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IMG Welcome Newsletter

Dear International Medical School Student/Graduate,

The National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®) is pleased to welcome you to the 2026 Main Residency Match®! Registration opens at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, September 15.

There are two distinct processes for securing residency training:

  1. applying to programs through the application service or process designated by the program, and
  2. ranking programs, a process managed by the NRMP.

Below is information on getting started and links to important resources. Good luck in the Match! 

Match Calendars and Resources

Review the 2026 Main Residency Match Calendar to keep track of Match deadlines throughout the process. Match Week and the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) will be March 16-20, with Match Day on March 20, 2026. The Match Week and SOAP schedule can be found on the NRMP website along with FAQs, step-by-step support guides, and Match checklists to help you navigate the Match process.

Application Services

IMPORTANT! NRMP and the different application service providers are separate organizations. You MUST register for both the NRMP and the application service required by the program(s) in which you are interested.

  • AAMC’s ERAS® provides application services for programs in every Match-participating specialty besides Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology.
  • ResidencyCAS provides application services for programs in Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

Main Match Program Directory

The NRMP maintains a Program Directory, displaying participating program information and the application service programs are using, where provided, for over 6,600 PGY-1 and PGY-2 programs. The Program Directory is updated as residency programs are added and their information updated in the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system.

Educational Webinar – Introduction to the 2026 Main Residency Match for Applicants

The NRMP released an Introduction to the 2026 Main Residency Match for Applicants webinar. The webinar provides an overview of Match processes and policies to assist you in preparing for the Match along with important information on eligibility requirements, various application services, and NRMP’s Program Directory.

Registration

The R3 system is where you will register for the Match, submit rank order lists of preferred programs, and access Match results and statistics.

You can find detailed Match registration information and the Applicant Match Checklist on NRMP’s website.

IMPORTANT! When registering for the Match, adding your application service ID (e.g., AAMC or ResidencyCAS) to your NRMP profile is not required, but it is highly recommended as it helps programs rank you more easily. 

NRMP exchanges data with both the ERAS and ResidencyCAS application services, and your NRMP ID will be automatically populated in the respective application service once you have completed registration for the Main Residency Match. Data transfers occur once daily. Please confirm you have completed registration with the NRMP for the 2026 Main Residency Match, entered your application service ID correctly in the R3 system, and that your date of birth matches in both the application service and R3 for your NRMP ID to be populated correctly.

If you participated in a previous Match, you must re-register in the R3 system for the 2026 Main Residency Match but can choose the same username and password as part of the registration process.

Below are links to other resources to prepare you for the Match.

Match Eligibility and Getting Verified

IMGs must have completed the medical science examination, clinical skills, and communication skills requirements for certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®, a division of Intealth) by the Rank Order List Certification Deadline of March 4, 2026, to participate in the Match. Please review the Requirements for ECFMG Clinical Skills Pathways for the 2026 Match for detailed information.

How do IMGs get verified in the R3 system?

The NRMP conducts weekly data exchanges with ECFMG. NRMP provides to ECFMG a list of IMGs who have registered for the Match and ECFMG verifies whether each IMG has met the Match participation requirements. That weekly data exchange continues through the Rank Order List Certification Deadline on March 4, 2026. If ECFMG confirms that all Match participation requirements have been met, your status in the R3 system will change from “Not Verified” to “Verified”. Current verification status of registered IMG applicants will be visible in the R3 system starting in mid-October.

Visa Requirements

Non-U.S. citizen applicants who seek entry into U.S. residency programs must obtain an appropriate visa that permits clinical training activities. The NRMP does not manage or provide institution or other visa information to applicants. Applicants can research visa status information for programs through the Residency Explorer Tool. It is Match policy that non-U.S. citizen applicants requiring a visa are responsible for confirming an institution’s willingness to sponsor the visa-type intended by the applicant before certifying their rank order list.

Policies

During Match registration, each applicant will be asked to read and electronically sign the Match Participation Agreement (MPA) for Applicants. The MPA outlines the rights and responsibilities of applicants who participate in the Main Residency Match.

Please read the MPA thoroughly because it is binding. That said, here are some important considerations:

  •  Act Respectfully! Applicants must always conduct their affairs responsibly, starting with the application and extending through the interview and matching processes, SOAP, and through the 45th day following the start date of training in their appointment contract. Any unprofessional or unethical engagement with another applicant, a current resident, or program or school faculty/staff could be reported to the NRMP. The NRMP expects all Match participants to treat each other and the transition process with respect.
  •  Clearly Communicate! At all times, applicants must be transparent with programs and accurately convey all information related to medical school experience (e.g., performance, interruptions, transfers), ability to meet application requirements, and any other information that could impact a program’s determination and decision whether to rank the applicant for training. IMGs in particular must be clear with programs about current and expected visa needs and should confirm with programs during interviews what visa(s) they sponsor.
  • Get the Information You Need! Applicants must clearly communicate with programs, but programs must also communicate with applicants. That includes providing to applicants a sample contract (or the one currently in use), information about visa sponsorship, and understanding about required onboarding activities (e.g., background checks and screens). You have the right to this information/ documentation and to ask any questions.

Complete, timely, and accurate exchange of information, both verbally and in writing, must occur during the application, interview, ranking, matching, and onboarding processes and through the 45th day of the applicant contract!

  •  Rank Intentionally! Applicants must be willing to enter training if a match occurs or a position is accepted during SOAP; accordingly, applicants should rank only those programs they would be willing to attend. If a matched position cannot be honored, applicants must obtain a waiver from NRMP and cannot consider alternate training opportunities unless or until the NRMP approves the waiver.

In addition to the MPA, the NRMP also maintains a Match Code of Conduct for Applicants. The Code outlines some additional tips and suggestions: 

  • Respect a program’s right to privacy and confidentiality – all rank order lists are confidential and as such applicants should not ask about program intentions.
  • Limit post-interview communication – seek out the clarifying information you need about the program after the interview has concluded, but do not solicit feedback about how or whether you will be ranked.

Reach out to policy@nrmp.org with any questions. We are here to help you throughout the transition. 

Match Data Reports

The NRMP has a variety of data and research reports available to assist Main Residency Match participants. The Match Data section features curated, timely content and offers a filter option to help you find current and previously archived data reports by various reports, topics, themes, and years.

A few specific data reports that may be helpful as you participate in the Main Residency Match:

Applicant Advising Videos

The NRMP has a series of advising videos to assist you in navigating the application, interview, and matching process.

Match Fees

The NRMP’s payment methods include Visa, Mastercard, Discover, PayPal, and Apple Pay. All Match fees are non-refundable, so applicants should carefully consider a decision to participate in the Match as a couple or include extra ranks on their rank order list. Applicants with outstanding fees will not be able to participate in the Match until all fees have been paid.

  • $70 standard registration fee (includes up to 20 unique program codes on the primary rank order list and up to 20 unique program codes on all supplemental rank order lists combined)
  • $30 extra rank fee (per each unique program code over 20, up to a max of 300 ranks)
  • $50 late registration fee (after January 30)
  • $45 per partner for couples

A length of rank order list fee also will be levied for rank order lists with 100 or more ranks.

Visit the Match Fees page on the NRMP website to learn more about applicant fees.

Support Services

Applicants can find all the resources they need to navigate the matching process in the Residency Applicants section of www.nrmp.org.

Assistance is available from the NRMP support staff Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time by emailing support@nrmp.org or calling 866-653-NRMP (6767).