The date that decides everything comes first. Your rank order list must be certified by 9:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 3, 2027. Here’s the full timeline, how the algorithm reads your list, what happens during Match Week and a week by week plan from January to results day.
What Are the Key 2027 Match Dates?
Every date below comes from the NRMP’s published 2027 calendar. Times are Eastern (EST before March 14, EDT after).
| 2027 Match Milestone | Date and Time (ET) |
| Standard registration deadline for the Match and SOAP | Friday, January 29, 11:59 p.m. |
| Ranking opens in R3 | Monday, February 1, 12:00 p.m. |
| Rank order list certification deadline | Wednesday, March 3, 9:00 p.m. |
| Late registration and applicant withdrawal deadline | Wednesday, March 3, 9:00 p.m. |
| IMG deadline to meet ECFMG verification requirements | Wednesday, March 3, 9:00 p.m. |
| Match status available (“did I match?”) and SOAP begins | Monday, March 15, 10:00 a.m. |
| Programs begin reviewing SOAP applications | Tuesday, March 16, 8:00 a.m. |
| SOAP Rounds 1 to 4 | Thursday, March 18, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Match Day results | Friday, March 19, 12:00 p.m. |
If you register after January 29, there’s a $50 late fee. Registration for the Match also covers SOAP, so there’s no separate sign-up. If you haven’t applied yet, start with our ERAS 2027 timeline and application strategy, which covers the application side.
March 3 is also NRMP’s deadline for IMG applicants to meet ECFMG verification requirements. Check what that means for you with ECFMG directly, and see our IMG guide to USMLE, ECFMG pathways and Match strategy for background.
How Does the Matching Algorithm Use Your Rank Order List?
The NRMP’s algorithm is “applicant-proposing.” It tries to place you in your first-choice program. If that program doesn’t also prefer you over the applicants it’s already holding, it moves to your second choice, and so on down your list, as the NRMP explains on its how the matching algorithm works page. When every list has been processed, the tentative matches become final and binding.
That’s why the NRMP’s own advice is to rank programs in order of your true preference, not where you think you’ll match. Ranking your dream program first can’t hurt your chances at your second. If you want a feel for how competitive your specialty was last cycle, our breakdown of the 2026 Match results by specialty has the numbers.
A few rules from the NRMP’s guidance on ranking programs that trip people up:
- Your registration fee covers up to 20 unique program codes on your primary list, plus up to 20 across any supplemental lists combined. Extra fees apply above that, and they aren’t refunded if you later shorten the list.
- Only rank programs where you’d be willing to train. A match is a binding commitment.
- Don’t rank programs that didn’t interview you. They won’t rank you, so no match can occur.
- Check you’re ranking the right track. Some programs have several.
- If you rank advanced PGY-2 positions, you can add a supplemental list of preliminary PGY-1 positions.
- You can edit after certifying, but any change has to be re-certified before the deadline.
Couples link their lists, and a program for one partner can be paired with several programs for the other. Couples should read the NRMP’s couples guidance early, because building paired lists takes longer.
Some specialties fill positions through separate matches with their own, earlier timelines, outside the NRMP Main Residency Match. If yours is one, follow that match’s calendar for that part of your application.
What Is SOAP and How Does Match Week Work?
Match Week runs from 10:00 a.m. ET Monday to 12:00 p.m. ET Friday. The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) fills positions left open after the algorithm runs. It’s open only to eligible unmatched and partially matched applicants, and the NRMP decides eligibility. Here’s how the 2027 week runs, per the NRMP’s SOAP page for applicants and calendar.
| Day | What Happens |
| Monday, March 15 | 10:00 a.m.: match status released. Eligible applicants see the List of Unfilled Programs in R3. From 11:00 a.m., they can start preparing applications. |
| Tuesday, March 16 | 8:00 a.m.: programs begin reviewing SOAP applications and may contact and interview applicants. |
| Wednesday, March 17 | Program review and interviews continue. |
| Thursday, March 18 | Four offer rounds. Offers arrive at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., and each must be accepted or rejected within two hours. SOAP ends at 9:00 p.m. |
| Friday, March 19 | 12:00 p.m.: Match Day results for everyone. |
Two rules matter most. You can’t contact a program during SOAP until it contacts you. And you should only apply to positions shown as eligible for you on your own List of Unfilled Programs in R3. If you aren’t SOAP-eligible, you can’t apply to Match-participating programs until SOAP ends, and you can only contact non-Match programs from 8:00 a.m. ET Tuesday.
If you don’t secure a position this week, our post-SOAP action plan walks through the next steps.
What Should You Do Each Week From January to Match Day?
| Week (2027) | Your Focus |
| January 4 to 22 | Finish your remaining interviews (see our Residency Interview Prep guide [interlink on publish: #28]). Write notes on each program the same day, while it’s fresh. |
| January 25 to 29 | Confirm your NRMP registration before the January 29 deadline. Draft your list in true preference order on paper. |
| February 1 to 7 | Ranking opens February 1. Enter your draft in R3 and check every program code and track. |
| February 8 to 21 | Revisit your notes, talk with your advisor and review each program’s eligibility rules and contract. Add a supplemental list if you ranked advanced positions. |
| February 22 to 28 | Certify. Confirm your R3 status reads “Certified” and that the confirmation email arrived. |
| March 1 to 3 | Final check only. Re-certify if you changed anything. The deadline is 9:00 p.m. ET on March 3. |
| March 4 to 12 | Make a quiet SOAP backup plan: updated documents and your advisor’s contact details. |
| March 15 to 18 | Match Week. Check your status Monday at 10:00 a.m. ET. If unmatched, start SOAP straight away. |
| March 19 | Results at 12:00 p.m. ET. |
Programs and medical schools may add their own internal deadlines and Match Day events, so check with your school’s student affairs office.
Common Pitfalls
Ranking strategically instead of honestly. The algorithm favors your preferences, so guessing at your odds only costs you.
Changing a list and forgetting to re-certify. Only certified lists are used, and the NRMP won’t fix a list for you.
Leaving certification to the last evening. The NRMP warns that servers may be slow near the deadline.
Having no SOAP plan. If Monday brings bad news, there’s no time to start from scratch.
FAQ
What time do Match Day 2027 results come out? At 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 19, 2027. You’ll find out whether you matched at 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, March 15.
How do I build a rank order list? Rank programs in your true order of preference, include only programs that interviewed you and where you’d train, and check tracks and program codes. Certify by 9:00 p.m. ET on March 3, 2027.
What is SOAP in the Match? SOAP is the NRMP’s Match Week process for offering unfilled positions to eligible unmatched and partially matched applicants. In 2027 it runs Monday to Thursday, with four offer rounds on Thursday, March 18.
Can I change my rank order list after I certify it? Yes, until 9:00 p.m. ET on the certification deadline. Any change must be re-certified by then. R3 doesn’t keep your earlier certified version, so a changed list that isn’t re-certified won’t be used in the Match at all.
