Australian Medical Council (AMC): Role, Exams and Fees 2026

For many international medical graduates (IMGs), the Australian Medical Council (AMC) is the first Australian organisation they deal with. It verifies qualifications, runs the AMC exams, and accredits medical education across the country. It does not, however, register doctors. That is the job of the Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra.

This page explains what the AMC is, how it fits into the national scheme, which assessments it runs, how it touches each IMG pathway, and what its main exams cost in 2026.

Key facts

What the AMC does

The AMC calls itself an independent national standards body for medical education and assessment, with the purpose of making sure that medical education, training and assessment promote and protect the health of the Australian community. It works within the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme alongside the Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra.

Its work falls into two areas:

• Accreditation. The AMC develops standards for medical schools, intern training, specialist training and endorsement programs, and assesses, monitors and accredits programs against those standards.
• Assessment of IMGs. The AMC assesses international medical graduates on the standard pathway who want to apply for registration in Australia.

AMC vs Medical Board of Australia

It helps to keep the roles separate:

If you want to understand registration types and the English standard, see our page on the Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra.

Assessments run by the AMC

CAT MCQ examination

The CAT MCQ is a computer-adaptive multiple choice exam. The AMC states it has 150 questions, each with one correct answer out of five options, in one 3.5-hour session. It is delivered by Pearson VUE at test centres worldwide; you apply for an authorisation through your AMC account and then book a venue. Results are released through your AMC account at 4.00pm on the Friday three weeks after the exam event.

Our AMC CAT MCQ guide covers content and preparation in detail. MediFlow's Australian medicine course has free practice questions if you want to start now.

Clinical examination

The AMC clinical examination is the practical part of the standard pathway. The AMC states it has 16 assessed stations and four rest stations, each 10 minutes long (2 minutes reading, 8 minutes assessment). The result is based on 14 scored stations: 9 or more is a pass, 8 or fewer a fail. You must pass the CAT MCQ before you can sit it.

On the standard pathway, an accredited workplace-based assessment (WBA) is the alternative to the clinical exam. WBA can only be done after registration is granted, while the clinical exam can be taken before or after. See our AMC clinical exam guide.

How the AMC fits each IMG pathway

• Competent authority pathway. The AMC performs primary source verification of your qualifications only. You do not sit the AMC exams.
• Standard pathway. You sit the CAT MCQ and then either the clinical exam or WBA. Combined with 12 months of supervised practice (minimum 47 weeks full-time equivalent), this leads to general registration.
• Specialist pathways. Specialist assessment is led by the relevant specialist college.

The AMC MCQ is also useful outside Australia: the Medical Council of New Zealand accepts a pass in the AMC MCQ within five years as one of the prerequisites for NZREX Clinical.

Fees (stand October 2026)

The two exam fees most IMGs pay:

Other services, including primary source verification and account charges, are listed on the same page.

Planning your AMC timeline

A realistic plan on the standard pathway runs in this order:

1. Open your AMC account and submit your primary medical qualification for primary source verification.
2. Apply for a CAT MCQ authorisation through the account, then book a Pearson VUE venue and date.
3. Sit the MCQ and wait for your result, released at 4.00pm on the Friday three weeks after the exam event.
4. Choose clinical exam or WBA. The clinical exam can be taken before or after registration; WBA only after registration is granted.
5. Apply for registration with the Medical Board of Australia through Ahpra, then complete 12 months of supervised practice (at least 47 weeks full-time equivalent).

Checklist before you pay an AMC fee

• Have you confirmed you are not eligible for the competent authority pathway? If you passed PLAB, NZREX, the LMCC, USMLE (ECFMG) or COMLEX-USA, or an accredited Irish course, check that route first.
• Is your primary medical qualification ready for verification, with documents in the format the AMC requests?
• Have you checked the current fee on the AMC fees page on the day you apply?
• Do you have a plan for English evidence, which the Medical Board requires at registration?

Typical mistakes

• Expecting the AMC to register you. Registration comes from the Medical Board of Australia via Ahpra.
• Sitting AMC exams you do not need. Competent authority applicants only need primary source verification.
• Booking the clinical exam before the MCQ. The MCQ pass comes first.
• Budgeting with old fees. Use the current AMC fees page.

Next steps

1. Confirm your pathway on the AMC pathways page and the Medical Board's IMG page.
2. Open an AMC account and start primary source verification.
3. If you are on the standard pathway, plan for the AMC CAT MCQ.
4. Read about registration on our Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra page.

Contact and official links

• Website: amc.org.au
• Pathways: AMC pathways
• CAT MCQ: AMC MCQ examination
• Clinical exam: AMC clinical examination
• Fees: AMC fees and charges

Contact details are listed on the AMC website.