How Much Does It Cost to Match as an IMG? A Full Budget

There is no single price for matching as an IMG, because most of the cost depends on choices you make: how many attempts you need, what clinical experience you do, and how many programs you apply to. This guide lists every cost category, links each to the official fee page, and shows where budgets usually break. We deliberately do not quote fee amounts here, because they change often and a stale number could mislead your planning.

How to build the budget #

1. List each category below.
2. Open the official fee page and write down the current fee and the date you checked.
3. Add a contingency for repeat attempts and delays (see below).
4. Re-check before each payment.

Convert to your own currency using realistic exchange rates, and include card and transfer charges.

The eight cost categories #

Exams #

Each Step has its own registration fee, and test centers outside the US may carry extra charges. Extending your eligibility period, changing test regions and late rescheduling can add fees. See scheduling your exam for how those changes work.

Study materials are a separate line: question banks, self-assessments (NBME self-assessments), and any coaching you choose.

ECFMG and credentials #

ECFMG charges for certification-related services, and your school or licensing body may charge to send documents. Credential verification can involve fees on your end that ECFMG does not control. See the ECFMG certification overview.

ERAS and NRMP #

ERAS costs scale with the number of programs you apply to, and fee structures can differ by specialty. The NRMP registers you for the Match and may charge more if you rank many programs. See how many programs to apply to before deciding on a number, and read the ERAS timeline.

Travel and visas #

A B-1/B-2 visitor visa may be needed for exams, USCE and interviews, and some applicants need it more than once. After the Match, J-1 or H-1B sponsorship brings its own fees, some paid by the program and some by you. See B-1/B-2 for interviews and exams and J-1 vs H-1B.

US clinical experience #

Observerships and externships are optional, but many IMGs pursue at least one. Costs vary by site, duration and city, and housing can exceed the program fee. See how to get USCE and how much USCE programs want before you decide how much to spend.

Interviews and relocation #

Many interviews are virtual, which lowers costs, but formats vary by specialty and program. If you travel, price flights, lodging and time off. After the Match, budget for moving, deposits, and the period before your first paycheck. Your program or employer may reimburse some items; confirm in writing.

Where costs are commonly underestimated #

• Repeat attempts. Each attempt is a new registration. See attempt limits and retakes.
• Time as a cost. Months of unpaid study, observerships or research mean lost income.
• Duplicate visa applications. Separate trips can need separate visa processing.
• Too many programs. Applying widely adds up quickly, and more applications are not automatically better.
• Currency swings between when you plan and when you pay.
• Rescheduling. Late changes to exam dates can incur fees.

A simple contingency rule #

This is opinion, not a rule: hold back a meaningful reserve for at least one unexpected cost (a retake, an extra observership, a second trip). If you cannot afford a reserve, consider lengthening the timeline rather than skipping preparation steps.

Planning questions #

• Which costs are fixed (one exam each) and which depend on outcomes (retakes)?
• Which costs can you pay later (relocation) versus now (exams)?
• Could a scholarship, employer support or program reimbursement cover any item?
• What is your walk-away point if a step becomes unaffordable?

Combine this with how long it takes and the year-by-year roadmap to see when each cost actually falls due.