For all but two accredited osteopathic programs in the US, the DO school application is one online form: AACOMAS, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service. You complete it once, and it goes to every school you designate. The two exceptions are in Texas and use TMDSAS.
AACOM labels the current cycle 2026-2027, and it is the one for students starting in 2027. The AACOMAS Applicant Help Center, which AACOM links from its application instructions, says the cycle’s dates “are for the Summer 2027 and Fall 2027 terms.” Every date and fee below was read on October 13, 2026, and belongs to that cycle unless the text says otherwise.
How the DO School Application Works Through AACOMAS
AACOM calls AACOMAS “the centralized online application service for U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine.” Its AACOMAS page sums up the service in one line: “We verify your application for accuracy, process it and send it with your materials to those osteopathic medical schools you designate.”
The help center’s participating programs page says who takes part. Every accredited US osteopathic program takes part in each cycle, it says, except two Texas schools: UNTHSC-TCOM and Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The applicant pool is large. AACOM’s quick facts page counts 23,114 applicants in 2025-26 and a first-year enrollment of 11,687. These are the same AACOM totals our guide to medical school acceptance rates uses for DO programs.
AACOMAS Dates for the 2026-2027 Cycle
AACOMAS opened on May 4, 2026. On that date, the application “opens for submissions” and colleges “begin receiving and processing applications,” per AACOM’s AACOMAS page. The rest of the cycle looks like this:
| Date | What happens | Source page |
|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2026 | AACOMAS opens for submissions; colleges begin processing applications | AACOM; help center |
| September 1 to October 9, 2026 | First academic update period | AACOM |
| December 14, 2026 to February 12, 2027 | Second academic update period | AACOM |
| March 15 to June 11, 2027 | Third academic update period | AACOM |
| April 30, 2027 | "Last day for AACOMAS application submissions to be completed" | AACOM |
| August 2, 2027, 11:59 PM ET | Cycle closes: last day to create an account, submit, or request evaluations | Help center |
| August 3, 2027 | Last day transcripts and test scores are matched (5 PM ET) and evaluators can submit (11:59 PM ET) | Help center |
| August 5, 2027, 5 PM ET | Last day to be verified; all processing ends | Help center |
Two of those rows disagree. AACOM’s page gives April 30, 2027 as the last day for submissions and says the cycle “runs from May to the following June.” The help center’s cycle dates page keeps submissions open until August 2, 2027. Neither page explains the difference.
Your binding date is each school’s own deadline. The cycle dates page says “the individual program’s deadline may differ from the application’s cycle dates,” and the application shows each one under Add Program.
What the AACOMAS Application Asks For
The help center splits the form into “four core sections: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials.” Its suggested timeline puts the Colleges Attended and Evaluations sections “At Least 3 Months Prior to Deadline,” and submission “At Least 6-8 Weeks Prior to Deadline.”
Transcripts and coursework
AACOM’s application process page asks you to report “all institutions attended,” including college courses taken in high school, summer terms and study abroad. You ask each registrar to send one official transcript straight to AACOMAS. “Student copies of transcripts or copies sent by the applicant are not acceptable.”
You also enter your US and English Canadian coursework yourself, or pay for the optional Professional Transcript Entry service. The help center’s FAQ says AACOMAS GPAs “factor in all coursework taken, regardless of the college or university and any academic forgiveness policies.”
Sending test scores to AACOMAS
“MCAT scores are not released to AACOMAS automatically,” AACOM’s process page says. You release them through AAMC’s MCAT Score Reporting System by selecting AACOMAS as a recipient. Processing then takes “approximately 10-12 days.”
Letters of evaluation
The same page says “All colleges of osteopathic medicine require letters of evaluation/recommendation.” The help center’s evaluations page allows “a maximum of 10 evaluations,” and a committee letter counts as one. It also warns that “completed evaluations cannot be removed or replaced.” Before requesting any letter, you decide whether to waive your right to see it, and that choice cannot be changed.
Experiences and the personal statement
The experiences section sorts your activities into six types, from Healthcare Experience to Research and Non-Healthcare Employment. The help center recommends “focusing on those experiences within the last 10 years and at the collegiate level and above.” You cannot count the same hours under two types.
The personal statement goes to every school on your list, so the help center advises keeping it general. The cap is firm: “You cannot save your essay if it exceeds the 5,300 character limit.” Spaces and punctuation count, and once you submit, “the essay cannot be edited or changed.”
That makes the statement worth planning well before you submit. ExceptionalGrad’s medical school application consulting page lists Individual Applicant Advising: “we offer individual advising sessions for medical applicants in order to plan their journey carefully for success upon submission.”
AACOMAS Fees and the Fee Waiver
The help center’s fees page is direct: “AACOMAS charges $198 for the first program you apply to and $60 for each additional program.” It adds that “Some programs may have an additional supplemental fee.” AACOM’s process page gives the same $198 and $60 for the 2026-2027 cycle.
| What you pay | 2026-2027 cycle |
|---|---|
| First program | $198 |
| Each additional program | $60 |
| Five programs (our arithmetic) | $438 |
| School supplemental fee | Set by each school; NYITCOM's is $80 |
| Fee waiver, if approved | $198, covering the first program only |
Payment is final. The help center’s submission page says “no refunds can be issued for any reason,” including missed deadlines.
Fee waivers are limited and go out “on a first-come, first-served basis.” Eligibility turns on the adjusted gross income on a filed 2025 federal tax return. The cutoff is based on “200 percent of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines.” The timing rules matter as much as the income test:
- “You must request a fee waiver before you submit your application.”
- A request “can take up to seven business days to process,” and you cannot submit while it is pending.
- Once approved, you have 14 days, “including holidays and weekends,” to submit, or the waiver is void.
Deadlines and Supplemental Applications Come From Each School
The participating programs page is plain on this point: “Deadlines are determined by each participating program, not AACOMAS.” Two schools show how far apart those deadlines can sit:
| School | AACOMAS deadline | Its own application |
|---|---|---|
| NYITCOM (New York Institute of Technology) | April 30, 2027, for receipt by AACOMAS | Supplemental: open until March 16, 2027, with a receipt deadline of May 4, 2027 (both on the page); $80 fee |
| WVSOM (West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine) | "first week of June" (page gives no year; read October 23, 2026) | Access emailed after a complete, verified AACOMAS application (its step heading says "select students are invited") |
NYITCOM’s apply page, read October 23, 2026, lists April 30, 2027 as the “Deadline for receipt of applications by AACOMAS.” For its own form it gives two dates: the supplemental “will only be available to applicants until March 16, 2027,” and the date list sets May 4, 2027 as the “Deadline for receipt of your Supplemental Application.” It also says it “will only honor verified AACOMAS fee waivers” for its own fee. WVSOM’s apply page reads “Deadline for submission: first week of June.”
All five school pages quoted in this section describe a second, school-specific application, including the NYITCOM and WVSOM supplementals in the table above. LECOM “requires all applicants to submit a LECOM Supplemental Application.” Rowan-Virtua SOM lists “Complete Rowan-Virtua SOM supplemental application” as a step. VCOM calls its version a secondary application.
Timing matters because decisions roll. AACOM’s process page says colleges “make admissions decisions on a rolling basis.” It warns that “interview slots may be awarded and/or classes may be filled if you apply close to the deadlines.” Some colleges also run an Early Decision Program, in which applicants “agree to apply to only one medical college through the process” and must attend if accepted.
Verification and What Happens After You Submit
You can submit before every document arrives. The submission page says “You can submit your application before your transcripts and evaluations are received.” But “we will not review your application until all of your transcripts and payments are received.”
A complete file joins the verification queue. Per the help center’s verification page, verification checks that your coursework was “entered correctly and consistently,” converts your grades and calculates your AACOMAS GPAs. An application with significant mistakes is “undelivered,” meaning “returned to you for corrections.”
After submission, most of the form is read-only. You can still add programs, experiences and achievements, and report new grades in the academic update periods. Offers follow AACOM’s traffic guidelines, which say colleges “may begin extending offers of admission at any time after the interview.” Your deposit window depends on when you are accepted:
- Before November 15: until December 14
- November 15 to January 14: 30 days
- January 15 to April 30: 14 days
- May 1 or later: an immediate deposit may be requested
Two Texas DO Schools Apply Through TMDSAS
The help center says applicants to the two excluded Texas schools “must use the separate Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service.” TMDSAS lists both on its participating schools page, as UNT Health Fort Worth, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and Sam Houston State University Russell and Glenda Gordy College of Osteopathic Medicine.
TMDSAS keeps its own calendar. Its deadlines page for Entry Year 2027 prints October 1 as the “Submission deadline for application to the dental and medical programs,” which falls in 2026 for that entry year. It adds that “TMDSAS does not grant deadline extensions under any circumstances.” By the help center’s account, every other accredited osteopathic program, in Texas or elsewhere, is an AACOMAS school.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does AACOMAS open?
The 2026-2027 AACOMAS cycle, for summer and fall 2027 entry, opened on May 4, 2026, and applications could be submitted from that day. AACOM’s page showed no dates for the 2027-2028 cycle when read on October 13, 2026. Until they appear, use the May 2026 opening only as a guide.
How much does the AACOMAS application cost?
In the 2026-2027 cycle, AACOMAS charges $198 for the first program and $60 for each one after it, so ten programs cost $738 by our arithmetic. Schools can add their own supplemental fee, such as NYITCOM’s $80. AACOMAS does not refund fees once you submit.
Who qualifies for an AACOMAS fee waiver?
You qualify if the adjusted gross income on your filed 2025 federal tax return falls below AACOMAS’s low income levels for 2026-2027 awards: $31,920 for a family of one, $66,000 for four. Dependent applicants submit a parent’s or guardian’s return instead. Independent applicants submit both returns, and both must fall below, with listed exceptions.
How long does AACOMAS verification take?
Up to 10 business days, per the AACOMAS help center (read October 13, 2026). The count starts only once your application is complete: official transcripts posted, fee payment received, application submitted, and your Professional Transcript Entry approved if you used it. Files are verified in the order they become complete.