Sacred Heart University PA Program: Requirements, Tuition & Stats

• Middle-of-the-pack GPA — The average accepted overall GPA (3.51) is close to the national middle, so a solid-but-not-spectacular academic record is genuinely competitive here.

• The minimum is not the target — The stated minimum GPA is 3, but the average accepted is 3.51 — a gap of 0.51. Meeting the floor gets you screened in, not admitted.

• Experience-heavy — A 1,000-hour patient care minimum is at or above the national 75th percentile. Plan on a year or more of full-time work before you apply.

• No extra standardized testing — No GRE, PA-CAT, or CASPer required — one less hurdle if standardized tests are not your strength.

• Strong PANCE outcomes — A first-time PANCE pass rate of 100% is above the national average.

Sacred Heart University is located in Connecticut. The details below come straight from the program and are re-checked on a rolling basis.

At a glance

• Location: Connecticut

• Institution type: Private

• Program length: 27 months

• Class size: 42 students

• Start month: August

• Application deadline: September

• In-state tuition: $105,011

• Average overall GPA: 3.51

• Minimum overall GPA: 3

• Minimum science GPA: 3

• Minimum PCE hours: 1,000 hours

• Letters of recommendation: 3

• First-time PANCE pass rate: 100%

• Accreditation status: Continued

Admission requirements

• GRE: No

• PA-CAT: No

• CASPer: No

• TOEFL (international applicants): Yes

• Supplemental application: Yes

• Shadowing: Recommended

• Letters of recommendation: 3 — At least one letter from a work supervisor and one from a professor. One letter must be a professional reference from a clinical job supervisor (physician, PA, or nurse practitioner). One letter must be an academic reference from a professor or TA or academic adviser.

• Patient care experience: 1,000 hours minimum

• Interview format: Virtual

Prerequisites

• Minimum prerequisite grade: C

• Prerequisite expiration: No expiration

• In-progress prerequisites accepted: No

• AP or CLEP credit accepted: Yes

• Pass/Fail coursework accepted: No

• Online coursework accepted: Yes

Required coursework

• Biological Science courses, which must include:

• - Microbiology with lab (4 credits)

• - Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab (4 credits)

• - Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab (4 credits)

• - Any upper-level human biological science course with or without lab (3-4 credits)

• One course of each of the following:

• - Organic Chemistry I with lab (4 credits) and Organic Chemistry II with lab (4 credits); or Biochemistry with lab (4 credits)

• - Statistics (Biostatistics preferred)

• - General Psychology or Introduction to Psychology

Recommended: Human Genetics Abnormal Psychology Biostatistics Biochemistry Immunology Medical Terminology

Cost

• In-state tuition: $105,011

• Seat deposit: $1,000

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• Program website: Sacred Heart University

• Admissions page: Admissions information

• Prerequisite details: Prerequisite coursework

• Email: [email protected]

• Phone: 203-371-7999

• Address: 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825

Program information last verified June 24, 2026. Requirements change — always confirm directly with the program before applying.