AMCAS Is Open: Here's Exactly What to do Right Now

AMCAS has officially opened for the 2027 application cycle and if you're serious about getting into medical school, the time to act is now. Submitting early gives your application more time to be verified and transmitted to schools, and many programs begin reviewing files and extending interviews on a rolling basis. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of everything you should be doing right now.

1. Register with the AAMC and Create Your Account

Before you can do anything else, you need an AAMC account. Go to aamc.org/amcas and click the AMCAS Sign In button in the top right, then select Create AAMC Account.

If you've previously registered for AAMC programs including the MCAT, SHPEP, or the Fee Assistance Program, use that same account. Do not create a new one. Creating multiple AAMC IDs can trigger a fraud investigation, which is the last thing you want at the start of your application cycle.

Once registered, you'll receive a confirmation email to verify your account. Keep your AAMC ID number handy; you'll need it throughout the process.

Important: The application times out after 30 minutes of inactivity. Save your work constantly.

2. Check Your Eligibility for the Fee Assistance Program

Before submitting your AMCAS application, check whether you qualify for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program. If you're eligible, this benefit can waive your application fees for up to 20 medical school designations, but you must apply for and receive the award before you submit your AMCAS application. Fee Assistance benefits are not retroactive. If you submit first, you cannot apply the benefit retroactively.

3. Complete the Identifying Information Section

This section is straightforward but requires careful attention. You'll enter:

• Legal name exactly as it appears on government-issued documents
• Preferred name and any alternate names (maiden names, nicknames) that might appear on transcripts — this helps AMCAS match your documents accurately
• ID numbers from transcripts (not your Social Security number)
• Birth date, birthplace, and gender identity/pronouns (optional)

4. Enter Your Schools Attended

List every postsecondary institution where you were ever enrolled for even a single course even if you withdrew, didn't earn credit, or transferred those credits elsewhere. This includes community colleges, summer programs, study abroad programs, and any college-level courses taken while you were still in high school.

For each school, you'll enter:

• Program type (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)
• Start and end dates
• Degree(s) earned or expected, with month and year
• Major(s) and minor(s)

Pro tip: If you were enrolled in more than one program at the same institution (e.g., undergraduate and then a post-bacc), create a separate entry for each program and request separate transcripts.

5. Request Your Official Transcripts Now

Transcript issues are the number one cause of processing delays and missed deadlines. Don't underestimate how long this can take.

You must submit one official transcript from every U.S. or Canadian postsecondary institution where you attempted coursework — regardless of whether you earned credit. This includes:

• Schools where you withdrew or received incompletes
• Community colleges, even if credits were transferred elsewhere
• College-level courses taken during high school
• Study abroad programs sponsored by a U.S. institution

AMCAS strongly prefers electronic transcripts submitted through approved vendors: National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, or Certree. If submitting a paper transcript, generate and include the pre-barcoded AMCAS Transcript Request Form from within your application.

Download all transcripts for you own use, too. Unofficial copies are fine. You'll need it to accurately complete the coursework section.

6. Fill Out Biographic Information

The biographic section gives admissions committees important context about your background and journey. Be thoughtful and accurate. You'll complete:

• Preferred and permanent addresses (keep these current throughout the cycle)
• Citizenship and legal residence (citizenship cannot be changed after submitting)
• Self-identification of race and ethnicity (optional)
• Languages spoken, with proficiency levels
• Childhood information, including how you paid for college and whether you grew up in a medically underserved area
• Parents/guardians, siblings, and dependents
• Military service history, if applicable
• Felony and misdemeanor disclosures — answer this carefully and honestly. Failure to disclose, or submitting inaccurate information, can result in an AAMC investigation and disqualification from the application cycle.

7. Enter All of Your Coursework

This is the most time-consuming section of the application, one of the most important sections, and the one most likely to cause delays if done incorrectly. Using your personal copy of your official transcripts as a reference, you must enter every course you have ever enrolled in at any U.S. or Canadian postsecondary institution, including:

• All repeated courses (every attempt, including the original failing grade)
• Courses you withdrew from
• Courses removed via academic forgiveness or bankruptcy policies (the original grade must still be reported)
• Failed courses
• Physical education and music courses
• College-level courses taken in high school

For each course, enter:

• Academic year and term in chronological order
• Year in school (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Postbaccalaureate, or Graduate)
• Course name and number exactly as they appear on your transcript
• Course classification (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, etc. — this determines your BCPM GPA)
• Credit hours exactly as shown on your transcript
• Transcript grade exactly as it appears

The most common reasons AMCAS returns an application:

• Failing to include original grades for repeated courses
• Omitting 10 or more courses, credits, or grades from a transcript
• Not entering coursework in chronological order

A returned application means delays and potentially missed deadlines. Take your time and get this right the first time.

Pro Tip: Be aware of Special Circumstances for certain course types like AP classes and how to enter Study Abroad courses.

8. Enter Your Work and Activities

List up to 15 experiences in your work and activities section of AMCAS, including research, clinical work, volunteering, leadership, shadowing, and employment. For each activity, you'll provide an activity name, contact, dates, hours, a category, and description..

You will also enter whether an activity is completed or vs. anticipated.

You'll also designate up to three "Most Meaningful" experiences, for which you'll have additional space to explain the significance of those activities to your development as a future physician. Choose these carefully — they carry significant weight with admissions committees.

New for 2027: The Social Justice/Advocacy experience type has been renamed to Community Health Advocacy.

9. Set Up Your Letters of Evaluation

You can begin managing your letter requests now, even before your application is submitted. Letters are not required for AMCAS to verify your application; they'll be forwarded to schools as they arrive.

Please note the three letter types:

• Committee Letter: A Committee Letter may or may not include additional letters written in support of your application. This is sometimes called a Composite Letter.
• Letter Packet: A packet or set of letters assembled and distributed by your institution, often by the institution’s career center.
• Individual Letter: A letter written by, and representing, a single letter author. If you have already included an Individual Letter within either a Committee Letter or a Letter Packet, do not add a separate entry for that letter.

Create letter requests within the application and communicate with your letter writers early. Give them plenty of time, and make sure they know how to submit letters through the AMCAS system (either electronically through a delivery service or by mail with your Transcript Request Form).

Pro Tip: If you aren't sure what types of letters your undergraduate college requires, check with your premed advisor or your career center.

10. Add Your Medical Schools

Research your list carefully and be strategic. You'll designate medical schools in this section and pay a per-school fee for each one you add. The AMCAS program is not involved in admissions decisions; each school evaluates applications independently.

Use the MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements) database to research schools' GPA ranges, MCAT scores, mission statements, and class profiles before finalizing your list.

11. Write Your Personal Comments Essay

You have 5,300 characters (including spaces) to write your medical school personal statement narrative. This is your opportunity to help admissions committees understand who you are, why you want to become a physician, and what experiences have shaped that path.

Use this space wisely. Don't simply list experiences you've already described elsewhere; give admissions committees insight into your motivations, growth, and character.

12. Review Your MCAT Scores

Your MCAT scores will be automatically linked to your AMCAS application. Make sure your scores are where you need them to be before submitting. If you're retaking the MCAT, be aware that AMCAS sends all scores to every school you designate and not just your most recent or highest.

13. Certify and Submit starting May 28th at 9:30 AM EST

Before you can submit, you'll certify that all information is current, complete, and accurate and that your personal statement and activity descriptions represent your own work. Read the certification statements carefully.

Once submitted, your ability to make changes is extremely limited. Review everything carefully before clicking submit. Falsification or material omissions can result in an AAMC investigation with serious consequences for your application and future career.

A Word on Timing

During peak season (June through August), AMCAS verification can take six to eight weeks. The sooner you submit a complete, accurate application with all transcripts received, the sooner your application moves through verification and reaches schools. For most applicants, submitting in late May or early June represents the sweet spot. This is early enough to benefit from rolling admissions, yet late enough to have a polished, complete application.

Need Help With Your Application?

The AMCAS application is complex, and the stakes are high. At MedEdits, our physician advisors have helped thousands of applicants navigate this process  from building a strategic school list and perfecting your personal statement to reviewing your Work & Activities entries for maximum impact. Contact us to learn how we can support you this cycle.