Admission Criteria
Master in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
The minimum admissions criteria for this program are:
STEP 1
- Fill out an online application to the UTRGV Graduate College. *The UTRGV online application will open in mid-April.
STEP 2
- Submit payment for your UTRGV Graduate College application at the payment site. This will be a separate account from your UTRGV Graduate College application and requires that you create a new account.
STEP 3
- Online application to the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) https://caspa.liaisoncas.com
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent.
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0.
- Minimum of 15 U.S. Semester hours completed within the past 10 years.
- The following items are required and can be submitted through CASPA:
- Official transcripts from each institution attended.
- Personal statement.
- Three letters of reference from professional or academic sources.
- Volunteer/community service and health care experience.
- The UTRGV Graduate College waived the 2020 – 2021 GRE test score requirement in response to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Graduate College has revoked the waiver and now requires applicants to submit their GRE test scores for the 2021 – 2022 application cycle.
- Completion of the following prerequisite coursework (a GPA of 3.0 or better will be more competitive):
- General Biology I and General Biology II
- Genetics
- Anatomy & Physiology I, and Anatomy & Physiology II
- Microbiology
- General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II
- Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry
- General Psychology or Abnormal Psychology
- Statistics
- Applicants must submit both a CASPA application and UTRGV Graduate College application by the September 1st deadline for consideration.
Additional requirements for domestic applicants who attended foreign universities:
- TOEFL or IELTS Language Proficiency Test with minimum scores: 550 on paper-based, 213 on computer based, or 79 on internet-based for the TOEFL; 6.5 for the IELTS, if English is not your native language. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for 2 years.
- English translation of educational records.
- Transcript Evaluation by World Education Services (WES).
Additional requirements for international applicants:
- TOEFL or IELTS Language Proficiency Test with minimum scores: 550 on paper-based, 213 on computer based, or 79 on internet-based for the TOEFL; 6.5 for the IELTS. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for 2 years.
- Minimum of 15 U.S. Semester hours completed within the past 5 years (starting in the 2016 application cycle).
- English translation of educational records.
- Transcript Evaluation by World Education Services (WES)
- Financial Documentation showing sufficient funds (minimum of $25,000) to cover all expenses (living and academic) for the first year of study.
- Immigration documents, including a current copy of your valid passport.
Document Submission Procedures:
You must submit your required documents including transcripts to CASPA. The Graduate College staff will retrieve your documents from CASPA including: transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, resume, and completion of prerequisite coursework.
NOTE: Students who are admitted to the PA program will be required to have official transcripts sent to UTRGV after notification of admission which usually occurs in Mid-Spring.
*Effective for the April 2021 to September 1, 2021 application submission cycle, only WES will be accepted.
Deadlines:
| Fall | |
| Domestic International |
September 1st September 1st |
Master in Physician Assistant Studies Bridge Program (MPAS)
Apply to the UTRGV Graduate College:
Step #1: Fill out an online application to the UTRGV Graduate College. *The UTRGV online application for Fall 2017 will open in mid-April. The University application fee of $50 ($100 for International Applicants) can be paid online by credit card or electronic check. All application fees are nonrefundable.
Step #2: Register on the UTRGV Recommenders and Document Upload Webpage (www.utrgv.edu/gradupload). This is where you will request recommenders and upload program requirement documents, and where the graduate office will upload your transcripts. If you do not complete this step, we will not be able to process your application.
Step #3: Request your transcripts and other supporting documentation to be mailed to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78539-2999
Review and submit all Program Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Physician Assistant Studies from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent.
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours.
- Official transcripts from each institution attended (must be submitted directly to UTRGV).
- Current license to practice as a PA.
- Current NCCPA certification.
- Be employed as a PA (for clinical hours participation).
- Must have medical malpractice insurance.
- Letter of reference from their supervising physician agreeing to precept the PA.
- Cleared criminal background check.
Deadlines:
To ensure all applications materials are received in a timely manner, applicants should complete the application two months prior to the start of the semester. Cohorts are admitted for the Fall, Spring, and Summer I semesters.