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Application Timeline

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AMCAS Application

M.D. applicants are required to apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). The AMCAS application cycle runs from June through December. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) processes and verifies the completion and submission of the AMCAS application, application fee, and supporting documents before the Office of Admissions reviews an applicant's file. The verification process can take 6-8 weeks before the College receives verified AMCAS applications.

Number of Application Attempts

An applicant may apply for admission to the Medical University of South Carolina a maximum of three times. Exceptions may be granted under exceptional circumstances by the Associate Dean of Admissions and only when a previous applicant demonstrates substantial change in their qualifications.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation must be submitted and verified through the AMCAS Letters Service. Only letters submitted and verified through AMCAS will be included in your application for review by our admissions committee. The Office of Admissions does not accept letters of recommendation outside of your AMCAS application.

For insight into letters of recommendation requirements, please visit the MUSC COM Selection Criteria. All letters of recommendation must be received in order to be considered eligible for further consideration.

AMCAS Applicant Gateway: Supplemental Essays

Upon receipt of the verified AMCAS application, applicants will be invited to complete the supplemental essay questions through the AMCAS Applicant Gateway. Applicants must complete the required supplemental essay questions to be eligible to receive the MUSC secondary application and be considered for interviews. The supplemental essay questions should be completed within two weeks of invitation. Failure to complete the supplemental essay questions will result in no further action to your file.

Please visit MUSC COM Applying to Medical School for more information on applying to MUSC College of Medicine.

MUSC Secondary Application

Secondary application requests are sent out in early August of every application cycle. Applicants who meet our selection criteria, and who have completed the above requirements, may receive an invitation to complete the MUSC secondary application. Please refer to our MUSC COM Selection Criteria to learn who will receive a secondary application request.

The MUSC secondary application fee of $95 may be waived for those who qualify for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP). Requests can be sent to COM-Admissions@musc.edu  for consideration. Please include a copy of your AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP) waiver.

The Office of Admissions is required to verify an applicant’s legal residency status. Out-of-state applicants are encouraged to review the minimum academic requirements found in the State Residency section within the MUSC COM Selection Criteria. For more information on legal state residency, please visit the MUSC Office of Enrollment Management SC Residency Questions page.

Interview

Qualified applicants will be selected for interviews. Interview screening is based on a variety of holistic factors such as academic metrics, experiences, motivations, personal attributes, and capacity to be a physician. Interviews allow applicants to meet with members of the Admissions Committee to better understand who you are, what matters most to you, and why you have chosen to become a physician. Interviewers will have access to your AMCAS application, supplemental essays, and letters of recommendation but do not have access to your MCAT scores or overall GPA(s).

Applicants invited to interview are encouraged to visit the MUSC COM Interview Process for insight into the Virtual Interview Day, resources, and next steps.

Contact Information

Applicants must maintain updated contact information with AMCAS throughout the entire application process. Your AMCAS contact information is the only source of contact information for applicants.

For questions or assistance, please contact the Office of Admissions via COM-Admissions@musc.edu.

Admissions Timeline

Important Dates & Deadlines  Description 2024-25  2025-26 
AMCAS application opens. AMCAS application opens for applicants to begin preparing their application.

Please visit COM Applying to Medical School and COM Selection Criteria web pages for insight into our process, requirements, and important information.
May 2, 2024  May 2, 2025 
AMCAS application opens for submission. AMCAS application opens for applicants to submit. May 30, 2024 May 30, 2025
Early Decision
Final MCAT Test Date

  Final MCAT date administration accepted for Early Decision is July 13, 2024.

MCAT scores prior to 2022 will not be accepted for Fall 2025.
Final MCAT date administration accepted for Early Decision is July 12, 2025.

MCAT scores prior to 2023 will not be accepted for Fall 2026.
Early Decision primary application due.   August 1, 2024 August 1, 2025
Early Decision secondary application and fees due. *Qualified applicants are invited to complete the MUSC secondary application. August 15, 2024 August 15, 2025
Interview Season Qualified applicants are invited to interview beginning in early August.

Invitations are sent through AMCAS Applicant Gateway.

(All interviews will be virtual.)
September 2024 – March 2025 September 2025 – March 2026
Regular Decision
Final MCAT Test Date
Earlier testing advised. Final MCAT date administration accepted for Regular Decision is September 14, 2024.

MCAT scores prior to 2022 will not be accepted for Fall 2025.
Final MCAT date administration accepted for Regular Decision is September 15, 2025.

MCAT scores prior to 2023 will not be accepted for Fall 2026.
Regular Decision
Primary Application Deadline
  November 1, 2024 November 3, 2025
Deferment
Application Deadline
(restricted one-year)
Accepted applicants who are approved to defer into the next cycle must submit an AMCAS application.

Deferred applicants are not required to submit a new MUSC secondary application or new letters of recommendation.
November 1, 2024  November 3, 2025
Regular Decision
MUSC secondary application and fees due.
Qualified applicants are invited to complete the MUSC secondary application via the AMCAS Applicant Gateway. December 15, 2024  December 15, 2025
College of Medicine
Acceptance Protocols 
Applicant Response Form, Deposit, and Technical Standards must be completed and returned within two weeks of admissions offer. October 2024 – March 2025  October 2025 – March 2026
“Plan to Enroll” becomes available for applicants to select in the AMCAS application.  Applicants with at least one (1) current acceptance will be able to select “Plan to Enroll” using the tool. Applicants should use the tool at the direction of the schools to which they have applied.

To make the selection, accepted applicants must navigate back to their AMCAS application to use the tool, which is located in the section marked Choose Your Medical School tool.

Applicants can hold more than one acceptance, but only indicate “Plan to Enroll” for one school.
Beginning February 19, 2025  Beginning February 19, 2026
Accepted students narrow offers of acceptances.  Accepted students narrow offers to no more than three medical schools (if applicable), with no limit on alternate-list offers. April 15, 2025  April 15, 2026
“Plan to Enroll” deadline    April 30, 2025 April 20, 2026
“Commit to Enroll” becomes available to applicants in the AMCAS tool. 



"Plan to Enroll" remains available to applicants in the AMCAS tool.
Per the AAMC Choose Your Medical School tool, accepted applicants will have two options to select in accordance with each medical school’s specific policies and deadlines: “Plan to Enroll” or “Commit to Enroll.”

Applicants who select “Plan to Enroll” can continue to interview, remain on any alternate lists, and receive additional acceptance offers.

Applicants who select “Commit to Enroll” indicate they have made their final selection and have withdrawn all other applications.

Selecting “Commit to Enroll” does not automatically withdraw applications from other medical schools. Applicants must communicate directly with all schools about their final decision according to each school’s specific policy. Withdrawals from the COM must be submitted to COM-Admissions@musc.edu.
May 1, 2025  May 1, 2026
Deadline to receive full refund of deposit Deadline to receive full refund of deposit. Submit formal withdrawal request no later than May 15th to COM-Admissions@musc.edu.

Withdrawal requests received after this date will forfeit full deposit.
May 15, 2025  May 15, 2026
Official Transcripts Due Accepted students enrolled in Spring undergraduate and/or graduate coursework, must submit final official transcripts to COM-Admissions@musc.edu. July 1, 2025  July 1, 2026
“Commit to Enroll” Deadline must be selected in order to matriculate to MUSC College of Medicine.  Selecting “Commit to Enroll” indicates that the applicant has made a final selection and has withdrawn all other applications, including alternate list offers, by communicating directly with schools.

Selecting “Commit to Enroll” does not automatically withdraw applications from other medical schools. Applicants must communicate directly with all schools about their final decision according to each school’s specific policy.

Accepted students are required to use the Choose Your Medical School tool to select the "Commit to Enroll" option and withdraw from all other programs. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal from the incoming class.
July 24, 2025  July 24, 2026
Getting Fully and Fully Transitioned (GIFT) into Medical School

Pre-Matriculation Program for accepted, incoming students. 
The GIFT program is designed to support the transition to the academic and social challenges of medical school while introducing incoming students to key members of the MUSC College of Medicine community. July 18, 2025  Summer 2026
Orientation Week    August 11-15, 2025 August 2026
White Coat Ceremony North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Ticketing to be announced
August 16, 2025  August 2026
First Day of Classes   August 18, 2025 August 2026