Admission Requirements

Program prerequisites

Admission requirements must be completed at the time of application. Applicants may apply with one prerequisite course in progress if it is completed prior to matriculation. All coursework must be satisfactorily completed by the end of December in the year preceding enrollment.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Students who received an undergraduate degree from an international institution must complete a degree evaluation from World Education Services (WES) to determine equivalency to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States. Please see Admission FAQ for more information.
  • b. Proficiency in English is vital for delivering high-quality patient care and ensuring clear communication with patients. Applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed a bachelor’s degree or higher in the United States are required to submit official TOEFL iBT scores as part of the admissions process. No other English-proficiency tests are accepted. For applicants who must submit scores, the program requires a minimum total TOEFL iBT score of 90, with no individual section score below 22.
• Overall cumulative GPA or 3.0 or higher
• Overall science GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Required coursework must be completed within 10 years of the current application year, with a “C” or better, from an accredited school within the United States. English, statistics, and psychology must be completed within 15 years of the current application year. Quarter credits will be converted to semester credits by CASPA, using their conversion ratio (1.0 quarter hour = 0.667 semester hours). Pass/fail courses and international courses will not be accepted for individual prerequisite coursework requirements (please see Admission FAQ for exceptions). Advanced placement (AP) courses are accepted only for the statistics and psychology prerequisites. A minimum score of 4 or 5 is required to fulfill these requirements. AP courses will not be accepted for any science prerequisites.
  • Anatomy and Physiology with labs: 8 credits. Must include labs. Must be human or mammalian. Acceptable courses include 4 credits of physiology with lab plus 4 credits of anatomy with lab, OR 8 credits of “Anatomy and Physiology” with labs
  • Biology with lab: 4 credits. Must include lab. May be replaced by upper level biology course with lab, only if this course does not overlap with additional microbiology requirement listed below.
  • Chemistry with labs: 8 credits. Must include labs. General/inorganic chemistry. Both semesters may be replaced by upper-level chemistry courses with labs, only if these courses do not overlap with additional organic or biochemistry requirement listed below.
  • Microbiology: 3 credits. Lab not required. (this is in addition to the other biology requirement)
  • Organic chemistry or biochemistry: 3 credits. Lab not required. (this is in addition to the other chemistry requirement)
  • Psychology: 3 credits
  • Statistics: 3 credits
• Only one prerequisite course can be in progress at the time of application
• Admission FAQ - Applicants are strongly encouraged to review all questions listed in Admission FAQ in addition to program prerequisites above in detail prior to submitting application.
• 1000 hours of direct patient care experience - must be completed at the time of application submission
  • Direct patient care FAQ

Applicant screening

University of Bridgeport’s PA program does not favor any specific group or individuals, however the most desirable applicants will show evidence of: cumulative overall and cumulative science GPAs above the minimum requirements; a rigorous and successful undergraduate and prerequisite academic career; the ability to be resilient or overcome challenges; a personal mission that aligns with the program mission; a strong understanding of the PA profession; excellent self-awareness and insight; strong teamwork and interpersonal skills; strong personal references; direct patient care experience that exceeds the minimum requirement and is of high quality (hands-on contact with patients and/or high level decision making in a medical environment).

Required materials

Please submit all materials below to the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). No applications or supplemental materials will be accepted by University of Bridgeport directly.

• CASPA application and personal statement
• Official transcripts from all schools attended
• Three letters of recommendation
• Supplemental essays specific to University of Bridgeport
• Detailed and accurate documentation of duties performed during patient care experiences

Admissions process

Rolling admissions

We embrace a rolling admissions process, ensuring flexibility for applicants throughout the cycle. In-person interviews for the most qualified candidates will be conducted between June and August.

Application deadline

Our application window remains open until August 1 at 11:59 p.m. EST or until our class reaches full capacity. We encourage applicants to submit their applications early to enhance their chances of securing an interview.

Application verification

Please note that all applications must be verified by CASPA by the August 1 deadline to be considered for review by our admissions team. Applications can only be verified once all payments, transcripts, and letters of evaluation have been received by CASPA. To guarantee timely verification, we urge applicants to submit their application at least four weeks before the deadline.

Program commencement

Our program commences in January. All pending prerequisites must be successfully completed by December 20 to ensure a smooth start to the program.

Policies of interest to prospective students

Our PA program maintains a comprehensive set of policies designed to promote student success, foster a safe and equitable learning environment, and uphold accreditation requirements. We encourage prospective students to familiarize themselves with these policies to gain a clear understanding of the program’s expectations and responsibilities.