Updated January 2026
During Match Week, unmatched and partially unmatched applicants who are deemed eligible may participate in SOAP to try to obtain an unfilled residency position.
SOAP 2026 begins on Monday, March 16 at 10 a.m. ET and ends on Thursday, March 19 at 9 p.m. ET. The MyERAS® application opens on Monday, March 16 at 11 a.m. ET, and programs cannot start to review applications until Tuesday, March 17 at 8 a.m. ET. Please select the links below to navigate to 2026 ERAS® Program SOAP information and resources:
- 2026 SOAP ERAS Schedule
- Pre-SOAP Tasks
- SOAP Resources
- ERAS Fees During SOAP
- Indicating SOAP Eligibility in the MyERAS Portal
- During SOAP
- ERAS Fees After SOAP
- After SOAP Concludes
2026 SOAP ERAS Schedule
The SOAP Schedule provides an overview of the process.
Pre-SOAP Tasks
To participate in SOAP, applicants must be:
-
Registered for the NRMP Main Residency Match®.
-
Eligible to enter Graduate Medical Education (GME) on July 1, 2026 as verified by your medical school or the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), an Intealth member.
-
Unmatched or partially matched on Monday, March 16.
There is no separate registration for SOAP, and applicants do not submit a rank order list.
If you have any additional questions about eligibility, please visit the NRMP website.
Optional tasks:
-
Certify and submit your MyERAS application if you have not done so already during the 2026 ERAS application regular season.
-
Keep personal information (e.g., NRMP ID) updated in the MyERAS system.
-
Upload Letters of Recommendation (LoRs). Note, during 2026 SOAP, applicants can transfer completed LoRs including Standardized Letters of Evaluation, between the ERAS system and the application system used by Obstetrics and Gynecology and Emergency Medicine programs. Learn more in the Applications section of the ERAS applicant SOAP FAQs.
-
Update or add a new personal statement(s).
- Applicants who think may participate in SOAP to apply to Neurosurgery, Anesthesiology, and Plastic Surgery can prepare their specialty specific question responses.
SOAP Resources
-
Register for MyERAS SOAP Q&A Session For Applicants, an interactive Q&A with the ERAS team that will take place Tuesday, March 10 at 1 p.m. ET.
ERAS Fees During SOAP
Applicants who have applied to at least one residency program (for the 2026 ERAS program season) by Monday, March 16 at 7:30 a.m. ET will not pay any application fees during SOAP.
Applicants who have not applied to at least one residency program through the ERAS program by Monday, March 16 at 7:30 a.m. ET and are SOAP-eligible, will be charged a fee of $99. If you have not sent your USMLE or COMLEX-USA transcripts, a fee of $80 per transcript will apply.
Indicating SOAP Eligibility in the MyERAS Portal
The NRMP will notify 2026 residency applicants about their Match status on Monday, March 16 at 10 a.m. ET. If you are notified that you are unmatched or partially matched, log in to the MyERAS portal and use the toggle button on the home screen to indicate your eligibility for SOAP.
During SOAP
During SOAP, you will be able to apply to a total of 45 Match-participating programs between Monday, March 16 at 11 a.m. ET and Thursday, March 19 at 9 p.m. ET. You may reapply to programs you applied to during the 2026 ERAS season as well as apply to new programs. Please note: the program must be participating in SOAP and have unfilled positions that you're eligible for.
Once you have reached the maximum of 45 applications, you will not be able to apply to additional programs until SOAP ends on Thursday, March 19, at 9 p.m. ET. You are not required to apply to the full 45 programs allowed during SOAP. However, any remaining applications will not carry-over after SOAP ends.
ERAS Fees After SOAP
The ERAS program will continue to offer the flat fee program when 2026 SOAP concludes.
This program is for 2026 ERAS residency applicants who were SOAP-eligible and who applied or reapplied during SOAP and did not obtain a position. For applicants who meet these requirements, applications will be $10 each regardless of specialties. This flat fee program will conclude at the end of the 2026 ERAS season on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET. For all other residency applicants, the regular application fee structure for the 2026 ERAS residency applicants will apply.
ERAS application fees will automatically populate when applicants apply to programs based on the applicant’s payment history and/or SOAP participation.
After SOAP concludes
The ERAS program will resume normal operations on Thursday, March 19 at 9 p.m. ET.