$100 ($40) |
$165 ($70) |
| 10-29 days before exam | $330 ($135) |
$200 ($80) |
No Refund |
There is a clear policy for the rescheduling and cancellation of the registration. It depends upon the date of registration before the deadline (test date). So, the registration fee, rescheduling charges, and refund amount can be categorized into different zones that are given below. There is a difference between the normal registration fee, rescheduling charges, and the refund amount under Assistance Programs. All the details are given in the respective deadline zones.
60 or more days before exam
- Applicants that have registered themselves at least two months month or more before the MCAT deadline will have to pay a $330 registration fee (an additional $120 for MCAT test takers outside the US, Canada, Guam, and The U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico).
- The rescheduling charge for 60 or more days before the test date is $50, and the cancellation refund in this case is $165.
- For the assistance program, rescheduling fee is $20, and the refund amount is $70.
30-59 days before exam
- This category is for those who apply for the registration one to two months before the exam date. The registration fee for this category is the same as in the case of the previous category.
- The rescheduling charge within this timeframe is $100, and the refund is $165.
- Under the Assistance Program, the rescheduling fee, in this case, will be $40, and the refund amount is $70.
10-29 days before exam
- The normal registration fee for MCAT 10-29 days before the test day is the same as in the case of the previous categories.
- The rescheduling charge within this timeframe is $200, and under the Assistance Program, the rescheduling fee is $80.
- As per the policy, no refund is allowed for the candidates falling in this category.
Other MCAT Costs
In addition to the test fee, the preparations for the MCAT can be very costly. The student might have to purchase a prep course, study materials, and more.
Preparation
The preparation for MCAT is the most expensive part. Normally, the MCAT cost for tutoring is $1000. In addition to this, the cost for purchasing the MCAT Prep material (Official MCAT Bundle) is $350. So, collectively, if the cost of the preparation is $1350, that is a huge sum of money for students. The good news is that several online assistant programs provide videos, blogs, and MCAT flashcards to help with the preparation.
Magoosh’s free MCAT includes 53 must-watch video lessons that are extremely valuable in preparing for the MCAT examination. In addition to this, there are MCAT flashcards as well that help the students and ultimately improve their results. If you prepare for the MCAT by using the resources provided by Magoosh, you will be able to save a significant amount of money – and according to the experiences of our students, who have successfully taken their MCAT, you will get an excellent MCAT prep and tons of value out of it!
Travel Expenses
In addition to the registration fees and preparation expenses, there might be travel expenses as well. If the person who is going to take the exam is living far from the exam center, then he must bear the travel expenses as well. Travel expenses also include miscellaneous expenses such as meals and snacks.
Why is MCAT so Expensive?
There are a few reasons for the high cost of the MCAT. First, the exam is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which is a non-profit organization. The AAMC charges a fee to cover the costs of administering the MCAT, including developing and scoring the exam. Second, the MCAT is a computer-based exam, which means that test centers must invest in expensive equipment and software. Finally, the MCAT is offered multiple times throughout the year, which increases the costs for test centers and students alike.
How to Save on MCAT Costs
It has been discussed earlier that there are two major expenses for taking the MCAT exam: the registration fee and the preparation expenses. To save on the MCAT costs, there is the AAMC Assistance Program that helps the students to cut down the expenses of the MCAT. It not only helps in reducing the test-taking expenses and sending the score (results) to colleges, but also offers free-of-cost preparations. It offers a waiver of up to $195 on the registration fee, so students only pay up to $130. A waiver of nearly $1000 can also be gained in terms of result-sending fees to almost 20 medical colleges, as the fee proposed by AMCAS for the mentioned service costs that much.
Free or Low-Cost Resources
The MCAT cost can be reduced to its minimum value by using the platforms like Khan Academy and Magoosh. Khan Academy provides a free preparation course for the MCAT, and this course will be available free of charge until 2026. Additionally, Magoosh is proud to offer free MCAT premium access to students who receive AAMC fee assistance. Just reach out to our help team with your AAMC award letter!
Kaplan MCAT Practice Tests and Princeton Review Biology Courses and MCAT Practice Tests also provide a wide range of free-of-cost tests for MCAT preparation. Several other platforms offer to help students score above the 90thpercentile, but the platforms described above are vetted by our MCAT experts.
Final Verdict
Remember! Despite the MCAT costs, taking the test is one of the initial and most crucial steps toward achieving your goal of becoming a physician. Make a sound and well-informed decision to get the timing just right.
Leave a Reply