Academics · Guide

Do PA school prerequisites expire?

By The Prereq Club, a pre-PA student and her mom (not PAs or admissions advisers). Every program rule below names its source and the month we checked it: October 2026.

Short answer

At many programs, yes. Of the 291 programs that publish an expiration window in The PA Life's 2026 prerequisite cheat sheet, 13.4% set a limit of six years or less on science courses, and another 21.6% cut off at seven. Some programs, like Yale and Michigan State, set no limit. If you're planning gap years, check each school on your list now.

Real limits at real programs

ProgramTime limitCounted to
Albany Medical College
page checked Oct 2026		One chemistry lecture and one life-science biology lecture (3+ credits each) within the last 5 years; most other courses don't expireNot stated
Charleston Southern
page checked Oct 2026		7 years, on anatomy and physiology onlyNot stated
University of Maryland Baltimore
2026–27		7 years, on anatomy and physiology onlyCASPA submission
St. John's
July 2026 FAQ		10 years; "No exceptions can be made."CASPA submission
Shenandoah
June 2027 start		10 years (within 5 recommended)Matriculation (the day you start)
YaleNo time limit—
Michigan StateNo time limit—

Examples, not a ranking. Rules can change from one cycle to the next, so check each program's own page.

Watch what the clock counts to

A limit counted to the day you start PA school leaves you less time than one counted to the day you apply. At Shenandoah, the class starting June 2027 applied in summer 2026, so a limit counted to matriculation cuts off up to about a year sooner than you might expect.

A worked example

If you take anatomy as a sophomore and work two years after graduating, that course is about 4 years old when you apply. Work four years and it's about 6 when you apply and about 7 when you'd start: too old for 5-year limits, and at or past the line for 6-year limits, especially ones counted to matriculation.

If you're planning gap years

  1. Write down when you took each science prerequisite.
  2. Check each program's limit and what it counts to (application, CASPA submission or matriculation).
  3. Plan a refresher if a key course will be too old for programs on your list.

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Quick answers

Do PA school prerequisites expire?

At many programs, yes. Of the 291 programs that publish an expiration window in The PA Life's 2026 cheat sheet, 13.4% set a limit of six years or less on science courses and another 21.6% cut off at seven. Some programs, such as Yale and Michigan State, set no limit.

How old can my science classes be for PA school?

It depends on the program: Albany wants one chemistry and one life-science biology lecture within five years, Charleston Southern and the University of Maryland Baltimore limit anatomy and physiology to seven years, and St. John's limits prerequisites to ten years before CASPA submission.

Sources (all opened October 2026)

Rules can change from one cycle to the next. Before you count on any of this, check each program's own admissions page or email the program. This guide is educational only and isn't admissions advice.