Guidelines
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If a medical school participates in the AMCAS Letters Service, all letters must be sent through the AMCAS application. Only a handful of U.S. medical schools do not participate in the AMCAS Letters Service.
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Please note that participation is subject to change. Schools that do not participate in the AMCAS Letter Service may still require letters of evaluation from applicants.
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You can upload letters electronically via the AMCAS Letter Writer Application, or Interfolio. Letters sent through Interfolio can take up to 3 business days to be marked as received within the AMCAS application. Letters uploaded through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application are immediately marked as received. If your letter writer uploaded a letter through the Letter Writer Application and the status of your letter is still "Not Received," advise your letter writer to try again. If you need an alternate option to submit letters, please contact us at (202)-828-0600 or amcas@aamc.org.
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You must include both the AAMC ID and the AMCAS Letter ID found on the Letter Request Form when sending letters, regardless of how the letter will be submitted.
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Medical schools may require letters to be on official letterhead and include the author's signature.
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Under no circumstances will AMCAS program provide applicants access to letters of evaluation. Read the AAMC's Data Privacy Policy and Maintaining the Confidentiality of Letters of Evaluation, from the Group on Student Affairs (GSA) Committee on Admissions (COA).
How does my letter author get his/her letter to the AMCAS application?
Your letter author can forward your letter to the AMCAS application in one of the following ways:
If your institution's premedical advising office provides a letter of evaluation service, you may be able to arrange to have all of your letters transmitted to the AMCAS application through that office. Talk with your advisor to determine which type of system is used at your institution (i.e., Committee Letter, Letter Packet, or Individual Letters).
AMCAS Letter Writer Application
This application enables letter authors to upload PDF versions of letter(s) securely to the AMCAS application. Your letter writer will be required to register as a letter writer and will need your AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID in order to upload your letter(s).
Note: There is a new website address for the AMCAS Letter Writer Application. Please update your favorites and bookmarks to use the following NEW link to access the application: http://systems.aamc.org/letterwriter.
Interfolio
Make certain to add your AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID in your Interfolio account if you are an Interfolio user. These IDs must accompany your letter in order for your letter to be matched with your application.
How to use Interfolio:
Enter the letter entry/entries in the AMCAS application before you have them sent via Interfolio.
If submitting an Individual Letter to the AMCAS application, you should:
- Enter each individual letter separately in the AMCAS application.
- Create a new delivery in Interfolio.
- In Interfolio select "AMCAS" as your designation.
- Select the corresponding Individual Letter(s).
- You will then be asked for the AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID found on the AMCAS Letter Request Form for each Individual Letter.
- Complete the delivery.
If submitting a Committee Letter or Letter Packet to the AMCAS application through Interfolio, you should:
- Enter it once in the AMCAS application.
- Create a new delivery in Interfolio.
- In Interfolio select "AMCAS" as your designation.
- Select the corresponding letter(s) that belong to the Letter Packet or Committee Letter.
- Input the AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID found on the AMCAS Letter Request Form for each letter (please note: If the letter(s) are compiled within Interfolio to make one Committee Letter or Letter Packet you will need to enter the same AMCAS Letter ID for all letters that belong in one Committee Letter or Letter Packet).
- Complete the delivery.
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Questions about AMCAS Letters
Which medical schools require letters to be sent through the AMCAS application?
Only a handful of medical schools choose not to participate in AMCAS Letters. If a medical school participates, all letters must be sent to the AMCAS application.
Non-participating Medical Schools:
How long does it take for the AMCAS program to process letters of evaluation?
Letters sent through Interfolio can take up to 3 business days to be marked as received within the AMCAS application. Letters uploaded through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application are immediately marked as received. If your letter writer uploaded a letter through the Letter Writer Application and the status of your letter is still 'Not Received,' advise your letter writer to try again.