Applying to the MS in Physician Assistant Studies Program

How To Apply

Applicants who wish to apply to NU School of PA Medicine must register and apply through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) portal.

• CASPA applications must be submitted and verified no later than January 15, 2026, 8:59 p.m. PST
• Questions about the CASPA portal, please contact CASPA applicant help center directly
• No supplemental application required
• No Graduate Review Evaluation (GRE) required
• Utilize an email address in your application that you will have access to and actively monitor for at least one year

Applicants are strongly advised to submit applications a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the deadline. International applicants should allow at least 2 months for transcript processing.

Application Fees

Northwest University does not collect any application fees. Fees required to submit the CASPA application are submitted directly to CASPA. For information on fees and any refunds, you will need to contact CASPA directly. CASPA does offer a fee assistance program with a limited number of fee waivers to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Transcripts

DO NOT send official transcripts to Northwest University unless requested to do so by the university. All official transcripts must be submitted through CASPA. If an application is missing any course(s) or transcript(s), it will be removed from further consideration.

If you have been previously enrolled as a student in a physician assistant, medical (including foreign), or ANY health profession or allied health profession program (including, but not limited to MD, DO, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, podiatry, etc.), you MUST provide all transcripts.

Any documents and/or materials submitted to the PA program for application purposes are the sole property of the NU School of Medicine and will not be released, copied, or returned.

International Students

International applicants interested in applying to the PA program should contact the International Student Services at Northwest University to verify compliance with entry requirements within the US. Applicants that desire to study in the US must obtain a visa from the United States. Applicants must meet all the requirements for admission to the PA program and be admitted to Northwest University. The University will assist the student with the necessary forms to apply for the required student visa. It is important to note: All foreign applicants must be admitted to the PA program prior to applying for student visa.

Foreign Degree Requirements

Any college or university transcript which is submitted from a school located outside of the US or Canada must be supplemented by an official evaluation of the transcript for US degree equivalency and GPA, performed by an institution approved by NACES (https://www.naces.org/members). For more information on foreign transcript evaluation and submission through CASPA, please visit the help center.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

Applicants are exempt from the English Language Proficiency Requirement if their native language is English, or if they have completed a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college/university with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

PA applicants for whom the requirement applies must fulfill it via one of the following test scores to qualify for admission to Northwest University:

• TOEFL internet-based (iBT) score of 100  
• IELTS score of 7.5
• Duolingo English Test score of 125
• Completion of Northwest University’s Center for English Language Education (CELE) program Level 6 Bridge with a grade of 85% or higher and a GPA of 3.0 in NU Bridge Classes

Qualified Veterans

Northwest University School of PA Medicine is proud to serve veterans. Learn more about Resources for Veterans including veteran’s benefits.

A qualified veteran is a person who served on active duty in any branch of the armed forces and received an honorable or general discharge; anyone currently serving in the National Guard or Reserves; or anyone currently serving in active duty, provided they can obtain leave to attend PA school.

Any qualified veteran who meets the minimum admission requirements is guaranteed an interview.

Prerequisite Coursework

Military coursework that is given a pass/fail grade cannot fulfill the prerequisite coursework requirement because a pass grade is considered a C or better.

Official transcripts from all attended regionally accredited U.S. institutions of higher learning must be submitted in your CASPA application. A Joint Services Transcript is not required unless it includes courses with letter or number grade.

Note: Qualified veterans must upload a copy of military paperwork (i.e., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) in the Documents Section of the CASPA application to receive this preference.

Questions About Veteran Benefits?

Contact Northwest University’s VA Certifying Official
(425) 889-5346 (8:00am–5:00pm Monday–Friday)
veterans@northwestu.edu