MCAT Cancellation Policy
Cancelling the MCAT is allowed until 10 days before test day — after that, you forfeit everything.
The AAMC MCAT cancellation policy is built on three scheduling zones plus one hard cutoff. This page gives you the deadlines, the exact refund you get in each zone, what happens if you simply do not show up, and the questions premeds ask most: does cancelling count as an attempt, and can you cancel the day before.
- You can cancel up to 10 days before your MCAT — inside 10 days, cancellation is not offered at all.
- Refunds only exist in the Gold and Silver zones. Bronze-zone cancellations refund nothing.
- A cancelled MCAT does not count as an attempt or void; a no-show does show as a void.
Deadlines
The three cancellation zones and the hard 10-day cutoff.
Your cancellation options depend entirely on how many days remain before your exam date. The AAMC calls these the Gold, Silver, and Bronze scheduling zones, and the cutoff is absolute.
- Gold zone (roughly 30+ days before your exam): cancellation allowed with the largest partial refund.
- Silver zone (roughly 15-29 days before): cancellation allowed with a reduced refund.
- Bronze zone (roughly 10-14 days before): cancellation allowed but no refund is issued.
- Inside 10 days: cancellation is closed. You either test or take a void/no-show.
Zones are counted from the exam date, not from your registration date. Confirm your current zone inside the AAMC MCAT Registration System before acting.
Refund Amounts
How much of the $345 you actually get back when you cancel.
The AAMC never refunds the full MCAT registration fee. Part of the fee covers processing and is retained regardless of when you cancel.
- Gold zone cancellation: partial refund of the registration fee (the largest tier available).
- Silver zone cancellation: smaller partial refund.
- Bronze zone cancellation: $0 refund — you may still cancel to avoid a void on your record.
- International surcharge and Fee Assistance registrations follow separate refund handling.
Refunds are issued to the original payment method and typically take 2-4 weeks to appear.
Cancel vs No-Show
Cancelling and simply not showing up are very different outcomes.
Both cost you the money, but only one leaves a mark on your MCAT record that medical schools can see.
- Cancelled exam: no score, no void, no attempt used, nothing reported to schools.
- No-show: recorded as a void on your MCAT record and it does count as an attempt.
- Voiding on test day (after starting): also counts as an attempt with no score released.
- If you know you cannot test, always cancel — even in the Bronze zone with no refund.
Emergencies
Emergency refund requests are the only path after the deadline passes.
The AAMC reviews emergency refund requests for documented circumstances such as serious illness, hospitalization, a death in the immediate family, or a military deployment. Approval is discretionary and requires documentation.
- Submit the request through the AAMC MCAT Program as soon as the emergency occurs.
- Attach objective documentation — a doctor's note, hospital record, or official orders.
- Approval is not guaranteed and can take several weeks to be reviewed.
- Test-anxiety, feeling underprepared, or a low practice score do not qualify.