Frequently Asked Questions

Towson University’s PA program offers a strong combination of academic rigor, clinical preparation, and student support.

Students benefit from:

• a fully accredited, 24-month curriculum designed to prepare graduates for clinical practice.
• access to diverse patient populations and clinical experiences in the Baltimore–Washington region.
• state-of-the-art facilities, including simulation labs within the newly constructed Health Professions Building (opened in 2024).
• a small cohort size of up to 36 students, allowing for individualized attention and faculty mentorship.
• experienced faculty with diverse clinical backgrounds.
• a long-standing reputation, with over 50 years of PA education at Towson University.
• recognition of Towson University as the #1 public university in Maryland (Wall Street Journal).

The program is committed to preparing competent, compassionate clinicians who are ready to serve a variety of patient populations.

• Towson University's application opens in CASPA - April 30, 2026
• application submitted and verified by CASPA - August 1, 2026
• program completion of interviews - October to November 2026
• acceptance invitation to those selected - By late November 2026
• commitment response due - 1 week after extension of seat offer
• orientation begins - Mid-late May 2027
• classes begin - Late May 2027
• end of application cycle - The end of the first day of class
  • waitlisted applicants may be offered admission up to that date

We seek applicants who demonstrate academic readiness, professionalism, resilience, compassion, and a commitment to serving diverse communities. Successful applicants show maturity, integrity, and a genuine motivation to pursue the PA profession.

The program is highly competitive. Each year, we receive up to 800 verified applications and invite approximately 72 applicants to interview.

For the Class of 2027, the average overall science GPA of matriculated students was 3.53, and for the Class of 2028, it was 3.67.

Applicants are evaluated holistically, and there is no single metric that guarantees admission.

No, the program does not require any standardized testing for admission. This includes the GRE, PA-CAT, Casper test, or any other standardized admissions examination.

Applicants must have a minimum overall science GPA of 3.2 to be eligible for admission. 

The overall science GPA is calculated directly by CASPA and includes all undergraduate and graduate science coursework completed at regionally accredited institutions, including both original and repeated science courses. Towson University does not recalculate or adjust this GPA.

After your application is verified, you can view your CASPA-calculated science GPA within your CASPA application portal.

To see which courses CASPA includes in the science GPA calculation, please visit: CASPA Science Courses.

You can calculate this GPA by following instructions listed here: CASPA GPA Calculation.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they meet the minimum 3.2 overall science GPA requirement.

No, the program does not require or calculate a minimum cumulative GPA, last-60-credit GPA, or degree GPA. Only the CASPA-calculated overall science GPA is used to determine minimum eligibility.

No, all prerequisite courses must be completed prior to submitting your CASPA application. Applicants may not apply with prerequisites in progress.

Prerequisite coursework must meet the minimum grade requirement and be completed at a regionally accredited institution before submission.

The program maintains a spreadsheet of previously accepted prerequisite courses, which may be found here: prerequisite courses spreadsheet . Applicants are encouraged to review this document first to determine whether their coursework has already been evaluated.

If your course is not listed and you remain unsure whether it meets the prerequisite requirement, you may email the PA program at paprogram AT_TOWSON with the course title, course description, and institution information for review.

Final determination of prerequisite equivalency is made by the program.

No, there is no time limit on prerequisite coursework. As long as the courses were completed at a regionally accredited institution with B- or better and meet all other content requirements, they will be accepted regardless of when they were taken.

AP Statistics credit may be used to fulfill the college-level Statistics prerequisite requirement.
Applicants must ensure that AP credit appears on an official college transcript.

No, shadowing a PA is not required for admission.

However, shadowing is strongly recommended, as it demonstrates an understanding of the PA role and the healthcare environment.

Patient care experience must involve active participation in the delivery of medical care within a clinical setting. This includes roles in which the applicant contributes directly to the clinical encounter or patient care process.

Experiences may be paid or volunteer and must be completed through a healthcare organization or nonprofit entity.

Roles such as medical scribe are accepted, as they involve direct patient interaction and active participation in the clinical encounter.

Roles that are primarily administrative in nature — such as reception, billing, scheduling, or referral coordination — do not meet the patient care requirement. Self-employment or shadowing hours are also not accepted.

No, patient care hours cannot be updated after your CASPA application is submitted. Applicants must have completed at least 500 hours prior to submission.

One letter must be from a clinician who has provided you with direct clinical oversight.
This individual should be able to evaluate your clinical skills, professionalism, and readiness for PA training.

The second letter must be from a coach, faculty member, supervisor, military officer, or another individual who knows you well in a professional or academic capacity.

Letters will not be accepted from academic advisors, personal friends, or family members.

Direct clinical oversight means the letter must be written by a licensed clinician (such as a PA, physician, or nurse practitioner) who has directly supervised and observed you in a clinical setting.

Examples of appropriate clinicians include a physician, PA, nurse practitioner, dentist, physical therapist, or other licensed healthcare provider involved in direct patient care.

The clinician should have firsthand knowledge of your patient care responsibilities and be able to assess your clinical performance, judgment, communication skills, and professionalism.

Letters from administrative supervisors or individuals who did not directly observe you in patient care do not meet this requirement.

The program evaluates the first two letters that meet the stated requirements. Additional letters are not required and may not be reviewed.

No, applicants must meet all minimum requirements prior to submitting their CASPA application.

If you are missing a prerequisite course, have not completed the required 500 hours of patient care experience, or will not have your degree completed by July 1, you should not apply during the current cycle.

No, unfortunately, applications must be verified by CASPA by August 1 to be eligible for review.

Submitting your application prior to August 1 does not guarantee verification by the deadline. CASPA verification can take several weeks, particularly during peak submission periods. It is the applicant’s responsibility to allow sufficient time for processing.

The program uses a holistic review process that evaluates applicants across multiple domains, including academic readiness, professionalism, and mission alignment.

Admissions preferences are considered as one component of this comprehensive review. Preferences do not guarantee admission and are not a substitute for meeting minimum eligibility requirements.

Applicants without listed preference factors are still strongly encouraged to apply if they meet all admission criteria.

No, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or hold employment authorization that is not dependent on student visa sponsorship.

Individuals in the United States on student visas, including F-1 or J-1 visas, are not eligible to apply to the program.

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or hold independent employment authorization that does not require student visa sponsorship.

Yes. Foreign medical graduates may apply provided they:

• are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or hold independent employment authorization that does not require student visa sponsorship, and
  
• meet all other admissions requirements

There is currently no international reciprocity for the American PA degree or board certification. Graduates of U.S. PA programs are credentialed to practice within the United States.

As a public institution, the program limits eligibility to applicants who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or hold independent employment authorization that does not require student visa sponsorship. Should national licensure reciprocity policies change in the future, the program will reevaluate this requirement.

Applicants must first apply through CASPA. Only applicants invited to interview will be instructed to complete the Towson University supplemental application.

Interview candidates will receive an interview date and instructions to complete the Towson University supplemental application. Applicants are typically notified at least two weeks prior to their scheduled interview date, unless a last-minute interview slot becomes available.
The interview is a required component of the admissions process.

The interview process is designed to assess professionalism, communication skills, ethical reasoning, and readiness for the rigor of PA education. It is also an opportunity for applicants to learn more about the program and ask questions.

Interview dates are tentatively scheduled for October and November.

The program reserves the right to adjust or modify interview dates based on program operations, weather conditions, or public health considerations.

The program uses a modified rolling admissions process.

Applicants who are invited to interview are evaluated using a structured scoring process. A limited number of applicants with the highest overall composite scores may receive early offers following their interview.

The majority of admissions decisions are released after all interviews have been completed. After interviews conclude, all interviewed applicants are reviewed and considered in order of their composite scores. Applicants who have not received an early offer will be notified of their final admissions decision by late November.

Admitted students must submit a $1,500 nonrefundable deposit within one week of receiving the offer to secure their seat in the incoming class. This deposit will be applied toward the first semester’s tuition.
Failure to submit the deposit by the stated deadline may result in forfeiture of the offer.

Applicants placed on the waitlist will be notified of their final status on the first day of the summer semester.

Admitted students must complete several requirements prior to matriculation, including:

• a physical examination demonstrating the ability to meet program technical standards
• urine drug screening
• criminal background check
• immunization requirements
• tuberculosis (TB) screening
• basic life support (BLS) certification
• proof of active health insurance

Additional details and deadlines will be provided to admitted students.

Yes, orientation is mandatory for admitted students.

Failure to attend will result in forfeiture of your seat in the program and your deposit.

Yes. There is no limit to the number of times you may apply. CASPA requires reapplicants to submit a new application each cycle.

Due to the volume of applications, it is not possible to provide individualized written feedback.

However, the program offers advisement sessions each year (one in the spring and one in the summer) for prospective and reapplicant candidates. These sessions provide guidance on strengthening future applications and preparing a competitive submission.

Applicants can strengthen their application by improving their overall science GPA. This may include completing additional undergraduate or graduate-level science coursework.

Some applicants choose to complete a Master of Medical Science or similar graduate program to further demonstrate academic readiness and enhance their science GPA.

Requests for deferment are initiated by the applicant and must be submitted in writing to the Chair of Admissions.

The request should include compelling evidence of a significant change in circumstances occurring after acceptance.

The Admissions Committee will review each request on a case-by-case basis and make a determination based on the circumstances.

The program offers open house and advisement sessions (one in the spring and one in the summer), during which attendees have the opportunity to tour the Health Professions Building.

Campus tours are also provided to applicants who are invited to interview.

No, on-campus housing is not available for graduate students.

However, Towson University provides an off-campus housing resource where graduate students can search for rental opportunities within the surrounding community.

No, the program is full-time.

Working while enrolled in the program is not prohibited, but it is strongly discouraged due to the rigorous and time-intensive nature of the curriculum.

The program is designed as a full-time commitment, and students should be prepared to prioritize their academic and clinical responsibilities.

No, PA program courses are only available to students who have been formally admitted to the program.

The program admits one cohort of up to 36 students each year. Admission is competitive due to the limited cohort size.

Orientation begins in mid-May of the first year, and the program concludes with graduation in May of the second year.

No, the program is delivered in person. All didactic coursework, labs, and program activities take place on campus on the Towson University main campus in Towson, Maryland.

Clinical rotations are generally located within the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) region.

If a student is aware of a clinic or clinician interested in serving as a clinical training site for multiple students (not solely for that individual student), the program may explore establishing a clinical affiliation agreement with that site. All clinical sites must meet program, accreditation, and contractual requirements, and approval is at the discretion of the program.

Students complete core clinical rotations in the following areas:

• family medicine
• internal medicine
• pediatrics
• women’s health
• emergency medicine
• surgery
• behavioral medicine

The program includes two elective rotations during the clinical year.

Graduates of the program earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MS).

Based on current federal legislation, PA students are eligible for Direct Unsubsidized Loans up to $20,500 per year.

Any remaining cost of attendance beyond this amount must be financed through private loans or other funding sources.

Students are encouraged to compare private loan options carefully. Credible.com allows you to review rates from multiple lenders using a single application.

Applicants may visit Towson University’s Financial Aid website for additional guidance on available resources and funding options.

Towson University’s Financial Aid Office may be reached by phone, 410-704-4236, or email, finaid AT_TOWSON.