MCAT Cost Guide to Fees, Refunds and Official Prep Prices

The MCAT cost includes the registration fee, possible rescheduling or cancellation costs, an international fee for some locations, applicable taxes and any paid preparation products you choose. Your total depends on where you test, whether you change your appointment, which official resources you buy and whether you receive fee assistance.

A useful budget should separate required fees from optional preparation costs and personal test day expenses. It should also account for deadlines because changing or canceling an appointment later can cost considerably more. The figures below cover AAMC fees and official preparation products, while excluding travel prices and non-AAMC products.

MCAT Costs at a Glance

• Standard registration for 2026 testing dates costs $355, while Fee Assistance Program recipients pay $145.
• Testing outside the U.S., Canada or U.S. territories adds a nonrefundable $130 international fee, before any applicable taxes.
• Rescheduling costs more as test day approaches, and a standard cancellation returns no money when completed 10 to 29 days before the exam.
• The AAMC offers free preparation resources, individually priced products and an Online-Only Bundle that qualifying Fee Assistance Program recipients can elect as a benefit.

MCAT Registration Fee and International Fee

The standard MCAT registration fee is $355 for 2026 testing dates. Students approved for the Fee Assistance Program pay $145. The AAMC MCAT scheduling fees page identifies these as fees for 2026 testing dates, so confirm the amount displayed when you register for a future testing year.

If you test outside the U.S., Canada or U.S. territories, the AAMC adds a $130 international fee. That fee is not refunded if you cancel your registration. Sales tax, value-added tax, Goods and Services Tax or a similar tax may also be collected when you schedule, depending on where you test.

The AAMC says registration for the full 2027 testing year opens Oct. 20 to 22, 2026, based on testing center location. Use IMA’s guide to MCAT registration and test dates for the calendar and the registration steps.

MCAT Reschedule and Cancellation Fees

The fee you pay to change an appointment and the refund you receive for canceling depend on how many days remain before the exam. The table uses the AAMC MCAT scheduling fees for 2026 testing dates, as listed Sept. 15, 2026.

The fee table above shows why an early decision matters. Based on IMA’s arithmetic from the AAMC fee schedule, canceling at least 30 days before the exam returns $175 of the $355 standard fee, leaving you with a $180 cost. A Fee Assistance recipient receives $75 back from the $145 fee, leaving a $70 cost. Canceling 10 to 29 days before the exam produces no refund.

You cannot change your appointment less than 10 days before the exam, and the last day to schedule is 10 days before test day. Every fee deadline ends at 11:59 p.m. in the local time of your test center. If your plans may change, choosing when to take the MCAT carefully can reduce the chance of paying a higher reschedule fee later.

You do not need to cancel your existing appointment before selecting a new date. The AAMC allows you to view other available seats without losing your current one, which remains yours until you submit payment for the new seat. Reschedule fees still apply, and the AAMC encourages students to make changes as early as possible. If an unexpected situation prevents you from attending less than 10 days before the exam, you can submit an Emergency Refund Request through the MCAT Registration System.

Official AAMC MCAT Prep Prices

The AAMC sells practice exams, section banks, question packs, an independent question bank and a combined bundle. The following price table comes from the AAMC Store product comparison, with prices as listed Sept. 15, 2026.

The price table above lets you compare individual purchases with the Online-Only Bundle. The AAMC says the bundle provides a significant discount compared with buying every included product separately. You cannot buy individual products and later upgrade those purchases to a bundle. The bundle is unavailable for purchase until Sept. 30, 2026, when it returns with the new CARS Question Bank included.

The AAMC offers two free full-length exams and five paid exams. Its Practice Exams 2 through 6 cost $35 each. IMA’s MCAT practice test guide compares what the full-length products include, while this page focuses on their prices.

Each official prep purchase includes one year of access. You may buy a three-month or six-month extension while the product remains active or within 60 days after expiration. Extensions require an existing one-year subscription purchased through the AAMC Store, redeemed with a code or received through fee assistance. Because active products cannot be placed on hold, compare the access period with your MCAT prep timeline before purchasing.

You can reset an AAMC prep product as often as you want, but each reset presents the same questions. Repurchasing a product also preserves earlier activity and score reports. These rules make timing important if you want to avoid paying for access before you are ready to use it.

The new CARS Question Bank is listed at $70 for one year and contains 575 passage-based questions with explanations for all four answer options. The AAMC stopped selling the CARS Diagnostic Tool and CARS Question Packs, Volumes 1 and 2, effective Sept. 14, 2026. Students who already have those discontinued products may continue using them until their access expires.

Free MCAT Prep That Costs Nothing

You can begin with several free AAMC resources before deciding whether paid products fit your needs. The free What’s on the MCAT Exam Content Outline Course combines the complete content outline with open-access textbook links, Khan Academy lessons and 120 questions from the retired Official Guide to the MCAT Exam.

The Khan Academy MCAT Collection contains 1,100 videos and 3,000 review questions. It was created with support from the AAMC and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. IMA’s guide to free MCAT prep resources can help you compare these materials without turning this cost guide into a product walkthrough.

The AAMC also provides the Unscored Sample Test and Practice Exam 1 at no charge. Both contain 230 questions. The sample test matches the exam’s look, length and functionality but does not provide a scaled score or percentile rank. Practice Exam 1 uses questions from previously administered exams and provides both. AAMC practice exams include explanations for every answer choice and links to related Khan Academy lessons.

Sample MCAT Budgets Using AAMC Prices

A basic budget can begin with $355 for standard registration or $145 with fee assistance. If you pay the standard rate and buy all five paid practice exams at $35 each, IMA’s calculation from AAMC prices produces a total of $530. Choosing the $336.70 Online-Only Bundle instead produces a $691.70 total. Fee Assistance recipients who elect the included bundle can keep this AAMC total at $145.

For testing outside the U.S., Canada or U.S. territories, IMA’s calculation is $485 at the standard rate. That combines the $355 registration charge with the $130 international fee. Applicable taxes may increase the amount collected when you schedule.

These examples include only AAMC registration and preparation prices. They do not estimate transportation, lodging, meals or non-AAMC products. Treat them as starting points rather than complete personal budgets.

The Cost of Retaking the MCAT

Each attempt requires a separate registration payment. Based on IMA’s calculation from the AAMC fee schedule, two standard-fee attempts cost $710 and three attempts cost $1,065 in registration fees alone. At the Fee Assistance rate, those totals are $290 and $435.

The AAMC permits up to three attempts in one testing year, four across two consecutive years and seven in a lifetime. Voided exams and no-shows count toward those limits. You can hold only one MCAT seat at a time. IMA’s guide to retaking the MCAT provides more context for deciding whether another attempt fits your plans.

AAMC Fee Assistance Program Costs and Benefits

Who Qualifies

The Fee Assistance Program supports applicants who meet its financial and application-status rules. For the 2026 program, each household reported on the application must have 2025 total family income at or below 400% of the 2025 national poverty level for its family size. You also need a U.S.-based home address. The AAMC Fee Assistance Program eligibility page states that applicants must be preparing to apply to medical school and cannot already be accepted to, enrolled in or graduated from a medical school.

What It Covers

Approved recipients pay $145 rather than $355 to register. Reduced reschedule charges and cancellation refunds appear in the fee table above. According to the AAMC benefits page, recipients may elect the MCAT Official Prep Online-Only Bundle, which provides all online official prep products. You must actively choose this benefit before the products appear in the Official Prep Hub.

Recipients with active official prep products receive free access to the new CARS Question Bank within two weeks of its release. Anyone electing the prep benefit after Sept. 30, 2026 receives that question bank automatically. The program can also consider recipients for financial help obtaining an updated evaluation to support an MCAT accommodations application.

Other benefits include a complimentary two-year MSAR subscription valued by the AAMC at $41 and an AMCAS fee waiver valued at $1,092. The waiver covers one submission to as many as 20 schools by Dec. 31, 2027, with additional schools costing extra. IMA’s AMCAS application guide covers that application process.

The 2026 award also waives the first AAMC PREview registration fee, a $100 value, and provides a 50% discount on later registrations during the 2026 testing year. It includes a 60% discount on up to 50 ERAS residency applications, which the AAMC values at $558.

Timing and Limits

You must receive final approval before selecting an MCAT date and location. The AAMC says review takes about five business days. Benefits are not retroactive, so fees paid before approval are not refunded. Missed registration and application deadlines remain your responsibility while the application is under review.

Benefits begin on the approval date and expire Dec. 31 of the next calendar year. An award approved in 2026 therefore expires Dec. 31, 2027. You may apply once per calendar year and receive no more than five awards during your lifetime. If you receive awards in consecutive calendar years, unused benefits from the first award expire when the new award receives approval. The AAMC notes that benefits may change.

For Canadian examinees, the AAMC and Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada operate a separate program that includes a reduced registration fee, online official prep products and, when applicable, the MCAT Accommodation Services Financial Benefit.

How to Pay for the MCAT

The MCAT Registration System accepts American Express, Visa, Discover and MasterCard. It also accepts debit cards displaying the Visa or MasterCard logo. The AAMC does not accept other payment methods.

The AAMC processes your registration immediately when you submit payment, and the process cannot be reversed once it begins. You are responsible for all fees. If a payment is declined or you reverse the card charge, you must provide another form of payment. Otherwise, the AAMC may cancel your registration, withhold all of your scores, including scores from previous years, and prevent future registration until you resolve the payment.

Other Test Day Costs to Plan For

Your AAMC total does not cover the personal cost of reaching the test center or bringing food and drinks. You cannot tour the center before test day, so determine how you will get there and how long the trip should take. The AAMC also instructs examinees to bring food and drinks for their lockers because they cannot leave for their cars or receive food deliveries during breaks.

Reviewing how long the MCAT is can help you plan transportation, meals and the rest of your day without adding unsupported dollar estimates to your budget.

Build Your MCAT Budget Before Choosing a Date

Start with the registration fee, add only the preparation products you expect to use and leave room for a possible schedule change. Before paying for a date, use your practice results with IMA’s MCAT score calculator to assess your readiness.

A realistic plan can help you avoid buying access too early or selecting a test date before you are prepared. Once you know your budget, use IMA’s guide on how to study for the MCAT to organize the resources you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does the MCAT Cost?

The MCAT costs $355 to register at the standard rate for 2026 testing dates. Your total may also include taxes, rescheduling charges, an international fee or optional official preparation products.

How Much Does the MCAT Cost With the Fee Assistance Program?

The reduced MCAT registration fee is $145 for approved Fee Assistance Program recipients. If you elect the included Online-Only Bundle, your AAMC registration and official bundle total can remain $145 based on IMA’s calculation.

Do You Get a Refund If You Cancel the MCAT?

You may receive a partial refund, depending on when you cancel. A standard cancellation completed at least 30 days before the exam returns $175, while a cancellation 10 to 29 days before the exam returns nothing. The international fee is not refundable.

How Much Does It Cost to Reschedule the MCAT?

Standard rescheduling costs $55 at least 60 days before the exam, $110 from 30 to 59 days before it and $210 from 10 to 29 days before it. Fee Assistance rates are $25, $45 and $85 for the same windows.

Is There an Extra Fee to Take the MCAT Outside the U.S.?

Yes. Testing outside the U.S., Canada or U.S. territories adds a $130 international fee to the registration charge. That international fee is not refunded if you cancel, and applicable taxes may also be collected.

How Much Do AAMC MCAT Practice Exams Cost?

The AAMC offers two full-length practice exams at no charge and five paid exams. Practice Exams 2 through 6 cost $35 each for one year of access, so all five cost $175 based on IMA’s arithmetic.

What Does the AAMC Fee Assistance Program Cover?

The program lowers MCAT registration to $145 and reduces reschedule fees. Recipients who elect the prep benefit get the MCAT Official Prep Online-Only Bundle. It also includes a two-year MSAR subscription, an AMCAS fee waiver for up to 20 schools, PREview and ERAS discounts and consideration for help paying for an accommodations evaluation. The AAMC says benefits are subject to change.

How Much Does It Cost to Retake the MCAT?

Each retake requires another registration payment. At the 2026 rates, IMA calculates that two attempts cost $710 at the standard rate or $290 with fee assistance, excluding preparation, taxes and personal test day expenses.