PA-CAT: Format, Scores, Cost and Which PA Schools Require It

GPAs from different colleges are hard to compare, so one test of the same sciences gives programs a common measure. Exam Master says it has been given to thousands of PA candidates since May 2020. It is not the PANCE, the certifying exam you take after PA school.

• Anatomy, about 39 questions: Body regions: the back and spinal cord, abdomen, head and cranial nerves, limbs, pelvis and thorax.
• Physiology, about 39 questions: Cells, blood, circulation, the heart, kidneys, lungs, hormones, digestion, nerves and the special senses. Scored with anatomy as one sub-score.
• Chemistry, about 38 questions: General chemistry (acids and bases, bonding, reactions, gases, stoichiometry) plus some organic chemistry. It has its own sub-score.
• General Biology, about 26 questions: Enzymes and energy, cell structure, cell division, respiration, transport, DNA and gene expression. It has its own sub-score.
• Microbiology, about 26 questions: Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, and their role in disease.
• Genetics, about 26 questions: DNA and replication, patterns of inheritance, gene regulation, mutation, genetic technologies and population genetics.
• Behavioral Sciences, about 22 questions: Psychology and sociology: development across the lifespan, memory, learning, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders, stress, culture and society, and research methods.
• Biochemistry, about 12 questions: Metabolism, proteins and amino acids, enzymes, nucleic acids and hormones.
• Statistics, about 12 questions: Probability, the normal distribution, describing data, study design and significance testing.

Typical form, per the 2026 PA-CAT Bulletin of Information.

The Bulletin says “Of these items, 40 are pretest questions that are being field-tested for use on future test forms and are not used to determine candidate's scores.” You won't know which 40 they are, so treat every question as scored. Subjects come in random order, and more than half the questions ask you to apply a concept rather than recall a fact.

The window covers more than the questions: pre-exam questions, a break between sections and a post-exam survey. Applicants who need extra time can request accommodations before scheduling, most often 1.5x or 2x the normal time.

What counts as a good score is up to each program. UTHSC says “the program considers a composite and Anatomy and Physiology score ≥ 500 competitive”. FIU says “PA-CAT examination scores range from 200 to 618, with a national average composite score of approximately 512.” That differs from Exam Master's official 200 to 800 scale, so treat 200 to 800 as the scale and FIU's 512 as one program's benchmark. Miami Dade College requires 505 on every component and prefers 525 or higher. Augusta ranks composites in five bands, from 484 and below up to 540 and above.

Only the three biggest areas get sub-scores. Exam Master says “The PA-CAT consists of 200 scored items covering nine subjects.” The smaller subjects still count toward your composite, but anatomy, physiology, biology and chemistry carry the most weight. Scaling adjusts for small differences in difficulty between test forms.

Exam Master's Bulletin allows up to 8 weeks for programs to receive transcripts, so don't plan on the last day. You pick the programs that get your scores in the PA-CAT portal, and sending is free. Programs see more than your best try: “Any schools you select will receive your PA-CAT score along with your complete PA-CAT score history for the past two years.”

A screenshot won't do, since “Physician Assistant programs and departments will only accept Official Transcripts.” Some programs ask for scores through CASPA too, so follow each program's own instructions.

The fee covers the exam and the test center or online proctoring. Exam Master's fee assistance program saves $79 for applicants whose household income is under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. You must be approved before you buy, approval can take up to 30 days, and Exam Master says “You may only receive fee assistance once in a lifetime.”

If you test on November 15, 2026, your earliest retake is December 27, 2026. Each attempt is full price, so three attempts in a year come to $771.

Scheduling is two steps. Buy and register at pa-cat.com, then book a date with Pearson using the eligibility number Exam Master sends. The Bulletin says “Candidates must register at least 30 days prior to their desired test date.” Your purchase stays valid for three years. Changing a booking depends on where you test, per Exam Master's Pearson FAQ:

• Online (OnVUE): Cancel or reschedule any time before the appointment starts, with no fee. Miss it and you lose the exam fee.
• Test center, 30 days or more out: Cancel with no fee.
• Test center, 48 hours to 30 days out: A $25 cancellation fee.
• Test center, under 48 hours or a no-show: No refund. You lose the exam fee.

• Florida International University (FIU) (Required): Required of all applicants. Its latest recommended test date is December 4, 2026, and scores are due January 15, 2027. FIU's page cites a national average composite of about 512 (it lists a range of 200 to 618, which differs from Exam Master's 200 to 800 scale). Admissions page
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) (Required, no GRE): Required of all applicants, and the GRE is not. No minimum score, but a composite and Anatomy and Physiology score of 500 or more is considered competitive. Every application must have a PA-CAT score. Admissions page
• Barry University (Required, no GRE): Required, and Barry no longer asks for the GRE. The MCAT can't stand in for it. Applications without PA-CAT scores stay pending until the scores arrive. Admissions page
• Weber State University (Required): Required, with scores reported by the August 1 application deadline. A composite in the 2nd decile or higher (the top 20%) can also stand in for a science prerequisite older than seven years if you earned a B- or better. Admissions page
• Miami Dade College (Required): A joint program with Nova Southeastern University (an associate's and a bachelor's degree, not a master's). It requires at least 505 on every PA-CAT component and gives preference at 525 or higher. Official scores go to CASPA when you submit, and the latest recommended test date is September 15 of each cycle. Admissions page
• Augusta University (GRE or PA-CAT): Either test. The GRE has a 290 minimum and the PA-CAT has none. Augusta takes scores from the last five years, but Exam Master's PA-CAT scores stay valid for two. Higher PA-CAT composite bands earn more weight, from 484 and below up to 540 and above. Admissions page
• Stanford University (Optional, preferred): No test is required, but the GRE, MCAT or PA-CAT is highly recommended and the PA-CAT is preferred. Scores must arrive by July 1. Admitted students who never took it may be asked to take it before starting, paid for by the program. Admissions page
• University of Tampa (Not required): On Exam Master's participating list, but its own admissions page says the PA-CAT, the GRE and the MCAT are not required. A good reason to check every program's own page. Admissions page

UTHSC says “UTHSC requires ALL applicants to take the PA-CAT.” Exam Master says its list can change. Build a list of every program you're applying to with one column for the test, and fill it from each program's page. Our PA school requirements guide has the same check for GPA, prerequisites and patient care hours.

Exam Master notes that many programs historically used the GRE, and some have now switched. UTHSC requires the PA-CAT but not the GRE. Augusta accepts the GRE with a 290 minimum, or the PA-CAT, where it says “PA-CAT: no minimum (must be within last 5 years)”. Stanford requires no test, recommends the GRE, MCAT or PA-CAT, and says “The PA-CAT test is preferred among standardized testing.” If your list accepts either, the PA-CAT plays to strong science prerequisites and the GRE to strong verbal and math skills. Which programs have dropped the GRE, checked one by one, is in PA schools that don't require the GRE.

• Two full practice exams: Two 120-question PA-CAT practice exams. Together they match the length of the real test, so take them under time.
• Nine subject practice exams: One per subject, to find your weakest area before you plan your weeks.
• A 3,200+ question bank: Build your own quizzes by subject. Exam Master recommends reviewing your practice results to see where to improve.
• 30+ hours of video modules: Subject lessons with practice questions and quizzes.
• The Bulletin and blueprint: The free Bulletin of Information and the Blueprint and Sample Test Items list what each subject covers, with sample questions and explanations. You can read these before you register.

Exam Master says they aren't exhaustive, so pair them with your course notes. The big three subjects drive two of your three sub-scores. Take one full practice exam early to find your gaps, study the weakest of those big subjects first, and save the second practice exam for the last week.

Some programs, such as Barry, review files on a rolling basis, so an early, complete file helps. FIU recommends testing by December 4, 2026 with scores due January 15, 2027. A test that day posts by January 1, 2027, 14 days before the deadline, with no time to retake. Weber State wants scores by August 1, Stanford by July 1, and Miami Dade College recommends testing by September 15. A plan that works for most lists:

• Six months before CASPA opens: Check every program on your list for require, accept, prefer or not used. Finish the science prerequisites the test covers if you can.
• Eight to ten weeks before your test: Register at pa-cat.com (the Bulletin asks for at least 30 days before your test date), then book with Pearson. Registering unlocks the free prep, so do it early. Apply for fee assistance first if you qualify, since approval can take up to 30 days.
• By March 20, 2027: For the 2027-28 cycle, a test by March 20, 2027 posts by April 1, 2027, before CASPA opens April 29, 2027. That leaves room for one retake six weeks later before early deadlines.
• When CASPA opens: Pick your programs in the PA-CAT portal (sending is free) and follow each program's rule for where scores go. Rolling programs read early files first.
• After you submit: Prepare for interviews. Your scores are already in your file, and the interview is where a program meets you.

The Physician Assistant College Admission Test is a standardized admissions test for PA school made by Exam Master. It has 240 multiple-choice questions on 9 prerequisite sciences, from anatomy and physiology to statistics, in a 4.5-hour window at a Pearson test center or online.

Scores are scaled from 200 to 800, like the PANCE. You get a composite score, sub-scores for Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and Chemistry, and a decile rank against other test takers. There is no passing score.

It depends on the program, since there is no passing score. UTHSC calls a composite and Anatomy and Physiology score of 500 or more competitive, Miami Dade College requires 505 on every component and prefers 525 or higher, and Augusta gives the most weight to composites of 540 and above. Check how each program on your list reads the score.

FIU, UTHSC, Barry, Weber State and Miami Dade College require it on their own admissions pages, and Augusta accepts it in place of the GRE. Exam Master's participating list (updated March 23, 2026) names 40 programs that accept it, but some list it as optional, so confirm on each program's page.

Yes, at programs that don't ask for it. Stanford doesn't require any test but prefers the PA-CAT, and the University of Tampa requires neither the PA-CAT nor the GRE. If a program on your list does require it, your application isn't complete without a score.

$257, at a test center or online. Exam Master's fee assistance lowers it to $178 for applicants under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, once in a lifetime. Sending scores to programs is free.

Up to 3 times in 12 months, at least 6 weeks apart. Breaking that rule voids all your scores. Programs you pick see your past attempts, not just your best score (at least the past two years, per Exam Master's FAQ).

Scores are processed on the 20th of each month and posted by the 1st of the next month. A test on November 15 posts by December 1, while a test on November 21 waits until January 1.