Education:
Aspirants & Applicants
Education
Thinking about Medical School? Want to know the admission requirements to medical school?
Every year the AFMC gathers information on Admission Requirements directly from the 18 Faculties of Medicine in Canada and publishes a free guide to help students navigate the application process. The guide contains detailed information on every school, from MCAT requirements, to the number of available seats (including breakdown of restricted or reserved seats), application timelines and dates, interview dates, application requirements and fees, applicant success rates, combined program information, a complete set of contacts for the admission departments…and much more. The AFMC Admissions Guide is the place to get free information on every medical school in Canada in one convenient location.
MCAT Fee Assistance Program
Important Announcement: Canadian MCAT Fee Assistance Program
This year the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) changed how they released testing dates for the MCAT exam. Working together the AFMC and AAMC opened the first application window for the Canadian fee assistance program early to accommodate the change.
The second application window was originally planned to remain open until January 2026. Based on feedback from students, we recognized that there is still a great deal of demand for fee assistance awards that will be released sooner than 2026. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that the second application window will close on November 28, 2025. Award recipients will have access to substantially more testing dates earlier. This change will also shift the third application window. Please see the graphic below for updated dates.
We’d like to thank students for taking the time to reach out to the AFMC with their feedback. We are pleased to offer this change to meet your needs.
What is the MCAT?
The Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®), developed and administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students in the United States and Canada.
What is the MCAT Fee Assistance Program?
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) offer a fee assistance program for Canadian examinees in financial need who register for the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®).
What is the purpose of the MCAT?
It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioural, and social science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. For further information about the MCAT®, please visit the AAMC.
Why it matters?
In our continuing efforts to support an increasingly diverse physician workforce, the AAMC and AFMC are providing support to Canadian students who would be unable to take the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) without financial assistance.
Step 1
Find out which Canadian Faculties of Medicine require the MCAT test as part of their admission requirements at Admission Requirements of Canadian Faculties of Medicine or by checking the schools’ websites.
Step 2
All applicants should read the MCAT® Fee Assistance Program for Canadians Application Guide which offers all the information required including program eligibility, award benefits and post submission processes.
Step 3
Check your eligibility by responding to the online questionnaire here. If you meet the assessment criteria outlined in the eligibility check, you will then have access to apply to the fee assistance program.
Step 4
Review the application and processing timelines. The application period for the 2025 testing year is now open. All applicants must submit required financial documentation to verify personal income, that of a spouse (if applicable) and parent’s incomes.
Note: All applicants should read the MCAT® Fee Assistance Program for Canadians Application Guide (Step 2) prior to applying.
Step 5
The AFMC evaluates applications for fee assistance. Successful applicants will receive reduced scheduling, rescheduling and cancellation rates for 2024 testing year. Awardees will also receive the MCAT® Official Prep Online-Only Bundle.
MCAT Fee Assistance Program Application Steps
Step 1
Find out which Canadian Faculties of Medicine require the MCAT test as part of their admission requirements at Admission Requirements of Canadian Faculties of Medicine or by checking the schools’ websites.
Step 2
All applicants should read the MCAT® Fee Assistance Program for Canadians Application Guide which offers all the information required including program eligibility, award benefits and post submission processes.
Step 3
Check your eligibility by responding to the online questionnaire here. If you meet the assessment criteria outlined in the eligibility check, you will then have access to apply to the fee assistance program.
Step 4
Review the application and processing timelines. The application period for the 2023 cycle is now open. All applicants must submit required financial documentation to verify personal income, that of a spouse (if applicable) and parent’s incomes.
Note: All applicants should read the MCAT® Fee Assistance Program for Canadians Application Guide (Step 2) prior to applying.
Step 5
The AFMC evaluates applications for fee assistance. Successful applicants will receive reduced scheduling, rescheduling and cancellation rates for 2023 testing year. Awardees will also receive the MCAT® Official Prep Online-Only Bundle.
2025 Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program
The 2025 Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program offers awarded students with free medical school applications to participating Canadian medical schools. This program was developed to support medical school applicants facing financial barriers to applying to medical school. The Ontario program was collaboratively developed by the Price of a Dream (POD), the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), the Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine (COFM), and the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).
This year, the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan continue to offer a fee waiver program through the AFMC. Therefore, in total there are three Medical School Application Fee Waiver Programs available in this application cycle (2025-2026). All the organizations listed are committed to providing support to Canadian students who would either be unable to afford to apply to medical school or would undergo significant financial strain by attempting to apply to medical school without financial assistance.
Ontario Program
Applications open on June 27, 2025 (12:01 AM ET), and close on August 22, 2025 (11:59 PM ET).
University of Alberta Program
Applications open on May 14, 2025 (12:01 AM EST), and close on July 14, 2025 (11:59 PM EST). Awarded students will have their application fee waived, and the interview fee waived if they receive an MD program interview, for the 2025-2026 application cycle.
University of Saskatchewan Program
Applications open on May 14, 2025 (12:01 AM EST), and close on July 15, 2025 (11:59 PM EST). Awarded students will have their application fee waived, and the interview fee waived if they receive an MD program interview, for the 2025-2026 application cycle.
