USMLE INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS

USMLE STEP 1

OVERVIEW
10 STEP GUIDE to BOOKING your STEP 1 PERMIT and TEST DATE
Apply for a test permit
3-month period of eligibility
Test permit details
TIMING LOGISTICS
TESTING REGION LOCATION TIPS

USMLE STEP 2 CK

5 STEP GUIDE to SCHEDULING your STEP 2 CK PERMIT and TEST DATE

Begin a new application
Application approval and permitting
NOTES
TIMING LOGISTICS

USMLE STEP 2 CS

5 STEP GUIDE to SCHEDULING your STEP 2 CS PERMIT

Begin a new application
Scheduling a test date and location
BOOKING your TEST DATE
LOGISTICS
USMLE STEP 1

OVERVIEW

1. Get an ECFMG application number.

2. Apply for your test permit. This step requires you to
complete an online application, and have a form confirming
your identification (Form 186) which needs to be notarized
via online Notary Cam appointment.
3. Once your test permit is issued, you can book your test
through Prometric.
4. Some institutions may require you to have passed a practice exam (i.e. NBME) before the
institution will facilitate your ECFMG permit. Check with your school.

10 STEP GUIDE to BOOKING your STEP 1 PERMIT and TEST DATE

1. Obtain a USMLE/ECFMG identification number.

a. Wait time to receive: 1-7 days
b. This number is the same for all Step exam applications i.e. Step2CK and 2CS, not just Step 1
2. Go to the ECFMG webpage, fill in your new details and begin an application for your
identification number certification using identification number.
a. $145 USD fee at this stage
3. Download Form 186 (Certificate of Identification Form). Upon receipt of certification, you’ll
leave the form blank for the next step.
4. Book NotaryCam appointment by uploading a blank Form 186 and a copy of your passport.
5. Wait for confirmation of your NotaryCam appointment.
a. You will need a computer or smartphone with microphone/camera capabilities.
b. You can either have the appointment when the email arrives or reschedule for a more
convenient time.
c. Dress professionally for this appointment as they will take a photo of you that will be
attached to your file.
6. Wait for ECFMG to receive notary documentation.
a. Wait time to receive: up to 10 days
7. Apply for a test permit using the ECFMG online application.
a. This is where you apply for your test permit, choose your testing period, and pay for the
exam ($940 USD).

• You will not be able to schedule your exam until your application is approved and you
receive a scheduling permit (usually 7-14 days, however it can take up to 1 month).
• Taking the exam outside the US may have increased fees, see Testing Region Location
Tips below.
• Note that your testing location is specific for each test, so you are able to take Step 2
CK somewhere other than where you took Step 1.

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USMLE STEP 1
b. You will have to pick a 3-month period of eligibility.

• Consider the earliest you would be ready to take your test (ex: March 10) - most
students use this as the beginning of their eligibility period in case they have to push
the exam back (ex: March-May period). You can push your eligibility period back 3
months from the end of your assigned eligibility period (ex: period March 1st - May 1st,
could be pushed back to May 1st- July 1st). This is the only option for pushing back,
and you can only do it once.
• You are able to choose your eligibility period and your test date within that period, they
are not randomly allocated.

c. Details to know when completing your test permit:

• Know what degree you will be receiving upon graduation (MD, DO, MBBS, MB BCh, etc)
• You’ll need to enter all the clinical rotations you’ve done at medical school so far, including dates,
address and clinical lead. Looking at a copy of your transcript can help if you can’t remember. Try
and be as accurate as you can but don’t lose your mind over it.
• You must currently be enrolled at medical school, or have graduated from medical school. If you are
currently enrolled, ECFMG will send an online form to a nominated official at your school, who is
responsible for completing the form to say you are officially enrolled. Some schools have chosen not
to do this step online - ECFMG will make this clear during your application process, and explain the
steps you need to take to verify your current enrollment at medical school.
• You are able to see what step of the application process has been reached using the myECFMG app.
If the delay is that your school has not approved your status as an enrolled student, you can email
your school’s admin team to find out who the nominated official is, and then politely email them
asking them to complete your application.
• The online application process should take about 1 hour. It doesn’t need to be completed in one
sitting, but once you’ve started an application, you must complete it within 14 days, otherwise your
application is deleted and you need to restart an
online application.

8. ECFMG will email you a scheduling permit.

a. You will get a first email to say your online application
has been approved, and a second email with your
scheduling permit a few days later. Download the
permit and print a hard copy as you will be required to
bring this to your exam center.
9. Visit Prometric to schedule your test date.
10. You’re done! Congratulate yourself on navigating this
incredibly complicated maze...When you’re ready, get
back to studying!

TIMING LOGISTICS

• Note that the amount of time it takes to receive a scheduling permit can be as long as
four weeks!
• There is a fee for extension of 3-month eligibility period to the next consecutive 3 month
period and a fee for the change of testing location. These changes are not processed
instantaneously and you may have to wait 2-4 weeks for your new eligibility period or testing
location. There is also a potential rescheduling fee for Prometric.
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USMLE STEP 1

TESTING REGION LOCATION TIPS

As noted above there are some fees associated with booking in a non-US testing center.

PROS to BOOKING in the PROS to BOOKING in

US/HOME COUNTRY SCHOOL COUNTRY

This can be great for US-IMGs If you need to push your exam
that want to go home to study, date, you will not have to
but if you know that if you have change the testing center region.
to push your date outside of
your home stay you may need to
change your testing location and
eligibility period. This can push
out your test date farther than
you were expecting.

You will have the support of School environment to promote

your family while studying. study, with potentially fewer
distractions.

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USMLE STEP 2 CK

5 STEP GUIDE to SCHEDULING your STEP 2 CK PERMIT and TEST DATE

Great news! You already have your ECFMG permit so you can
jump right to applying for your eligibility period and scheduling
permit.
1. Log in to ECMFG.
2. Begin a new application for Step 2 CK
a. Fee due is $940 USD + international fee if you are sitting
the exam outside the US.
b. Again, you will need to select your 3-month testing
period.
c. CS can be booked at the same time as CK (see below)
d. All the details from your Step 1 application will be
saved so you don’t need to re-enter these. Note that
this is still the case if you took Step 2CK first and are now
applying for Step 1 (i.e. your data from any submitted application, regardless of which exam,
will be saved for all future applications).
3. Wait for an email saying your application has been approved, and a second email containing
your scheduling permit
a. Wait time to receive: usually 2 weeks; can take up to 4 weeks
b. Again, you can email your school official if the hold-up is your school’s nominated official has
not verified your status as an enrolled student.
4. Schedule your test date through Prometric.
5. Back to the books!

NOTES

• You can apply to both Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS at the same time; there’s no difference in the
amount you pay. Booking simultaneously can cut down on administrative time as both
applications will be processed in parallel.
• For Step 2 CK, you will be signing up for a 3 month eligibility period just like Step 1.
• The fee for Step 2 CK is $940 USD.

TIMING LOGISTICS

• This exam can be tricky to book during rotations/clerkships, but is considered less intensive
than Step 1. Everything you learn for the wards is applicable on this exam.
• If you are planning to apply to ERAS in September with your Step 2 score, check ECFMG's
USMLE Score Reporting to see the latest test date and reporting period (usually mid July).

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USMLE STEP 2 CS

5 STEP GUIDE to SCHEDULING your STEP 2 CS PERMIT

Great news! You already have your ECFMG permit so you can jump right to applying for your
scheduling permit.

Test dates book up quickly! At the time of writing this post in Mid-February, there were
no test dates until August. If you want to take your exam between February and July, book
as early as you can.

1. Log in to ECMFG.
2. Begin a new application for Step 2 CS.
a. Fee due is $1,580 USD.
b. CS can be booked at the same time as CK (see below). You do not need to know your testing
location (Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, or Los Angeles) until you book your test date
(after receiving your CS scheduling permit).
c. You are given 1 year from your application to take Step 2 CS, you don’t need to choose a 3
month eligibility period as with Step 1 and CK.
3. Wait for Scheduling Permit to arrive.
a. Wait time to receive: 2-4 weeks
4. Schedule your test date and location online.
a. Note this is not done through Prometric.
b. If your ideal test date is not available you can set up email preferences under "Add/Edit
Scheduling Email Notifications" for 1 month at a time for a given test centre. You can set up
multiple notifications for date ranges and testing centers. Test spots do come available fairly
often, but are snatched up quickly.
c. June and July tend to book quickly, as candidates need to take all their exams by roughly
mid-July to be eligible to apply for residencies that September. See Logistics below.
5. Back to the books!

BOOKING your TEST DATE

• There are only 5 locations you can book your CS exam:

Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, or Los Angeles.
There are no international locations to sit this exam.
Consider flight options, jet lag, and accommodations when
picking your date.
• If you are planning to apply to ERAS with Step 2 CS you
will need to take it by mid July for the score to be reported
with your application. Exam slots close to this date book up
quickly, consider booking CS by January if you are planning
to sit from late May - mid July.
• If you don’t see your ideal date available you can set up email notifications from ECFMG under
"Add/Edit Scheduling Email Notifications."

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USMLE STEP 2 CS
• The fee for rescheduling more than 2 weeks prior to your test date is $0 (zero!). However,
depending on the date of cancellation it can be up to $1,300. Check the online fees table.
• You can reschedule as many times as you need to.

LOGISTICS

• You need to bring a white coat and a stethoscope with you.

• AM slot reporting time is 7:30 AM so consider whether you’d like to stay near the test center
the day before.
• Additional information is available in the Step 2 CS manual.