MCAT

Medical school applicants

Total time

About 7 hours 30 minutes of total seat time...

Sections

Score scale

Each of the four sections is scaled 118 to...

Cost

$345 / $355

Scores valid

3 years

Join the MCAT waitlist Register at AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges)

Structure

Section	Questions	Time	Scored
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems	59	95 min	118 to 132
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)	53	90 min	118 to 132
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems	59	95 min	118 to 132
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior	59	95 min	118 to 132

Total: About 7 hours 30 minutes of total seat time: 6 hours 15 minutes of testing across 230 scored questions, plus breaks and administrative tasks. (Kaplan Test Prep, 2026)

Cost and logistics

Delivery	In-person, computer-based exam delivered at hundreds of Pearson VUE test centers in the US, Canada, and select locations worldwide (Pearson VUE, 2025)
Score validity	3 years (AAMC, 2025)
Retakes	Up to 3 attempts in a single calendar year, 4 attempts across two consecutive calendar years, and 7 attempts in a lifetime; not showing up for an exam counts as an attempt (AAMC, 2025)
Score release	Scores are released 30 to 35 days after each exam date, by 5:00 p.m. ET on the scheduled score release date published by the AAMC (AAMC, 2025)

Fees and policies change; confirm on the official registration page before booking.

What it is for and who accepts it

The standardized exam for medical school admissions, administered by the AAMC (AAMC, 2025)

Nearly all medical schools in the United States and many in Canada, the Caribbean, and elsewhere require MCAT scores (American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, 2026)

Worth knowing

Score validity is set by each medical school: most accept scores up to three years old, and many increasingly prefer scores no more than two years old (AAMC, 2025)
The AAMC Fee Assistance Program also includes free MCAT Official Prep products, a free MSAR subscription, and an AMCAS application fee waiver for one cycle; benefits are not retroactive (AAMC, 2025)
The exam has 230 scored questions; the three science sections each have 59 questions in 95 minutes, while CARS has 53 questions in 90 minutes (Kaplan Test Prep, 2026)
The AAMC publishes specific score release dates in advance for each test date so applicants can plan around application deadlines (AAMC, 2025)

Prep is on the way

Our adaptive trainer for the MCAT is in development: the same engine, games, and mock sections already live for the GMAT. Join the waitlist and you will be first in.

Join the MCAT waitlist

Facts on this page are recorded from the sources cited beside each figure, most recently checked 2026-08-19. The exam belongs to its maker; always confirm current fees, formats, and policies on the official registration site before booking a test date.