Missing a deadline can derail months of preparation. This page organizes the key application deadlines, test registration windows, and scholarship due dates for pre-health students into a month-by-month calendar. Dates are approximate because they shift slightly from year to year. Always verify exact dates on the official organization websites linked below. Bookmark this page and check it monthly to stay on track.
January through March
January: MCAT® registration opens for spring and summer test dates (register early for preferred dates). AMCAS® application opens for the next cycle (typically early May, but begin drafting your personal statement and activity descriptions now). Financial aid: complete the FAFSA as soon as it opens (October 1 of the prior year) if you have not already. Spring semester courses begin.
February: AAMC® Fee Assistance Program applications open. Begin contacting letter of recommendation writers for the upcoming application cycle. Review your school list and research individual program requirements.
March: MCAT® spring testing window begins. Many summer research program applications are due (REU, MARC, institutional programs). Begin secondary application pre-writing using prompts from previous years (most schools recycle similar prompts).
April through June
April: MCAT® spring testing continues. AACOMAS® application opens (typically early May). Begin finalizing your AMCAS® application for early submission. Review and update your activity descriptions.
May: AMCAS® application opens for submission (typically first week of May for account creation, first week of June for submission). Submit AMCAS® as early as possible. AACOMAS® application opens. DAT® and OAT® registration is ongoing for summer test dates. Complete spring semester and request updated transcripts.
June: AMCAS® submission opens (typically first week). Submit on day one if possible. Early applicants have a statistical advantage. AACOMAS® submission opens. MCAT® summer testing window begins. Secondary applications begin arriving 2 to 4 weeks after primary submission. Respond to secondaries within 2 weeks of receipt.
July through September
July: Continue submitting secondary applications promptly. Many schools send secondaries to all verified applicants. CASPA® cycle is open for PA program applications. PTCAS cycle is open for PT program applications. MCAT® summer testing continues.
August: Early interview invitations begin for medical schools. Continue submitting secondaries. AADSAS application cycle is active for dental schools. Finalize school lists for any remaining applications.
September: Medical school interview season begins in earnest and continues through March. MCAT® late testing dates available. Many scholarship applications for the following year have fall deadlines. Review and update your application if waitlisted from the previous cycle.
October through December
October: Interview season continues. Early Decision applicants receive decisions (typically October 1 for MD schools). NRMP Match registration opens for residency applicants. Many state scholarship applications are due in fall.
November: Interview season continues. Some schools begin issuing acceptances. Review financial aid packages as they arrive. FAFSA opens October 1 for the following academic year.
December: Some medical schools have rolling admissions deadlines. Continue interviewing. Holiday break: review your application status, send thank-you notes to interviewers, and plan for the spring. AAMC® traffic deadline for AMCAS® (varies by school, typically October to December for most programs).
Exam Registration Windows
MCAT®: Offered January through September at Pearson VUE centers. Registration opens approximately 4 months before each test date. Register early for preferred dates and locations. See our MCAT® prep guide.
DAT®: Offered year-round at Prometric centers. Register through the ADA website. See our DAT® prep guide.
OAT®: Offered year-round at Prometric centers. See our OAT® prep guide.
GRE®: Offered year-round at ETS test centers and at home. See our GRE® prep guide.
USMLE® Step 1 and Step 2 CK: Offered year-round at Prometric centers. Registration through NBME. See our Step 1 and Step 2 guides.
NCLEX-RN®: Offered year-round at Pearson VUE. Register after graduating from an accredited nursing program. See our NCLEX-RN® guide.
PANCE®: Offered year-round at Pearson VUE. Register through NCCPA after PA program graduation. See our PANCE® guide.
Dates on this page are approximate and based on recent cycles. Always verify exact deadlines on official organization websites. Set calendar reminders for deadlines that apply to your timeline. For personalized guidance, consult your pre-health advisor.
References
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). “AMCAS Application Timeline.” AAMC, 2025. https://www.aamc.org/. Accessed March 2026.
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). “AACOMAS Timeline.” AACOM, 2025. https://www.aacom.org/. Accessed March 2026.