ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service)

ERAS is run by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges). Applicants complete one application in MyERAS, choose programs, and send the application together with supporting documents: the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), medical school transcript, letters of recommendation, USMLE transcript and photograph.

ERAS is how you apply. The Match, run by the NRMP, is how places are offered. You need both, and you register with each separately.

Anyone applying to a US residency program that takes applications through ERAS. The AAMC says you must get an ERAS token from your Designated Dean's Office, and that for IMGs this is ECFMG, part of Intealth. A token can be used only once to register and only for the current season.

ECFMG says one token covers as many specialties and programs as you like in that season, and lists a $185 non-refundable fee, requested through MyIntealth. ECFMG also warns that some specialties and programs do not participate in ERAS, so check that you will apply to at least one that does before you buy a token.

The AAMC's 2027 timeline for IMGs:

• June 4, 2026: season opens.
• June 24, 2026: ECFMG starts issuing tokens to IMGs.
• September 2, 2026, 9 a.m. ET: applicants can submit to programs.
• September 23, 2026, 9 a.m. ET: programs can start reviewing applications.
• May 31, 2027: season ends.

Application fees are charged per specialty: $11 per program for the first 30 programs and $30 for each program after that, with pricing reset for each additional specialty. The AAMC adds a $70 USMLE transcript fee.

1. Request your token through MyIntealth and register in MyERAS.
2. Have your MSPE and transcript uploaded. ECFMG says that if your school participates through the MyIntealth Entity Portal, the school uploads them and you cannot; otherwise you upload them yourself as single PDFs.
3. Upload a photograph: ECFMG asks for JPEG, no more than 150 KB and no larger than 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
4. Ask your letter writers to upload letters of recommendation.
5. Authorize release of your USMLE transcript, then select programs and submit.
6. Register separately with the NRMP for the Match.

ECFMG says a photograph you upload reaches your MyERAS application within 24 hours. If you cannot obtain an MSPE or transcript, ECFMG asks you to say so on the Additional Documents page of MyERAS rather than leave the gap unexplained. The 2027 season stays open until 5 p.m. ET on May 31, 2027.

• Uploading the wrong documents. ECFMG says diplomas, CVs and foreign-language documents should not be uploaded and will not be transmitted.
• Late documents. ECFMG processes MyIntealth uploads within five business days, so do not leave them to the week you submit.
• Applying before you are eligible. Programs and the NRMP check your ECFMG certification status; see our Pathways guide.
• Ignoring visa policy. Check whether each program sponsors J-1 or H-1B before you pay to apply.