Medical schools that don't require the MCAT

What is the MCAT and why do so many medical schools require it for admissions? If you're a prospective medical student, here's what you need to know.

Jun 17, 2025

Healthcare Studies

Three Things You Can Do If the MCAT Isn't An Option

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What is the MCAT?Can you go to med school without it?What if the MCAT isn't an option?Med schools that don't require the MCAT

✨ 5-second summary

The MCAT is a standardized test used by medical schools in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean to assess applicants.
A low (or missing) MCAT score doesn't mean you can't apply to medical school.
Many medical schools in the USA (and around the world) offer alternatives to the MCAT for admissions, and some schools do not require the MCAT at all.

If you are an aspiring doctor hoping to attend medical school in the USA (or elsewhere), acing the MCATs is probably one of your goals. However, the reality is that not everyone gets the scores they need to impress med school admissions committees, and some prospective medical students can't or won't take the MCAT.

The good news is that there are paths to physician careers that don’t involve high MCAT scores, or even MCAT scores at all. Here’s a closer look at why this test matters so much, along with three alternatives to the MCAT and a list of schools where the MCAT is optional.

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What is the MCAT, and why does it matter?

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized test designed to assess prospective medical students. The exam focuses on skills and aptitude deemed essential to success in medical school and practicing medicine. This means that, in addition to testing students' knowledge of biomedical sciences, the test also assesses problem-solving, critical thinking, and reading and writing comprehension.

While many students enter medical school from a pre-med undergraduate program, others will come to medical education from other areas, and the MCAT is a way for medical schools to measure students from different backgrounds and experiences.

Additionally, many medical schools use the test as a way to distinguish themselves. Admitting candidates with high MCAT scores demonstrates the rigor and exclusivity of their programs, which can place schools higher on medical school rankings.

Can you go to medical school without taking the MCAT?

The simple answer is: yes. You can attend medical school without taking the MCAT. While most medical school admissions in the USA, as well as many in Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean, use MCAT scores as a primary qualification metric, outside of these countries, the MCAT is usually not required. So, if you are not planning to study in the USA, Canada, Australia, or the Caribbean, you probably won't need to take the MCAT.

However, for prospective USA medical students, the MCAT is an almost universal requirement. Not only do most USA medical schools require the test, but you'll need to score above a 490 (out of a possible 528) to be considered by the majority of schools in the USA and Canada.

So, what can you do if your MCAT scores are too low, you don't want to take the MCAT, or you don't have a way to take the MCAT?

Three things you can do if your MCAT scores are low or you haven't taken the MCAT

If your MCAT scores are disappointing, or you haven't taken the test and still want to apply to medical school, you have a few options that might help you matriculate at a medical school in the USA or elsewhere. Here are three options to consider if you won't be including MCAT scores in your application.

1. Strengthen other aspects of your application

While MCAT scores are important, so are other aspects of your application. If your scores are not where you want them to be and you will not have another opportunity to take the test, focus on enriching your candidate profile in other ways. High grades and an exceptional GPA, strong extracurriculars, and relevant experience (like shadowing working physicians) can all help you stand out.

If you're applying to a program that requires the MCAT, or a high MCAT score, and you do not include your results, you need to bring a lot to the admissions table that demonstrates both your aptitude for medicine and your value as a member of the program. Medical school is not a solo learning environment - medical students work together and learn from one another. In most cases, medical schools will look at both the individual qualifications of applicants and how they will meld with their cohort when considering candidates.

2. Consider BS/MD, Early Assurance, or DO programs

BS/MD Programs

If you are a high school student considering a medical degree and you can't or don't want to take the MCAT, a BS/MD program is a great option. These programs are also known as 'direct entry' programs and are essentially a fast track to medical school for highly motivated, high-performing students who are already sure they want to pursue medicine as a career. These programs, which usually last seven to eight years, don't require the MCAT, but you will need to have an exemplary high school GPA, and most will require high ACT/SAT scores, as well as relevant extracurriculars and letters of recommendation.

Early Assurance

Like BS/MD programs, early assurance programs (EAP) can be a fast track into medical school. If you are an undergraduate student aspiring to medical school, you can apply to EAPs at the end of your second year and, if successful, secure your place at medical school long before you graduate.

For students looking for a way around the MCAT, it's useful to know that most EAPs require lower MCAT scores (or no MCAT at all). But don't assume they're the easy way out. These highly competitive programs will demand high undergraduate GPAs, strong references, relevant extracurriculars, and a rigorous interview process.

DO programs

For aspiring medical students who already hold an undergraduate degree but don't have high MCAT scores, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program is an option. A DO is a fully licensed medical doctor; however, DOs take a holistic approach to medicine with a focus on prevention and whole-person health. In the USA, you usually earn a DO from a school of osteopathic medicine, rather than an allopathic medical school. In many cases, osteopathic medical schools still require MCAT results, but requirements tend to be lower and acceptance rates higher than allopathic medical schools.

3. Consider studying outside the USA

If you're set on studying the USA, the two options above will be your surest way of getting into a medical school without taking the MCAT. But what if you want to study abroad?

Outside of the USA (and Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean), the MCAT is not a usual requirement. Some medical schools abroad might consider MCAT scores in their admissions processes, but not having MCAT scores (or having lower MCAT scores) won't be as prohibitive as it might be in the USA.

Just because a program abroad doesn't require an MCAT score doesn't mean that it will be of lower quality or less rigorous than a demanding program in the USA. Nor will you necessarily have trouble transferring your foreign medical degree back to the USA (if that's where you're hoping to practice medicine). The USA and Canada co-accredit medical degrees, so a Canadian program that doesn't require the MCAT is an easy option.

Medical degrees from other countries, like those in the EU, the UK, India, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, and Mexico, may be accepted for practice in the USA, as long as the program was accredited, and the applicant passes USA licensing requirements like ECFMG certification or the USMLE. And, as a bonus, you might find that medical school abroad comes with a smaller price tag. For example, in Germany, only private institutions charge tuition for medical studies, meaning that you could earn a medical degree at a public German university without accruing hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

Another benefit of studying abroad? It might open doors for medical practice outside the USA. If you're a US citizen or an international student, you may have envisioned studying and practicing medicine in the USA, but prospects for medical doctors outside of the USA are also excellent, and an international medical degree might be your key. Germany, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark all rank high for practicing medicine in metrics like salary, job satisfaction, security, and work-life balance.

Medical schools that don't require the MCAT

If you're still set on applying to programs in a country that uses the MCAT as a primary application requirement, here are some schools that offer alternatives to the MCAT as an entry requirement.

USA

Adelphi University

Location: New York

MCAT Requirement: None

Case Western Reserve University

Location: Ohio

MCAT Requirement: Pre-Professional program without MCAT requirement

George Washington University

Location: Washington, D.C.

MCAT Requirement: BA/MD program without MCAT requirement

Hampton University

Location: Virginia

MCAT Requirement: BS/MD program without MCAT requirement

Montclair State University

Location: New Jersey

MCAT Requirement: BS/MD program without MCAT requirement

Purchase College

Location: New York

MCAT Requirement: Guaranteed Entrance Program (GEP) to Upstate Medical University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Location: New York

MCAT Requirement: Partnership with Albany Medical College for accelerated and combined programs

Rochester Institute of Technology

Location: New York

MCAT Requirement: BA/BS/MD program without MCAT requirement

Spelman College

Location: Georgia

MCAT Requirement: BS/MD and Early Assurance programs

University of Florida College of Medicine

Location: Florida

MCAT Requirement: accelerated BS/MD program without MCAT requirement

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Location: Missouri

MCAT Requirement: BA/MD program without MCAT requirement

University of Pittsburgh

Location: Pennsylvania

MCAT Requirement: EAP

Yeshiva University

Location: New York

MCAT Requirement: BA/MD program without MCAT requirement

Canada

Université de Montréal

Location: Montreal

MCAT Requirement: None