International Applicants

International applicants (non-U.S. or Canadian graduates) are required to take specific prerequisites in the United States. Applicants must also provide an evaluation of their academic credentials prepared by an international credentialing agency submitted through CASPA. The TOEFL is required and applicants are expected to be fluent in English (both written and oral). Additionally, advanced placement for applicants with previous medical degrees, both within or outside the US, will not be awarded. It is recommended that applicants verify eligibility for licensure in the states they are interested in working in. 

Student visa requirements and fees are the responsibility of the student. The OHSU Office of International Affairs offers information and resources for prospective students. Additionally, federal financial aid is only available to US citizens and US permanent residents. Please check with the Office of Financial Aid if you are unsure of your eligibility.

Academic credentials

International students must provide an evaluation of their academic credentials prepared by an international credentialing agency.  Please refer to the CASPA Help Center for additional information and accepted credentialing agencies. 

TOEFL/TSE/IELTS

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of applicants for whom English is not their native language. The TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived for applicants with Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral degrees from an accredited U.S. Institution.  The scores must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to CASPA in electronic format.  The ETS TOEFL score report will then be matched with your CASPA application.   TOEFL scores are valid two years from the date of testing.  Please refer to the CASPA FAQ page for additional information regarding how to report TOEFL scores.

Prerequisite coursework

For the 2024-2025 application cycle, planned summer 2025 admission, applicants must complete a Bachelor's degree and all prerequisite coursework with a grade of C (2.0) or better by December 31, 2024 (Fall 2024 term).  All planned prerequisite coursework must be listed in your CASPA application transcript as "in progress."  Unless otherwise noted, AP or IB credit will not be accepted to fulfill the prerequisites below.

Courses taken as Pass/No Pass: Although letter grades for coursework and labs are preferred, the program will accept pass/no pass grading (only passes equal to C or above are acceptable to meet prerequisites) for courses/labs taken beginning spring 2020 term until further notice.  

Degree must be complete by end of fall term prior to matriculation.

  • Must have non-U.S. or Canadian transcripts evaluated by an international credentialing agency
  • Minimum GPA equivalent to U.S. 3.0 required
  • Minimum BCP GPA of 3.0 is required.

Minimum of 30 semester credit hours or 40 quarter credit hours. 

  • Of the minimum 30 semester/40 quarter credits, 20 semester/30 quarter credit hours must be taken at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian institution.
  • Includes all coursework taken in the biology, chemistry, and/or physics departments that are medically, human, and/or animal science related.
  • Includes anatomy & physiology with lab, foundational biology, foundational chemistry, and microbiology with lab prerequisite credits.

2 semester courses or 3 quarter courses of a combined A&P with lab OR 1 semester Anatomy with lab and 1 semester Physiology with lab.

  • This requirement must be taken at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian institution.
  • Must be completed within 5 years of planned PA program matriculation.  
    • For application during the 2024-2025 cycle (matriculation in summer 2025) A&P coursework must have been taken Spring 2020 or more recent.
    • Both Anatomy and Physiology with labs must be within 5 years of planned matriculation, whether taken as individual or combined courses.
    • If the last anatomy with lab and/or physiology and/or combined A&P with lab course was taken over 5 years ago (as of planned matriculation), then a refresher of anatomy with lab and/or physiology is required.
  • Refresher course requirements:
    • The refresher can be taken as a minimum of one term (quarter or semester) of combined A&P with labs or as individual terms of anatomy with lab and physiology.
    • Refreshing the full A&P with lab sequence is preferred and is the best preparation for PA school.
  • Labs are required. Physiology without a lab can be considered if a separate physiology lab was not offered by your institution.  Anatomy only and combined A&P courses must be taken with labs. If they are taken without a lab, they will not be accepted. 
  • In-person labs are preferred, however, online labs are accepted.

One course with lab; minimum of 3 credits.

  • This requirement must be taken at a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian institution.
  • The lab is required.
  • Will not accept Bacteriology to meet requirement.

2 courses, minimum 3 credits (semester or quarter) each.

  • This requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of the following courses:
    • General biology
    • Cell or molecular biology
    • Genetics
  • Introductory coursework is accepted, but not preferred
  • The courses can be non-sequential as long as the minimum credits are met.
  • Labs are highly recommended, but not required.
  • Additional biology coursework is recommended.
  • Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (AP or IB credit must show on college transcript as biology credit).

2 courses, minimum 3 credits (semester or quarter) each.

  • The chemistry requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of the following courses:
    • General chemistry
    • Inorganic chemistry
    • Organic chemistry
    • Biochemistry
  • Introductory coursework is accepted, but not preferred
  • The courses can be non-sequential as long as the minimum credits are met.
  • Labs are highly recommended, but not required.
  • Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (AP or IB credit must show on college transcript as chemistry credit).

One course; minimum of 3 credits.

  • General Psychology, Human Development, or Introduction to Psychology.
  • Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (must show on college transcript as psychology credit).

One course; minimum of 3 credits.

  • Will accept courses offered through math, stats, bio, kines, psych, or soc departments
  • Business statistics will not be accepted.
  • Will accept AP or IB credit towards this requirement (must show on college transcript as statistics credit).

6 semester credits or 9 quarter credits.

  • This requirement may be waived if coursework or education was taken at an English-speaking institution.

Health care experience

International health care experience within 10 years of your application date can be counted towards the minimum 2,000 hour expectation.  It is highly recommended that you also obtain some clinically-based direct patient care in the US prior to applying to the program.  Please refer to the health care experience section for additional information about completing this requirement.