MTTC Biology (017)

It is a computer-based test (CBT) made up of 100 multiple-choice questions. There is no separate constructed-response or essay section listed on the official test page. You answer at a test center, and the appointment includes a short tutorial and nondisclosure agreement before the timed portion begins.

Total appointment time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. Of that, 15 minutes is for the CBT tutorial and nondisclosure agreement, leaving 2 hours and 30 minutes of testing time. That works out to roughly 90 seconds per question, so pace yourself and flag items to revisit rather than stalling on any single question.

The passing score is 220. Score reports are released within 6 weeks of testing, so plan your registration around any deadline set by your educator preparation program or the Michigan Department of Education. The official page does not publish a subarea score breakdown for this test.

The test fee is $129, and the official page notes that additional fees may apply, so review the payment information before registering. The site has also advertised a Test Fee Reimbursement Grant Program for eligible first-time candidates in a past academic year; check the current program guidelines rather than assuming eligibility.

Appointments are available year-round, Monday through Saturday, excluding some holidays. Test sites are located in Michigan and nationwide, so you can search for the nearest test center when you register. Availability varies by site, so book early if you need a specific date or location.

The official test page does not state a retake limit or waiting period, so confirm current rules in the MTTC testing and registration policies before scheduling a second attempt. The site's announcements also mention a retake policy update effective 9/26/2025, so read the policy text rather than relying on older information.

Start with the official preparation materials linked from the test page and take a full-length practice test to find your weak areas. Then study biology by topic - cells and biochemistry, genetics, evolution, physiology, ecology, and experimental design - and revisit practice questions to confirm gains. The page does not publish domain weights, so do not over-invest in one area.

Two frequent problems are misjudging the pace of a 100-question, 150-minute test and preparing only from memory of coursework rather than from the official preparation materials. Another is assuming the subject test alone completes an endorsement; from January 1, 2026, several initial endorsements also require a Professional Knowledge and Skills test.

Not necessarily. The official page states that tests may include questions being evaluated for future administrations and that these do not affect a candidate's score. You cannot identify which items those are, so treat every question as scored and answer all of them.

Not automatically. The test carries endorsement codes DA and IA, but endorsement requirements are set by the Michigan Department of Education. The site notes that starting January 1, 2026, initial endorsements in several areas require passing both a Professional Knowledge and Skills test and the specific subject test, so check the active endorsements and MTTC Alignment information.