Updated
PA Schools That Don't Require the GRE: 109 Programs by State
Most PA programs no longer require the GRE. On October 31, 2026, PAEA's CASPA Program Directory showed the GRE for 86 of its 333 program listings, so about 74% did not, by our count. Of the 109 programs we checked on their own pages, 74 don't require it, including Emory, Northwestern, Boston University, USC and Colorado. Duke, Yale and Florida State are among the 35 that still do.
We read each program's admissions or FAQ page on October 31, 2026 and linked it, so you can confirm the rule yourself before you apply. The list covers 32 states. Open a state to see its programs. Prerequisites, hours and GPA are in our PA school requirements guide.
PA schools that don't require the GRE, by state
Alabama: 0 without the GRE, 2 still require it
Still require the GRE:
- University of Alabama at Birmingham: Official scores are part of the review packet.
- University of South Alabama: Taken within five years of the October 1 deadline.
Arizona: 1 without the GRE
- A.T. Still University, Arizona: Not required. Not required for admission.
California: 9 without the GRE, 1 still require it
- A.T. Still University, Central Coast: Not required, not considered. GRE and Casper scores are not required and won't be considered.
- Charles R. Drew University: Not required. Not required for admission.
- Dominican University of California: Recommended. Recommended but not required.
- Loma Linda University: Not required. No GRE or PA-CAT.
- Point Loma Nazarene University: Not required. Not required to apply.
- Stanford University: Recommended. No test required, but the GRE, MCAT or PA-CAT is "highly recommended."
- Touro University California: Not required. Not required.
- UC Davis: No standardized test. "No standardized tests are required."
- University of Southern California: Not required. No GRE or MCAT since the 2022-2023 cycle.
Still require the GRE:
- Chapman University: Taken within 5 years of the application deadline.
Colorado: 1 without the GRE
- University of Colorado Anschutz: Not required. No GRE or PA-CAT.
Connecticut: 3 without the GRE, 1 still require it
- Quinnipiac University: Not required. No GRE or MCAT. It requires Casper.
- Sacred Heart University: Not required. Not required for admission.
- University of New Haven: Not required. Not required.
Still require the GRE:
- Yale University: Requires the GRE general test.
Florida: 3 without the GRE, 4 still require it
- Barry University: PA-CAT instead. No longer requires the GRE. All applicants take the PA-CAT.
- Larkin University: Recommended. The GRE or PA-CAT is highly recommended, not required.
- University of Tampa: Not required. Its admissions page says neither the GRE nor the PA-CAT is required.
Still require the GRE:
- Florida State University: Taken within 3 years of matriculation. No MCAT or other substitute.
- Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale: Official scores required of all applicants.
- University of Florida: Required of all applicants.
- University of South Florida: Required for your application to be considered.
Georgia: 2 without the GRE, 2 still require it
- Emory University: Not required. "GRE's are no longer required."
- Mercer University: Optional. Optional.
Still require the GRE:
- Augusta University: The GRE or the PA-CAT. The application is incomplete without one.
- South University, Savannah: General exam scores sent to CASPA.
Illinois: 4 without the GRE
- Northwestern University: Not required, not considered. Scores sent "will not be evaluated." No Casper or PA-CAT either.
- Rosalind Franklin University: Not required, not considered. Not reviewed or required since February 2021.
- Rush University: Not required. Its class profile lists the GRE as "No Longer Required."
- Southern Illinois University: No standardized test. No preadmission exams such as the GRE.
Iowa: 2 without the GRE
- St. Ambrose University: Optional. Optional, sent through CASPA.
- University of Iowa: Not required. Removed in the 2023-2024 CASPA cycle.
Kentucky: 1 without the GRE
- University of Kentucky: No standardized test. No GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT.
Maryland: 1 without the GRE
- Notre Dame of Maryland University: Not required. No GRE, GMAT or MCAT.
Massachusetts: 6 without the GRE
- Assumption University: No standardized test. No GRE, MCAT or PA-CAT.
- Bay Path University: Not required. No GMAT or GRE.
- Boston University: Not required, not considered. GRE and MCAT scores aren't required for 2026-2027 and won't be reviewed.
- MCPHS, accelerated MPAS: No standardized test. No GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT.
- Northeastern University: Not required, not considered. Not required and "will not be considered."
- Tufts University: Optional. Not required. You may send GRE or MCAT scores as an optional part of the application.
Michigan: 3 without the GRE, 2 still require it
- Oakland University: Not required. No GRE, MCAT or PA-CAT, but Casper is required.
- Wayne State University: Not required. No longer required from the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Western Michigan University: Not required. No GMAT, GRE or MCAT.
Still require the GRE:
- Lawrence Technological University: The PA-CAT or the GRE. It strongly recommends the PA-CAT.
- University of Detroit Mercy: Required unless you meet its graduate degree rule.
Minnesota: 2 without the GRE
- Augsburg University: No standardized test. No PA-CAT, GRE, MCAT or Casper.
- College of St. Scholastica: Not required, not considered. Not required, and no test scores are considered.
Mississippi: 0 without the GRE, 1 still require it
Still require the GRE:
- Mississippi Christian University: Minimums: verbal 146, quantitative 141, writing 2.5.
Missouri: 2 without the GRE
- Drury University: No standardized test. No standardized tests.
- Saint Louis University: Not required. The GRE general test is not required.
Nebraska: 1 without the GRE
- University of Nebraska Medical Center: Not required, not considered. Does not require or use GRE scores.
New Jersey: 1 without the GRE, 1 still require it
- Rutgers University: Not required. Not required.
Still require the GRE:
- Kean University: Scores sent through CASPA.
New Mexico: 1 without the GRE
- University of New Mexico: Not required. No GRE or MCAT. The PA-CAT is recommended.
New York: 5 without the GRE, 2 still require it
- Albany Medical College: No standardized test. No standardized testing required.
- Le Moyne College: No standardized test. No entrance exam score required.
- New York Institute of Technology: Not required, not considered. Asks you not to send GRE or MCAT scores.
- Stony Brook University: Not required. No GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT.
- Yeshiva University (Katz): Not required. Not required.
Still require the GRE:
- Long Island University, Brooklyn: By the CASPA deadline, no minimum score.
- Weill Cornell Medicine: Required of all applicants.
North Carolina: 2 without the GRE, 3 still require it
- East Carolina University: No standardized test. No GRE, MCAT or PA-CAT.
- Elon University: No standardized test. No GRE or any other test since the 2021-22 cycle.
Still require the GRE:
- Duke University: Required of all, even with a graduate degree. No other test replaces it.
- High Point University: Official scores required.
- Wake Forest University: Taken within five years of the application deadline.
Ohio: 1 without the GRE, 6 still require it
- University of Findlay: Not required. Not required.
Still require the GRE:
- Ashland University: Required. No other test replaces it.
- Marietta College: The general test, verbal and quantitative.
- Mercy College of Ohio: Required.
- Miami University: Required, with no minimum score.
- Ohio University: The GRE General Test is required.
- University of Mount Union: Required, with scores sent to Mount Union.
Oregon: 3 without the GRE
- George Fox University: Not required, not considered. Doesn't require or consider any test, Casper included.
- OHSU: Not required. Not required for admission.
- Pacific University: Not required, not considered. Doesn't require or evaluate GRE, PA-CAT, MCAT or Casper scores.
Pennsylvania: 5 without the GRE, 2 still require it
- Alvernia University: Not required. Not required for the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Arcadia University: Not required, not considered. Doesn't require or consider GRE or any other test scores.
- Drexel University: Not required, not considered. Scores are "not required or considered."
- University of Pittsburgh: Not required. The GRE General Test is not required.
- Widener University: Not required. Not required.
Still require the GRE:
- DeSales University: The GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT.
- Penn State: The MCAT, PCAT or DAT can replace it. The PA-CAT can't.
South Carolina: 1 without the GRE
- Medical University of South Carolina: No standardized test. No GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT.
Tennessee: 4 without the GRE, 1 still require it
- Lincoln Memorial University: Not required. Not required, to reduce barriers to applying.
- Lipscomb University: Not required, not considered. Not required, and taking it gives no advantage.
- Trevecca Nazarene University: Not required. No GRE or PA-CAT.
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center: PA-CAT instead. No GRE. All applicants take the PA-CAT.
Still require the GRE:
- Milligan University: A composite of 289 or more, taken within five years.
Texas: 3 without the GRE, 4 still require it
- Austin College: Not required. No GRE or Casper.
- Hardin-Simmons University: Not required. No longer required since the 2024-2025 cycle.
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor: Not required, not considered. GRE and PA-CAT not required or considered.
Still require the GRE:
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: Official scores required.
- UNT Health Science Center: A GRE General Test score is required.
- UT Health San Antonio: Scores up to five years old, no minimum.
- UT Southwestern: Waived if you hold a US-accredited bachelor's and master's degree or higher.
Utah: 2 without the GRE, 1 still require it
- University of Utah: No standardized test. No GRE or other test. Scores sent "will not be considered."
- Utah Valley University: No standardized test. No GRE, PA-CAT or similar exams.
Still require the GRE:
- Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions: Required of all applicants.
Virginia: 0 without the GRE, 1 still require it
Still require the GRE:
- University of Lynchburg: Official scores through CASPA.
Washington: 1 without the GRE
- MEDEX Northwest (University of Washington): Not required, not considered. Scores are kept for internal data tracking only.
West Virginia: 1 without the GRE, 1 still require it
- West Liberty University: Not required. No GRE or GMAT.
Still require the GRE:
- Marshall University: The MCAT can substitute if taken within five years.
Wisconsin: 3 without the GRE
- Marquette University: Optional. Lists "GRE scores optional."
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: Not required. No longer required since the 2023-24 cycle.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: Not required. No GRE, but Casper is required.
How many PA schools still require the GRE?
About a quarter, by our count. PAEA's CASPA Program Directory has a Standardized Tests filter with two GRE options, one for programs that also accept the MCAT and one for programs that don't. With both ticked on October 31, 2026, it showed 86 of 333 listings. Some programs have more than one listing, such as a dual degree track, so treat this as a rough share.
The filter is the fastest way to build a first list. When we compared it with the first 31 programs we checked, it matched every one. A program's own page is still the final word, since the directory can lag a policy change.
Not required, not considered or optional?
Programs word this differently, and it changes what you should do. Our reading:
Not required, not considered
Don't send a score. The program has said it won't read one.
Optional or recommended
Send a score only if it helps you, for example if your science GPA is weak and your quantitative score is strong.
Not required
Your file is complete without it. If the page says nothing more, ask the program whether a score is read.
No standardized test
No GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT. Check for Casper or another situational judgment test.
PA-CAT instead
You still need a test, just a different one. See our PA-CAT guide for format and dates.
What replaced the GRE at PA schools?
Three things, depending on the program:
- The PA-CAT. UTHSC and Barry require it of every applicant, and Augusta takes it in place of the GRE. Penn State, by contrast, says it has not adopted the PA-CAT as a substitute. Format, scores and dates are in our PA-CAT guide.
- Casper. Wisconsin requires it every cycle, and Augusta and Quinnipiac require it too. See which other programs use it on our Casper schools list.
- Nothing. Elon, UC Davis, Kentucky and Utah are among the programs that ask for no standardized test. Northwestern asks for no GRE, Casper or PA-CAT.
With no test score, the rest of your file does more of the work: your CASPA GPA (try our CASPA GPA calculator), patient care hours, your personal statement and the interview.
How to check any PA program in five minutes
Our steps, for programs that aren't on this list:
- Open PAEA's CASPA Program Directory and use the Standardized Tests filter to see which listings name the GRE.
- For every program on your list, open its own admissions or FAQ page and search the page for "GRE."
- Note the exact words: not required, not considered, optional, recommended or required.
- If it is required, note the time limit (Duke, Wake Forest and FSU each set one) and whether the MCAT or PA-CAT can replace it.
- Check the same page for Casper or the PA-CAT, which some programs ask for instead.
- If the page is silent or out of date, email admissions and ask which cycle the rule applies to.
Should you take the GRE anyway?
Ours. If every program on your list has dropped it, skip it and put the time into patient care hours and your statement. If even one program you really want requires it, take it once, early, so the score is ready before CASPA deadlines and inside that program's time limit. If a program lists it as optional or recommended, send a score only when it helps your file, for example to offset a weaker science GPA. Where a program says it won't consider scores, sending one does nothing.
Practice the question every PA interview asks
"Why our program" is where a list like this one pays off. Have two reasons only that program can claim. More questions are in our PA program interview questions guide.
“Why did you choose to apply to our program?”
Every PA interview asks some version of this. Name two things only this program has and connect each to something you've done. Don't say it was because they didn't need the GRE.
Example answer written by Confetto (the applicant is invented)
I wanted a program where I'd see underserved patients early, and your first-year clinic at the community health center does that. I worked two years as an ER scribe in a county hospital, so I know how much a patient's situation outside the hospital shapes their care.
I also liked that your faculty teach in small groups. I learn best by talking a case through, which is how I trained new scribes. When I visited, a second-year student told me she'd presented her first patient in week three, and that is the pace I'm looking for.
Every program row links to the page we read on October 31, 2026. The PAEA directory count, its share and the advice on what to send are our own.
Frequently asked questions
Do most PA schools still require the GRE?
No. On October 31, 2026, PAEA's CASPA Program Directory showed the GRE for 86 of its 333 program listings, so by our count about 74% did not list it. Check each program's own page, since a filter can lag a policy change. Open PAEA's directory.
Should I send my GRE score if a PA program says it's optional?
Only if it helps. Tufts, Marquette, Mercer and St. Ambrose list it as optional, and Stanford, Larkin and Dominican recommend a test, so a strong score can add to your file there. Programs like Northwestern, Boston University and Utah say they won't consider a score at all, so sending one does nothing. See Tufts' policy.
Are PA schools without the GRE easier to get into?
Not because of the GRE. Without a test score, programs weigh the rest of your file more: your CASPA GPA, patient care hours, personal statement, letters and interview. Plan as if every other part will be read closely. See what PA programs require.
What test do PA schools use instead of the GRE?
Some use the PA-CAT, such as UTHSC and Barry, and Augusta takes the GRE or the PA-CAT. Others require Casper, such as Wisconsin, Quinnipiac and Oakland. Several, like Elon, UC Davis, Albany Medical College and Augsburg, ask for no standardized test. Read our PA-CAT guide.
Can the MCAT replace the GRE for PA school?
At some programs. Penn State accepts the MCAT, PCAT or DAT instead, Marshall accepts the MCAT and DeSales takes the GRE, PA-CAT or MCAT. Florida State, Duke and Ashland accept no substitute. See Penn State's rule.
How old can my GRE score be for PA school?
It depends on the program. Wake Forest wants it within five years of the application deadline, UT Health San Antonio takes scores up to five years old, and Florida State wants it within three years of matriculation. See Wake Forest's rule.
More PA program guides
Applying to more PA programs? These guides cover how other programs interview: