Fact #1: Fee Assistance Program awardees get free and discounted items.
If you are approved for fee assistance during the 2020 calendar year, you will receive the following:
- MCAT Official Prep Online-Only Bundle (a $268.80 value).
- Reduced MCAT exam registration fee of $130 (usually) $320.
- Complimentary access to the Medical School Admission Requirements website until Dec. 31, 2021 (a $36 value).
- Waiver for all AMCAS® fees for one (1) application submission with up to 20 medical school designations (a $930 value), submitted by Dec. 31, 2021.And more! Read the complete list of benefits.
Fact #2: Eligibility depends on citizenship, income, and poverty guidelines.
You are only eligible for the Fee Assistance Program if you are a:
- U.S. citizen.
- U.S. national.
- U.S. lawful permanent resident (LPR) (also known as a green card holder).
- Refugee.
- Person granted asylum.
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient.
- Person awaiting refugee or asylum status approval by the U.S. government and have a U.S. Employment Authorization Document (EAD card).
In 2020, you are eligible for fee assistance if each household reported on your application (yours and your parents, as applicable) has a 2019 total family income that is equal to or less than 300% of the 2019 national poverty level for your family size. Please refer to the AAMC website for the specific Fee Assistance Program poverty guidelines.
Fact #3: You can receive the Fee Assistance Program more than once.
You may be awarded fee assistance a maximum of five times during your lifetime. However, you will receive MCAT Official Prep product benefits only once in a lifetime, regardless of the number of times you are a Fee Assistance Program awardee.
Fact #4: Benefits are not retroactive.
If you are awarded fee assistance, you cannot apply your benefits to previous registrations or purchases. For example, if you register for the MCAT exam or purchase a prep product before receiving your fee assistance, you will not be reimbursed for the discounted rate. Similarly, you will not be able to use your awarded medical school designations if your AMCAS application was submitted before your Fee Assistance Program application was approved.
Fact #5: Applications for the Fee Assistance Program open Jan. 27.
Once you have uploaded all required documentation and submitted your application, the processing and approval process will take three to five business days. If you are approved in the 2020 year, you have until December 2021 to use your benefits.
Before beginning your application to the Fee Assistance Program, be sure to visit our webpage and read the Fee Assistance Program Essentials!