Career-changer friendly: At 200 required patient care hours, this is one of the lower bars in the country, worth a look if you are switching fields and building hours while you apply.
Faster to practice: At 24 months, this program is shorter than most. That means less tuition and earlier income, but a denser schedule with little slack.
Heavier testing load: This program requires GRE and CASPer. Budget the extra prep time and exam fees before your deadline.
Newer program: This program holds provisional accreditation, which is normal for a program that has not yet graduated its first classes. Expect a smaller alumni network and fewer years of PANCE data.
ONE-ON-ONE HELP
Book a Pre-PA Counseling session and spend thirty minutes one-on-one with a practicing PA who knows what admissions committees look for. We will go through your GPA, patient care hours, and school list together, and you will get a written plan for your next steps in your inbox within 24 hours.
Alvernia University is located in Pennsylvania. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.
At a glance
Location: Pennsylvania
Institution type: Private
Program length: 24 months
Class size: 27 students
Start month: August
Application deadline: April
In-state tuition: $92,700
Minimum overall GPA: 2.8
Minimum science GPA: 3
Minimum PCE hours: 200 hours
Letters of recommendation: 3
Accreditation status: Provisional
Admission requirements
GRE: Yes
PA-CAT: No
CASPer: Yes
TOEFL (international applicants): Yes
Supplemental application: No
Letters of recommendation: 3: Heatlhcare Professional Professor OR Advisor
Patient care experience: 200 hours minimum
Interview format: no interviews are required
Prerequisites
Minimum prerequisite grade: C
Prerequisite expiration: 10 years
In-progress prerequisites accepted: Yes
AP or CLEP credit accepted: No
Pass/Fail coursework accepted: No
Online coursework accepted: Yes
Required coursework
Human Anatomy - 3 Credit(s), Lab Required
Biology (general) 6 Credit(s), Lab Required
Biochemistry - 3 Credit(s)
Microbiology - 3 Credit(s), Lab Required
Chemistry (general) - 6 Credit(s), Lab Required
Organic Chemistry - 3 Credit(s), Lab Required
Human Physiology - 3 Credit(s), Lab Required
Statistics - 3 Credit(s)
Psychology - 3 Credit(s)
Cost
In-state tuition: $92,700
Seat deposit: $1,000
Want to compare your stats to this program? Pre-PA Bestie is a free, always-updated PA program database where you can save schools and see how your numbers line up. Check out Pre-PA Bestie.
You don’t have to navigate your application cycle alone.
That’s what Pre-PA Academy is for.
Get ongoing support throughout your PA school journey with 3–4 live sessions every week led by Savanna Perry, PA-C, and The PA Platform team. Bring your questions, get help with what you’re working on right now, and stay on track as you move toward CASPA.
Plus, get access to The PA Platform’s courses, session replays, and exclusive member discounts.
Program website: Alvernia University
Admissions page: Admissions information
Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 610-685-3253
Address: 400 Saint Bernardine St., Reading, PA 19607
Program information last verified June 11, 2026. Requirements change, always confirm directly with the program before applying.
ABOUT THE PA PLATFORM
We help Pre-PAs get into PA school. Every coach on our team is a practicing PA, and we have been guiding applicants since 2015. Use these program spotlights to build your school list, then let us help with your essay, your interview, and your plan.
WORK WITH A PA COACH
Thirty minutes one-on-one with a practicing PA, plus a written plan for your next steps.
Line-by-line edits from PAs who know exactly what admissions committees are looking for.
Practice with a PA, then get honest feedback before the real thing.
Courses, session replays, and a community of future PAs, all in one membership.
Bundle services into a package built around where you are in the process.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Sign up for the newsletter!
