Physician Assistant, MS: Regular Admissions
For Summer Admissions, submit all application materials by:
Nov 20, 2025
Thank you for your interest in applying to SUNY Upstate’s Physician Assistant, MS program in the College of Health Professions.
Applicant Deadlines:
Upstate operates on a rolling admission basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply well in advance of the application deadline.
Regular Admission:
- November 1st: Application deadline for CASPA
- November 20th: Deadline for completion of Upstate Supplemental Application and submission of supporting documents. ($65.00 application fee)
Before You Apply
Students applying to the Physician Assistant Program must take the prerequisite courses at another college prior to matriculation. Students may apply if prerequisite courses are in progress or planned to be completed by the time of matriculation.
Application Process
Physician Assistant applicants must submit both Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) and Upstate Application:
Step 1 - : Complete the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) Application
The Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) application needs to be completed by November 1.
In order to complete this application, you will need the following:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official college transcripts
- Documentation of healthcare-related volunteer or work experience: 1000 hours* (direct patient care preferred)
* We recommend applicants have at least 750 hours of healthcare-related experience completed at the time of application to be competitive.
Step 2: Upstate Supplemental Application
Once your application is received from CASPA, we will e-mail you your Login ID and PIN that will allow you to access our Secondary Application. Please do not create an account on your own from our Admissions Login page as that will not allow you to access the PA Secondary Application.
The Secondary Application must be submitted to Upstate Medical University along with a $65.00 application fee no later than November 20th.
Step 3 - Additional requirements based on individual situations
It is the responsibility of each student to confirm that a completed application is on file in the Office of Student Admissions.
- It is strongly recommended that applicants have shadowed or worked with a PA.
What To Expect After Applying
After your application has been submitted, our team begins a holistic review of your application. Decisions are sent out via e-mail. See the acceptance letter for the deadline to respond to the offer. If invited, an interview will be scheduled after the screening of all completed applications. Admission preference is given to applicants from underserved and minority populations and from rural communities.
Incoming students must submit a background check. This is completed after admission but before enrollment at SUNY Upstate. Students are admitted conditionally until background check results are obtained and reviewed by SUNY Upstate.
Have Questions
Need more specifics about the program? Questions about admissions requirements? Contact a College of Health Professions Admissions Counselor:
Maggie Moore
Graduate Admissions Advisor
[email protected]
315-464-4570
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Virtual Information Sessions
The Office of Admissions is conducting virtual information sessions for those who are interested in College of Health Professions programs.