Medical Schools That Don’t Require the MCAT

Most U.S. medical schools require the MCAT for regular admission, but some BS/MD, BA/MD and early assurance programs waive it. A few Canadian MD programs also admit students without considering MCAT scores. These medical schools that don’t require the MCAT have separate eligibility rules, academic conditions and application timelines.

The programs below are limited to those whose schools described an MCAT waiver or alternative when their websites were checked on Sept. 15, 2026. Policies can change, so confirm the requirements for your application year before committing to a no-MCAT path.

MCAT Waiver Programs at a Glance

• An MCAT waiver usually applies to a specific combined or early assurance program, not every applicant to the medical school.
• Combined programs admit students from high school, while early assurance programs generally select students during college.
• Several pathways impose GPA, course, citizenship, residency or partner-college conditions that continue after acceptance.
• Tufts is changing its policy for conditional acceptances during or after the 2027-2028 academic year, and LECOM says an exemption may apply rather than guaranteeing one.

Can You Get Into Medical School Without the MCAT?

Yes, you can get into medical school without the MCAT through certain combined, early assurance, osteopathic and Canadian pathways. According to the AAMC, however, most U.S. medical schools and many Canadian schools require recent scores. IMA’s guide to the MCAT sections provides more background on the exam and its role in admissions.

A waiver belongs to a particular program, not automatically to the entire school. Rochester exempts students in REMS, its Early Assurance Program and its Post-bac Linkage Program, while other Rochester MD applicants must take the MCAT. Albany Medical College and Tufts likewise require the exam from regular applicants even though each offers a designated pathway with a different policy.

Marshall does the same: its admissions criteria require the MCAT with a 505 minimum for consideration, apart from students in its designated programs.

If your plans include regular admission, review MCAT registration early enough to choose a testing date.

BS/MD and BA/MD Programs That Waive the MCAT

Combined programs let you enter a defined undergraduate-to-medical-school pathway from high school. The waiver remains tied to meeting the program’s academic and conduct conditions. If you are comparing the format more broadly, IMA’s guide to BS/MD programs explains how combined pathways differ from regular admission.

CUNY School of Medicine Seven-Year BS/MD

The CUNY School of Medicine program overview describes an accelerated seven-year pathway through the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education. Students earn a BS in biomedical science in three years and can then enter the four-year MD program without taking the MCAT. CUNY designed the program for students committed to improving access to care in communities with provider shortages.

Brown University PLME

Students in Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education do not need the MCAT to matriculate at the Warren Alpert Medical School, according to the Brown PLME FAQ. They must maintain strong academic standing and professionalism. You apply to Brown through the Common Application and answer PLME-specific essays rather than submitting a separate application. Brown’s Early Decision option remains binding even if PLME does not admit you, so Brown encourages students applying to several combined programs to use Regular Decision.

University of Rochester REMS

Rochester Early Medical Scholars is an eight-year BA or BS plus MD program offering selected students a conditional admission guarantee and an MCAT exemption. First-year applicants indicate interest through the Common Application or Coalition for College Application. The stated deadlines are November 1 for Early Decision and November 15 for Regular Decision.

Albany Medical College Combined Programs

Albany Medical College’s combined programs include seven- to eight-year pathways with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Union College and Siena University. Albany reserves up to 45 first-year places across these programs, and its MD admissions page says combined-program applicants do not need the MCAT.

Applicants must be high school seniors who rank in the top 10% of their class or have at least a 3.5 GPA. They must also be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Albany considers each applicant for only one of the three combined programs.

Early Assurance Programs That Waive the MCAT

Early assurance programs generally admit students after they have established a college academic record. Each option below restricts eligibility by institution, year in college or another stated condition.

Georgetown University Early Assurance Program

Georgetown’s Early Assurance Program offers assurance of admission at the end of sophomore year without requiring the MCAT for Georgetown, but accepted students who want to apply to another medical school must take the MCAT. Applicants must be in their fourth semester at Georgetown and complete four pre-med courses by the end of May. Transfer students cannot apply.

After admission, students must keep an overall GPA and a BCPM GPA of at least 3.6 and cannot receive a C or lower in any course, according to Georgetown’s undergraduate EAP requirements.

University of Rochester Early Assurance Program

Rochester extends its MCAT exemption to an Early Assurance Program for students at partner colleges. The University of Rochester admissions page identifies Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Colgate, Hamilton, Haverford, Hunter College, Middlebury, Spelman, Swarthmore, Williams and Xavier University of Louisiana as partners.

Tufts University Early Assurance Program

The Tufts Early Assurance Program currently offers selected students assurance of admission without an MCAT score. Eligibility includes cumulative science and total GPAs of at least 3.7, specified course grades and required biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry coursework completed at Tufts or a Maine Track home school by the end of sophomore year.

Tufts strongly encourages practice MCAT exams even when it does not require a score. For conditional acceptances received during or after the 2027-2028 academic year, students must earn at least 510 overall and reach at least the 50th percentile in the Bio/Biochem, Chem/Phys and Psych/Soc sections within two attempts before final acceptance.

University of Toledo MedStart

The University of Toledo’s MedStart program accepts students during their junior year at an accredited U.S. college and does not require the MCAT for program acceptance. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and provide an ACT or SAT score. Toledo recommends a cumulative GPA of at least 3.7 and a science GPA of at least 3.5. It strongly encourages taking the MCAT during senior year for preparation and potential eligibility for merit scholarships requiring competitive scores.

Marshall University MD Early Assurance Program

Marshall’s MD Early Assurance Program is open to Marshall students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and apply in the spring of their second undergraduate year. Students who successfully complete the undergraduate portion do not need the MCAT and enter the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine after meeting its matriculation requirements.

Albany Medical College Early Assurance for Union Students

Union College’s early assurance pathway lets successful students bypass both the MCAT and the regular Albany Medical College application. Students apply at the end of sophomore year and receive assurance of admission two years later if accepted. Applicants need overall and science GPAs of at least 3.50, grades of B or higher and an ACT above 31 or SAT above 1400.

University at Albany EAPP

The University at Albany Early Assurance Pathway Program with Albany Medical College recruits UAlbany sophomores who are first-generation college graduates, come from low-income backgrounds or have a sustained interest in underserved populations. Students who maintain satisfactory records do not need the MCAT.

University at Albany REAP

UAlbany also participates in the Rural Early Assurance Program with SUNY Upstate Medical University. It is for New York State UAlbany students from designated rural ZIP codes who apply during their second semester of sophomore year. Applicants need cumulative and science GPAs of at least 3.5. Students who maintain satisfactory records are not required to take the MCAT.

Osteopathic Option at LECOM

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine presents an alternative, but you should not assume the waiver is automatic. LECOM’s Early Acceptance Program says enrolled students may be exempt from the MCAT and do not need to submit an AACOMAS application. Students can apply as high school seniors, while current college students should check with their pre-health advisor.

For admission to its College of Osteopathic Medicine, LECOM’s entrance requirements say it may use an Academic Index Score calculated from undergraduate and graduate GPAs with ACT or SAT scores instead of MCAT scores. The same page describes a competitive MCAT as the 50th percentile or higher. Before choosing this pathway, compare the distinctions in IMA’s MD vs DO guide.

Canadian Medical Schools That Don’t Require the MCAT

Three verified Canadian MD programs state that they do not require the MCAT. Their other admissions conditions still apply, so an MCAT-free policy should not be treated as general eligibility for every applicant.

University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa application process says the MCAT is not an admission requirement for its MD program. Applicants must complete at least three years of full-time university study.

NOSM University

NOSM University’s admissions FAQ says the MCAT is not required. If an applicant submits a score, NOSM does not consider it.

McGill University

McGill University’s MCAT requirements page says no applicant to its undergraduate medical program has needed the exam since the 2024 admission cycle. Its application does not provide a place to submit a score, and McGill does not consider one.

Programs That Now Require the MCAT or Have Closed

Several programs found on older no-MCAT lists no longer qualify. Dartmouth’s Geisel Early Assurance Program now requires accepted students to take the MCAT before matriculation and earn at least 503. East Carolina University’s Brody Early Assurance Program lists a minimum MCAT score of 500.

Marshall has closed its former BS/MD program, with the final cohort selected in early 2025. Toledo’s BACC2MD pathway requires application materials that include MCAT scores. Tufts’ change for conditional acceptances during or after the 2027-2028 academic year, described above, also belongs on this list. Confirm each current policy on the program’s own website rather than relying on an older list.

Medical School Programs Without the MCAT at a Glance

The table summarizes the programs described on the school pages cited above, including who applies and the MCAT policy stated when those pages were retrieved on Sept. 15, 2026. Review the full program section before using a row to make an application decision.

How to Decide Whether an MCAT Waiver Program Fits

Check When You Must Commit

Combined programs ask you to choose a medical school path as a high school senior, and most of the early assurance pathways above expect an application during sophomore or junior year. Decide whether you are ready to commit to one school that early, and note any rules in the program sections above about applying to other programs or other medical schools.

Compare Every Continuing Condition

A waiver does not remove academic expectations. Reread the GPA, grade and course conditions in each program section above, and check whether a program limits participation by college, citizenship, residency or home ZIP code before you plan around it.

Keep a Regular Admissions Plan Available

As the program sections above note, some schools encourage MCAT preparation even when they waive the exam. If regular admission may remain part of your plan, decide when to take the MCAT without waiting until a waiver pathway is no longer available.

A lower-than-hoped-for score also does not make this list your only option. IMA’s guide to medical schools accepting low MCAT scores covers that separate question.

Choose a Path That Preserves Your Options

Start by matching your current stage of education and eligibility to the programs above, then read the school’s current requirements before applying. Treat an MCAT waiver as one part of a larger admissions path, not as permission to overlook grades, coursework or program commitments.

If you decide that regular admission gives you the flexibility you need, build enough preparation time into your schedule and review IMA’s guidance on how to study for the MCAT.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Get Into Medical School Without Taking the MCAT?

Yes, but only through programs with a stated waiver or through schools that do not consider the exam. In the United States, these options are primarily combined and early assurance pathways. Most regular U.S. medical school applicants still need recent MCAT scores.

Which U.S. Medical Schools Don’t Require the MCAT?

No-MCAT policies usually apply to particular pathways rather than an entire U.S. school. Verified options include designated programs at CUNY, Brown, Rochester, Albany Medical College, Georgetown, Tufts, Toledo, Marshall, SUNY Upstate and LECOM, including early assurance pathways offered with Union College and the University at Albany. Eligibility and continuing conditions differ by program.

Do Any BS/MD Programs Not Require the MCAT?

Yes. CUNY’s seven-year BS/MD program and Albany Medical College’s combined programs waive the MCAT, while Brown PLME and Rochester REMS provide no-MCAT combined pathways leading to medical school. Each requires you to enter through its designated undergraduate admissions process.

Which Early Assurance Programs Waive the MCAT?

Verified early assurance options include Georgetown, Rochester, Tufts, Toledo MedStart, Marshall, Albany Medical College’s pathway for Union students and UAlbany’s EAPP and REAP. These programs limit eligibility by factors such as college, academic year, GPA, citizenship or geographic background.

Does Tufts Still Waive the MCAT for Early Assurance?

Tufts currently offers EAP admission without an MCAT score, but its policy is changing. Students receiving conditional acceptance during or after the 2027-2028 academic year must earn at least 510 and meet Tufts’ section-score and attempt conditions before final acceptance.

Do Canadian Medical Schools Require the MCAT?

Some do, but the University of Ottawa, NOSM University and McGill University state that their MD admissions processes do not require the MCAT. NOSM and McGill also say submitted scores are not considered. Other admissions requirements still apply.

Is There a DO School That Doesn’t Require the MCAT?

LECOM may provide an MCAT exemption through its Early Acceptance Program or use an Academic Index Score in place of MCAT scores for College of Osteopathic Medicine admission. Because LECOM uses the word “may,” confirm how the policy applies to your record before relying on an exemption.