Yes, and most of them. Of seven PA programs we opened on their own admissions pages on October 13, 2026, six do not require the GRE and one, Yale, still does.
That is the honest shape of the answer. Requirements are set program by program and change between cycles, so the useful skill is not memorizing a list. It is checking the program's own admissions page, which is what the table below does and dates.
- Six of the seven programs we checked on October 13, 2026 do not require the GRE. Yale's Physician Associate Program still does.
- Four of them require no admissions test at all: Drexel, Arcadia, the University of New England, and Baylor College of Medicine.
- "No GRE" does not mean "no test". AdventHealth University requires Casper and not the GRE.
- The University of Utah dropped Casper for the current cycle only, which is the kind of change a static list never catches.
- None of the seven accepts the MCAT in place of the GRE.
- The CASPA Program Directory entry for each program shows the date the program last updated it, so you can see how old the data is before you trust it.
Are There PA Schools That Don't Require GRE?
Yes. Every program below was read on its own admissions page on October 13, 2026, during the 2026-2027 CASPA cycle. The program name links to the page the wording came from.
| Program | GRE | Other admissions test |
|---|---|---|
| Drexel University (MHS) | "Not required or considered" | None listed |
| Arcadia University (MMS) | Not required and not considered | None; TOEFL or IELTS only if English is not your first language |
| University of New England | Not on the application checklist | None listed |
| University of Utah (UPAP) | "Does not require the GRE, or other standardized test" | Casper not required for the current cycle |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Not in the published 2026-2027 requirements | None; TOEFL or IELTS only if English is not your first language |
| AdventHealth University | "The GRE and PA-CAT are not required in the selection process" | Casper, required of every applicant |
| Yale Physician Associate Program | Required, institution code 3983 | None listed |
Two programs go further than "not required". Drexel says GRE scores are "not required or considered", and Utah tells applicants "please do not send your scores, they will not be considered". At those two, a GRE score cannot help you even if you have one.
What The CASPA Program Directory Shows, And Where It Lags
The CASPA Program Directory run by PAEA is the right starting point, and each program page carries a Standardized Test(s) Required field. It also carries something most people miss: a line at the bottom giving the date the program last updated its entry.
On October 13, 2026, the Arcadia University entry read "Standardized Test(s) Required: None" and was last updated March 9, 2026. The AdventHealth University entry read "Casper" and was last updated February 4, 2026.
Both match what the programs themselves now publish. The problem is the gap: an entry last touched in February describes a cycle that has since opened, filled and started closing. Deadlines in this cycle run from August 1 to November 1, so an eight-month-old entry can be a cycle behind without looking wrong.
An earlier version of this page carried exactly that lag. It described Arcadia as requiring the GRE with the MCAT accepted, and AdventHealth as requiring the PA-CAT and Casper. Both are corrected above: Arcadia considers no standardized test scores at all, and AdventHealth states plainly that the PA-CAT is not required.
How to Find Verified Non-GRE PA Programs (Best Method)
Use this workflow every cycle:
- Open the CASPA Program Directory.
- Use filters (including GRE requirement and related admissions fields).
- Open each program detail page and check Standardized Test(s) Required, then read the last-updated date under it.
- Click through to the program's official admissions website and confirm the current policy there.
- Read the application page as well as the requirements page. They can disagree.
- Re-check before submission deadlines in case of policy updates.
Step 5 is not padding. Utah's requirements page still points applicants to the application page "for information on the CASPA Application and the CASPer Test", while the application page states that the program "is no longer requiring the CASPer test in the current application cycle". Reading only the first page would have you booking a test you do not need.
PAEA also notes that directory data is provided by the programs themselves and should be cross-checked on each program website for the most up-to-date details.
What About Casper, The PA-CAT And Other Tests?
A program can drop the GRE and still ask for a test. Among the seven:
- AdventHealth University requires Casper of every applicant and says the GRE and the PA-CAT are not required. Its admissions page sets a verified application deadline of September 1 and warns that Casper takes about two weeks to be scored and sent. It accepts a PA-CAT transcript in one narrow case only, as an alternative to retaking science prerequisites finished more than ten years ago, which is an option rather than a requirement.
- University of Utah is not requiring Casper for the current cycle. The wording is cycle-specific, so treat it as a change that could be reversed, not a permanent policy.
- The other four programs list no admissions test. Baylor and Arcadia ask for TOEFL or IELTS only from applicants whose first language is not English.
If Casper is on your list, our guide to the Casper test format and timing covers what the 11 scenarios look like, and you can sit a free Casper practice test before you book.
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Do PA Schools Accept The MCAT Instead Of The GRE?
Not at any of the seven programs checked here. Four of them list no admissions test at all, so there is nothing an MCAT score could satisfy. Yale asks specifically for the GRE and names an ETS institution code. AdventHealth names Casper. Drexel, Arcadia and Utah each say in their own words that test scores are not considered.
A small number of PA programs elsewhere do accept the MCAT in place of the GRE, and the way to find out is the same field as before: read Standardized Test(s) Required on the directory entry, then confirm on the program's own admissions page. If a program takes the MCAT, it says so by name. Treat silence as a no.
Are Non-GRE PA Programs Less Competitive?
Not necessarily.
Yale, the one program here that still requires the GRE, reviewed 1,207 applications for the Class of 2028, interviewed 160 applicants, and seated 40. Dropping a test does not change arithmetic like that.
Even when the GRE is not required, programs still evaluate:
- cumulative and science GPA
- prerequisite completion quality
- direct patient care and healthcare experience
- letters of recommendation
- personal statement quality
- interview performance
The minimums are specific and they are published. Drexel requires a 3.0 cumulative and a 3.0 science GPA and 500 hours of hands-on patient care. UNE requires a 3.0 in both the last 60 credits and the biology, chemistry and physics courses, 500 patient care hours and 20 hours shadowing a PA, and notes that competitive applicants typically carry far more. In many cases removing the GRE does not reduce selectivity. It shifts the weight onto the rest of your profile.
Should You Take the GRE Anyway?
Take the GRE only if it fits your strategy. Three of the seven programs above state that scores are not considered at all, so sending one there changes nothing.
Consider taking GRE if
- part of your target list still requires it, as Yale does
- you want to keep options open for programs outside your current list
- you are also applying to graduate programs that do weigh it
If you decide to sit it, start with a set of free GRE practice questions to see where you stand, check what a good GRE score looks like for the programs that do read it, then build the weeks around your application deadlines with our GRE study plan generator. Everything else we publish on the exam sits on the GRE hub.
Skip GRE if
- your target list is fully verified as non-GRE
- your time is better spent improving GPA trend, patient care hours, writing, and interviews
Practical Application Checklist
- Finalize your target states and program types.
- Filter programs in the CASPA Program Directory.
- Build a spreadsheet with: GRE policy, other test requirements, GPA minimums, healthcare-hour expectations, deadlines.
- Confirm each item on the program's official admissions page, and note the date you checked it.
- Put the deadlines in first. Among the seven here, Baylor and Utah close CASPA submission on August 1, Yale and AdventHealth need a verified application by September 1, Arcadia closes October 1, and UNE closes November 1.
- Prioritize fit and admission reality, not "easiest school" lists.
If a program on your list does require the GRE, work backwards from the earliest deadline when you pick a test date.
FAQ: PA Schools That Don't Require GRE
How many PA schools do not require GRE in 2026?
The count changes with every cycle, and no published list is verified often enough to quote a number from. In our own sample of seven programs checked on October 13, 2026, six did not require it. Use the CASPA Program Directory filters for the current field, then confirm each one on the program's site.
Can I apply to PA school before taking the GRE?
At a program that does not require it, there is nothing to wait for. At a program that does, the score has to reach CASPA by the program's deadline, not by the date you submit. Yale's 2026-2027 deadline was September 1, 2026, and ETS scores take time to arrive, so book the test with weeks to spare rather than days.
Can I get into PA school without GRE?
Yes. Most programs we checked do not require it. You still need a strong overall application: the GPA minimums, patient care hours and letters do not get easier when the test goes away.
Are there PA schools that require tests other than GRE?
Yes. AdventHealth University requires Casper of every applicant while requiring no GRE. Other programs use the PA-CAT. Always read the full requirements rather than stopping at the GRE line.
Where should I verify requirements before applying?
Both the CASPA Program Directory entry, where you can see when the program last updated it, and the program's own admissions website. When the two disagree, the program's own page is the one that governs.
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