HeadshotDB · 2027 ERAS season
ERAS photo requirements: the three official rules, and everything that’s just convention
As of the 2027 MyERAS Applicant User Guide (AAMC, August 2026), the ERAS photo has exactly three official requirements: JPG/JPEG or PNG, 150 KB maximum, and face centered. Size, background, attire and the white coat are convention, not AAMC rules.
Verified against official sources on Oct 18, 2026. Studio advice is labeled as advice, with its source.
What AAMC actually requires
This is the whole photo spec in the current guide. Each value is quoted from it (AAMC 2027 MyERAS Applicant User Guide, Aug 2026).
| Rule | Requirement | Exact wording |
|---|---|---|
| File type | Requirement ·JPG/JPEG or PNG | Exact wording ·File Type: JPG/JPEG or PNG. |
| Maximum file size | Requirement ·150 KB | Exact wording ·Maximum File Size: 150 KB. |
| Composition | Requirement ·Face centered | Exact wording ·Face is centered in the photo. |
The export that passes every version of the rules
375 × 525 px (portrait, 5:7), JPEG, under 100 KB. Meets the current 150 KB limit, the old 100 KB limit, and the 2.5 × 3.5 in at 150 DPI size from older AAMC pages, so it can't be rejected by any version of the rules.
Rules you'll read elsewhere that aren't in the 2027 guide
Most ERAS photo advice online repeats older AAMC wording or a studio’s house style. Here’s where each common claim actually stands.
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| 100 KB maximum | Status ·Superseded. Older AAMC material and most studio pages still say 100 KB; the 2027 guide says 150 KB. A file under 100 KB satisfies both. |
| 2.5 × 3.5 inches at 150 DPI | Status ·Appears on older AAMC web pages but not in the 2027 guide's photo section. Harmless to follow: it works out to 375 × 525 pixels. |
| 375 × 525 pixels | Status ·A studio calculation (2.5 × 3.5 in × 150 DPI), not an AAMC figure. |
| Background, attire, white coat, smile | Status ·No AAMC rule on any of these. Everything you read about them is convention (see below). |
| Programs only see the photo after interview offers | Status ·No AAMC policy says this. The guide only says programs mostly use it to identify you at the interview. |
| The photo is required | Status ·The guide never says it is mandatory; it says to check each program's requirements. |
How the photo works inside MyERAS
- What programs use it for:
The Photo is most often used by programs to help identify applicants when reporting for an interview.
- Program-specific rules:
Applicants should research programs individually to verify their requirements and use of the Photo.
- Who uploads it:
USMG Applicants must upload their own Photo in the MyERAS system by selecting Upload New Photo in the Actions column; browse for image file and click Upload.
- International medical graduates:
IMGs Only: The ECFMG is responsible for uploading the Photo into the ERAS system for IMG residency applicants.
- Locking:
Once the Photo is assigned to a program that has been applied to, it cannot be unassigned.
- Prior seasons:
Documents such as the photo, personal statements, medical transcript, and MSPE will not be imported from the previous season and will need to be re-uploaded in order to be assigned to programs.
The practical upshot: once you assign the photo to a program you’ve applied to, it’s locked in. Pick it before September 2.
2027 season dates that matter for your photo
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 4, 2026 | What happens ·2027 ERAS season opens; MyERAS applications can be started (9 a.m. ET) | Source ·AAMC |
| Jul 1, 2026 | What happens ·July-cycle fellowship applicants can submit | Source ·AAMC |
| Sep 2, 2026 | What happens ·Residency applicants can submit to programs (9 a.m. ET) | Source ·AAMC |
| Sep 15, 2026 | What happens ·NRMP Match registration opens | Source ·NRMP |
| Sep 23, 2026 | What happens ·Residency programs can start reviewing applications (9 a.m. ET) | Source ·AAMC |
| Nov 12, 2026 | What happens ·December-cycle fellowship applicants can submit | Source ·AAMC |
| Jan 29, 2027 | What happens ·NRMP standard registration deadline | Source ·NRMP |
| Mar 3, 2027 | What happens ·NRMP rank order list certification deadline (9 p.m. ET) | Source ·NRMP |
| Mar 19, 2027 | What happens ·Match Day | Source ·NRMP |
| May 31, 2027 | What happens ·2027 ERAS season ends (5 p.m. ET) | Source ·AAMC |
When applicants go looking for an ERAS photo
Searches for “eras photo” run at 4.4× the average month in September, the month applications open to programs, and are already above average from July. By October they fall to about a quarter of average. Index: 100 = an average month, 2023–2026.
About 3,030 US searches a month across “eras headshot”, “eras photo”, “eras photo requirements”, “residency headshots”, “eras photo size”. Source: Google Ads volumes via DataForSEO, retrieved Oct 18, 2026.
What an ERAS headshot costs
We read the price off each provider’s own page. Across 9 studio packages, ERAS headshots cost $149–$250, with a median of $159. Some medical schools run their own sessions, so ask yours first.
| Provider | Where | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tal's Studio | Where ·New York, NY | Price ·$149 | Includes ·15 min, 2 retouched images, ERAS file |
| Dee Zunker Photography | Where ·Houston, TX | Price ·$150 | Includes ·30 min, 1 image, ERAS file |
| Pixel Studio Productions | Where ·Houston, TX | Price ·$150 | Includes ·30 min, retouching, same-day ERAS file |
| 1133 Studios | Where ·Houston, TX | Price ·$150 | Includes ·15 min, 1 edited photo, ERAS file |
| Studio Redleaf (Northwestern discount) | Where ·Chicago, IL | Price ·$159 | Includes ·ERAS headshot with resizing |
| Genevieve Nisly Photography | Where ·Akron, OH | Price ·$175 | Includes ·30 min, 1 retouched ERAS image |
| Pacifica Studio | Where ·Santa Clara, CA | Price ·$200 | Includes ·15 min, 1 retouched photo, ERAS file |
| City Headshots | Where ·New York, NY | Price ·$249 | Includes ·15 min, 1 retouched photo, ERAS file |
| Pacifica Studio | Where ·Santa Clara, CA | Price ·$250 | Includes ·45 min, 3 retouched photos |
| Indiana University School of Medicine | Where ·Indiana | Price ·$38.95 | Includes ·School-arranged session (Oct 2024 post) |
| Wayne State School of Medicine | Where ·Detroit, MI | Price ·Free | Includes ·Free for its own trainees |
What studios recommend (convention, not rules)
None of this is in AAMC’s guide. It’s what photographers who shoot ERAS photos tell their clients.
- Business attire is expected; a white coat works better as a second option than the main photo. Dee Zunker Photography (Houston)
- Plain white or light gray backdrop; skip jewelry, low-cut tops and a stern expression. City Headshots (NYC)
- Gray background, white coat and a closed-mouth smile are conventions, not ERAS requirements. The busiest weeks are the six before September, so book in June or July. Pixel Studio Productions (Houston)
- Wear glasses if you wear them every day and will wear them to interviews. Dee Zunker Photography (Houston)
- The three most common mistakes: wrong size, a busy background, a casual look. Pacifica Studio (Santa Clara)
- No scrubs; solid navy, charcoal or other deep tones; avoid AI-generated headshots. Genevieve Nisly Photography (Akron)
- Pure white can blend into the white MyERAS page; light gray or light blue stands out. InstaHeadshots blog (sells headshots)
One thing follows directly from AAMC’s own wording: programs use the photo to recognize you when you arrive for an interview. Whatever you upload has to look like you on that day.
Applying in Canada? CaRMS is different
CaRMS takes a JPEG up to 2 MB, and programs can’t see applicant photos until Jan 13, 2027 in the 2027 R-1 first iteration.
ERAS photo FAQ
- What are the ERAS photo requirements for 2027?
- The 2027 MyERAS Applicant User Guide lists three: the file must be JPG/JPEG or PNG, no larger than 150 KB, with the face centered. It sets no rule on pixel size, background, attire or how recent the photo is.
- Is the ERAS photo limit 100 KB or 150 KB?
- 150 KB in the 2027 guide. Many studios and older AAMC pages still say 100 KB. Exporting under 100 KB satisfies both.
- What size should an ERAS photo be?
- AAMC's 2027 guide gives no pixel size. Older AAMC pages listed 2.5 × 3.5 inches at 150 DPI, which is 375 × 525 pixels. That size is safe to use.
- Is the ERAS photo required?
- The guide does not say it is mandatory. It tells applicants to check each program's requirements, and notes programs mostly use the photo to identify applicants at interviews.
- Can I change my ERAS photo after applying?
- Once the photo is assigned to a program you have applied to, it cannot be unassigned. The guide does not say whether a replacement file reaches programs, so get the photo right before you assign it.
- Should I wear a white coat in my ERAS photo?
- There is no AAMC rule. Studios that shoot ERAS photos generally recommend business attire for the main photo and a white coat only as an alternate.
- How much does an ERAS headshot cost?
- Across 9 studio packages we checked in October 2026, prices ran $149–$250 with a median of $159. Some medical schools offer sessions free or under $40 for their own students.
An ERAS-ready headshot for $1
DIY Headshots coaches you through a photo on your phone, retouches it without changing your face, and exports it at 375 × 525 px (portrait, 5:7), under 100 KB. $1 per headshot, free retakes.
Sources and method
Official requirements come only from AAMC’s 2027 MyERAS Applicant User Guide (photo section, p.49), the NRMP applicant calendar and CaRMS’s own pages. Prices were read from each provider’s site on Oct 18, 2026. Search demand is Google Ads data via DataForSEO. See the methodology and the full photo spec registry.