PA Transfer Admission Pathway

There are four (4) steps to the transfer application. All parts of the application must be completed before an application will be reviewed.

Step 1: Complete the CASPA Application

To apply to the UC PA Program and to be considered for an interview, transfer applicants must have the following in the CASPA application:

• A verified CASPA application status by September 1st.
• An overall CASPA-defined GPA of 3.0. Applicants with a GPA between 2.95 – 2.99 may be considered if enrolled in additional courses and the overall GPA can reach a minimum of a 3.0.
• Two references:
  • References must be submitted to CASPA by September 1st.
  • We strongly encourage one letter of recommendation from a healthcare provider (MD, DO, or PA) and the other from an instructor.
• An official GRE score:
  • Send the GRE to our CASPA-specific code 8830 by September 15th.
  • While GRE scores contribute to the overall strength of an application, there is no minimum GRE score requirement.
• Official transcripts: contact all previously attended colleges and universities and request official transcripts be sent to CASPA.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher:
  • The bachelor’s degree must be earned before matriculating into the program and be from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • If the bachelor’s degree is in progress, a feasible plan to obtain the degree by matriculation must be in place.
• Prerequisites:
  • Option 1:
    • Meet the traditional admission prerequisite requirements and select courses on the CASPA application, accordingly.
    • The program will confirm if selected prerequisites met requirements.
    • The Admissions Coordinator will contact the applicant to request additional information, if needed.
  • Option 2:
    • Meet the prior program’s prerequisite requirements and select courses on the CASPA application that meet the UC PA Program requirements.
    • Submit evidence of meeting the prior or current PA program’s prerequisite requirements.
    • The program will confirm if selected prerequisites met requirements.
    • The Admissions Coordinator will contact the applicant to request additional information, if needed.
• An official TOEFL score (if applicable):
  • Applicants for whom English is a second language are required to submit an official score report of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to CASPA by September 15th, unless the requirement is waived by the PA program.
  • The UC PA Program can waive the TOEFL exam if an applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. Should the Admissions Committee deem that an applicant has not demonstrated English proficiency, the applicant will be asked to take and submit an official TOEFL score to be further considered for a seat in the program.
  • Minimum accepted TOEFL scores:
    • Paper-Based Test (PBT): 550 or higher
    • Internet-Based Test (IBT): 80 or higher
  • If an applicant who has met minimum TOEFL scores demonstrates a deficiency in written or verbal communication, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to no longer consider the applicant for a seat in the program.
• International transcript evaluation (if applicable):
  • Applicants who have taken coursework or obtained a degree from an institution outside of the United States are required to have their educational credentials evaluated by any National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services (NACES) agency.
    • The official report must be sent to CASPA by September 1st.
    • Higher education institutions located in a U.S. territory do not need to be evaluated as long as the transcripts are in English.
    • Higher education institutions located in Canada must be evaluated by any National Association of Credentials Services (NACES) agency.
• International prerequisite courses (if applicable):
  • Applicants who have completed a prerequisite course at an institution outside of the United States are required to submit the syllabus associated with the course in English to the program at paprogram@ucwv.edu. The program will review the syllabus and let the applicant know if the course may be used towards the prerequisite.
  • If course syllabi cannot be obtained in English, the program reserves the right not to accept the course.

Step 2: Submit Supporting Documentation

To apply to the UC PA Program and to be considered for an interview, transfer applicants must email the following to the program at paprogram@ucwv.edu. Supporting documentation must be received by September 1st.

• Email a copy of the CASPA application that was submitted to the applicant’s enrolled PA program; if the CASPA application cycle has closed, email CASPA and ask for a copy of the application.
• Submit documentation showing evidence of meeting the currently or recently enrolled PA program’s prerequisite requirements (only if an applicant does not meet our traditional prerequisite requirements).
• Email course descriptions and syllabi of all completed and in-progress PA courses.
• Email all clinical rotation logs and End Of Rotation™ exam scores (if applicable).

Step 3: Request PA Program Documentation

To apply to the UC PA Program and to be considered for an interview, transfer applicants must have a university official, or the PA program email the following to paprogram@ucwv.edu by September 1st.

• A letter from the applicant’s PA program or university detailing if any claims were filed against or paid on behalf of the student, accompanied by a copy of the certificate of insurance (COI) confirming liability coverage while enrolled in that PA program.
• A letter from the applicant’s PA program stating that they were not dismissed from the program for academic or professional reasons.

Step 4: Respond to a Supplemental Question

To apply to the UC PA Program and to be considered for an interview, transfer applicants must explain why they wish to transfer to the UC PA Program (click here) by September 1st.

Note: Additional information or documentation may be requested to confirm an applicant satisfies all admission requirements. The UC PA Program may consider upper-level or equivalent courses to satisfy prerequisite requirements. If additional supporting documentation is needed after a file is reviewed, the applicant will be notified. At the discretion of the Program Director, alternative methods or types of supporting documentation could be accepted to meet the above requirements.

International Students Enrolled in an ARC-PA Recognized Program

International transfer students currently or recently enrolled in an ARC-PA recognized program are welcome to apply. The application steps must be submitted and completed as described above.

Admitted international transfer students will work with the Director of International Students to update any required paperwork.

Advanced Placement

Only courses from an ARC-PA recognized PA program will be considered for advanced placement. Medical school, health science courses, or other types of medical education, training, or experiences will not be considered.

Should a transfer applicant be offered a seat, notification regarding advanced placement, if any, will be detailed in the seat offer letter. Advanced placement will be considered on a case-by-case basis if the following conditions are met:

Didactic Courses – Advanced Placement

Non-Clinical Medicine Courses:

• A grade of a “B” or better was earned at the prior PA program for the course being considered for advanced placement, and
• The number of credits earned at the prior PA program is equal to or higher than the number of credits of the UC PA Program course being considered for advanced placement, and
• The course taken at the prior PA program is determined to be equivalent to the course being considered for advanced placement (determined by the UC PA Program).

Clinical Medicine Courses:

An accepted transfer student may request advanced placement for Clinical Medicine courses taken at their prior PA program. The applicant must pass a Confirmation of Transfer Equivalency Credit by Examination before advanced placement can be granted. If the transfer student elects not to sit for an exam, the student will be required to take the clinical medicine course(s) for credit.

To sit for a Confirmation of Transfer Equivalency Credit by Examination, the accepted transfer student must notify the program of their intent to take the exam at least 4 weeks prior to and complete all exams on campus at least 2 weeks prior to the start of a semester.

Students have one attempt to prove competency. To successfully demonstrate competency, transfer students need to obtain at least a 75% on all course exams while obtaining an overall 80% exam cumulative for the course. If competency is met, the course will be approved for advanced placement and tuition will be adjusted accordingly. If competency is not demonstrated, the student will be required to take the course(s) for credit.

The cost to sit for a Confirmation of Transfer Equivalency Credit Exam is equal to $50 per credit hour for the course being assessed. The exam fee is non-refundable.

Clinical Rotation Courses – Advanced Placement:

The minimum UC PA clinical-year requirements must have been met (e.g., grades, setting types, patient populations, EOR™ exam scores, elective presentation) to reflect competency for advanced placement.

Note: It is rare for students to transfer into the clinical phase of the UC PA Program. In the event an applicant does transfer into the clinical phase, they must first pass the UC PA Program Pre-Clinical Seminar Course Evaluation before going on clinical rotations. There is a $100 non-refundable fee associated with clinical transfer students taking the Pre-Clinical Seminar Course Evaluation.

Transfer Admission Course Auditing

If a transfer student is granted advanced placement for a didactic course (clinical medicine or non-clinical medicine course), the student may choose to audit the course for which advanced placement was granted. The fee to audit a course will be charged at $100 per credit hour for advanced placement courses. Auditing includes attending all classes, completing all assigned coursework, and taking all assessments. Feedback on all assessments will be provided.

Transfer Interview

The strongest applicants will be invited to interview in accordance with our admission policy.

Seat Deposit

A non-refundable enrollment seat deposit of $1,000 will be required when accepting your seat. The due date for the seat deposit will be outlined on the seat offer letter. The entire deposit will be applied toward first semester tuition.

Note: At the discretion of the Program Director, the seat deposit may be waived if extenuating circumstances exist. This will not change the cost of tuition.

Transfer Start Date

The UC PA Program has a January start date. Transfer students who are accepted into the program are offered a seat for the next January start date.

Length of Enrollment

The UC PA Program is a 28-month program that spans over 7 contiguous semesters. Transfer students must complete at minimum the equivalent of 4 semesters of coursework while in residence at the University of Charleston. Transfer students may be enrolled for the entirety of the program as it is atypical for an accepted transfer student to start in the fourth semester and/or the clinical phase of the program.

Program Competencies

The UC PA Program Core Competencies can be found here.

Seat Availability

Seat availability is limited by the accrediting body for PA programs. Thirty-three seats are available for each matriculating class for the UC PA Program, unless the program receives permission from the accrediting body to increase its cohort size.

The UC PA Program may request a temporary one-time cohort size increase to accommodate incoming students from another PA program that is shutting down. If approved by ARC-PA, incoming students from all pathways will be notified prior to the program start date. If a cohort size increase is approved, the university will supply the program with the fiscal, human, and physical resources needed to offer the same educational experience afforded to a smaller sized cohort.

Program Costs

Visit our Program Costs Webpage to find the most recent tuition, fees, and related costs for students attending the UC PA Program.

Transfer students will be presented with an estimated cost if offered a seat in the program. The university will determine if discounts are available based on tuition paid to the student’s prior program. Fees will be the same for all students for all semesters. PA Program tuition and fees per semester for a transfer student will not be higher than the tuition and fees paid by other UC PA Program students.

Note: Tuition, fees, and related costs are subject to change. Related costs are estimated.

Refunds

Seat deposits and fees are non-refundable. The UC PA Program follows the University of Charleston’s refund policy.

Program State Licensure

Click here to see where the UC PA Program’s curriculum meets state licensure requirements.

Financial Aid

A student must be enrolled part-time (6 credit hours) to be considered eligible for federal aid for any semester. A student cannot receive federal aid assistance for auditing courses. There is a financial aid cap set by the Department of Education. The UC PA Program encourages accepted transfer students to reach out to the UC Financial Aid Office to speak about their financial aid history and what aid may be available to them as a student.

Student Policies

Accepted transfer students will be subject to all policies as outlined at the bottom of our Home Webpage.

Post-Acceptance Requirements

Accepted transfer students must complete all post-acceptance requirements as published on the website.

Degree Awarded

All students are required to meet the Program’s Academic Performance and Progression Standards once in the program. Upon successful completion of the Physician Assistant Program, students will be awarded a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree.

Seat Offer Revocation

A seat offer can be revoked if:

• An applicant does not respond to an email within 2 weeks.
• An applicant provides inaccurate information.
• An applicant does not fully disclose reasons for the requested transfer.
• An applicant does not fulfill the program’s post-acceptance requirements.
• The program observes unprofessional behaviors prior to the start of the program.
• An applicant misses the seat deposit deadline.
• An applicant cannot meet financial obligations to the university.