Everything You Need to Know About the MCAT

12 February 2026

Are you considering applying to Australian medical schools?

Then you’ll want to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT®). The MCAT is administered multiple times from late January through early September and offered at hundreds of test sites in the United States, Canada, and around the world.

It’s not surprising that some of the questions we’re asked most frequently are, “When should I take my MCAT exam?” and “Where can I take the MCAT?”

If you’d like to begin your graduate medical studies in 2027, this is the article for you!

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When Should I Take the Exam?

Is there ever a “perfect” time?! Former OzTREKKers say to take the exam when you feel prepared. According to the AAMC website, students reported preparing on average for three months for 20 hours per week. The best way to do that is to take practice tests and use the AAMC resources available to you.

When you take the test also begs the question, When do you want to attend medical school? With Australian medical school intakes beginning in January and February, you will want to look at our graduate admissions timeline. This will allow you to see the application deadlines, the last day to sit the MCAT, interview dates, and when offers are expected.

 

Can I Take the Exam More Than Once?

If you think you may wish to retake the exam, it’s best to book your exam earlier in a testing year. This will give you the opportunity to receive your scores, decide whether to retest, and find another seat on a preferred date.

 

What’s On the Exam?

According to the AAMC website, the MCAT exam content found in introductory-level courses at most universities, including biology, general and organic chemistry, and physics, as well as first-semester biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. Here’s an overview from the AAMC website:

Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
The Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section asks you to solve problems by combining your knowledge of biological and biochemical concepts with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
In the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior section, you’re asked to solve problems by combining your knowledge of foundational concepts with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
The Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section asks you to solve problems by combining your knowledge of chemical and physical foundational concepts with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
This section will be like many of the verbal reasoning tests you have taken in your academic career. It includes passages and questions that test your ability to comprehend what you read.

Your best bet is to go to their official Content Outline Course for full details. The outline contains the complete list of foundational concepts, content categories, skills, and disciplines you will need to know for test day.

 

How Often Can I Take the MCAT?

You can take the MCAT up to 3 times per testing year; within 2 consecutive-year period, up to 4 times; and up to 7 times total in a lifetime. Remember that voids and no-shows count toward your lifetime limits. You can only be registered for one seat at a time.

All scheduling deadlines are at 11:59 p.m. local test centre time on the day of the deadline.

The 10-day Deadline is the last date to schedule, reschedule, or cancel a reservation and last date to edit registration information such as name, address, consents, etc.

 

2026 Testing Calendar (Canada) for 2027 Intake

Test Date 60 Day Deadline 30 Day Deadline 10 Day Deadline Score Release Date
January 9 Nov. 10, 2025 Dec. 10, 2025 Dec. 30, 2025 Feb. 10
January 10 Nov. 11, 2025 Dec. 11, 2025 Dec. 31, 2025 Feb. 10
January 15 Nov. 16, 2025 Dec. 16, 2025 Jan. 5 Feb. 17
January 23 Nov. 24, 2025 Dec. 24, 2025 Jan. 13 Feb. 24
February 13 Dec. 15, 2025 Jan. 14 Feb. 3 March 17
March 7 Jan. 6 Feb. 5 Feb. 25 April 7
March 20 Jan. 19 Feb. 18 March 10 April 21
April 10 Feb. 9 March 11 March 31 May 12
April 11 Feb. 10 March 12 April 1 May 12
April 24 Feb. 23 March 25 April 14 May 27
April 25 Feb. 24 March 26 April 15 May 27
May 2 March 3 April 2 April 22 June 2
May 8 March 9 April 8 April 28  June 9
May 9
March 10
 April 9 April 29 June 9
May 14
March 15
 April 14 May 4 June 16
May 22 March 23 April 22 May 12 June 23
May 30 March 31 April 30 May 20 June 30
June 12 April 13 May 13 June 2 July 14
June 13 April 14 May 14 June 3 July 14
June 26 April 27 May 27 June 16 July 28
June 27 April 28 May 28 June 17 July 28
July 11 May 12 June 11 July 1 Aug. 11
July 24 May 25 June 24 July 14 Aug. 25
July 31 June 1 July 1 July 21 Sept. 2
August 15 June 16 July 16 Aug. 5 Sept. 15
August 21 June 22 July 22 Aug. 11 Sept. 22
August 22 June 23 July 23 Aug. 12 Sept. 22
September 3 July 5 Aug. 4 Aug. 24 Oct. 6
September 4 July 6 Aug. 5 Aug. 25 Oct. 6
September 11 July 13 Aug. 12 Sept. 1 Oct. 13
September 12 July 14 Aug. 13 Sept. 2 Oct. 13

 

Where Can I Take the Exam?

Once you register with the MCAT Registration System, you will then see the testing locations. On rare occasions, a test centre address or location may change. If such an address change occurs, the AAMC or Pearson VUE will make every effort to notify you via email before your test date. Plan ahead by locating the test centre before test day. You ​will not ​be allowed to enter the testing centre, but you will learn how to get there and how long it will take.

In the past, we have seen multiple locations throughout BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, NS & NL.

 

Australian Medical Degrees for North Americans

Australian medical schools offer high-quality education and clinical training in an amazing setting. Every year, we help hundreds of students choose the right Australian medical school program. With an understanding of admissions requirements, application procedures, and practicing medicine following graduation, we can guide you through the entire process of studying medicine in Australia.

 

How to Determine Your Eligibility

 

Medical Licensing

We know that international medical education means you have questions about what happens after you graduate. Each year, OzTREKK hosts several medical licensing information sessions for applicants who have submitted their med school application via OzTREKK. These sessions provide the latest information regarding the accreditation and medical licensing processes in Canada and the United States, as well as outline options for internships in Australia—an option that a growing number of students choose.

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Do you have any questions about the MCAT or applying to medical schools in Australia? Please email us at medicine@oztrekk.com or book a chat. The OzTREKK Medicine Admissions Team can help you determine where you’ll be most competitive.

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