Applying · Guide

How much does CASPA cost?

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

In the 2026–27 cycle, CASPA charges $185 for your first program and $65 for each one after, so 10 programs cost $770. Some programs add their own supplemental fee, some require tests with their own fees, and a seat deposit comes due if you're accepted. CASPA fee waivers cover your first two programs, but they're first-come, first-served, and the 2026–27 waivers were gone by September 2026.

The CASPA fee

ProgramsCASPA fee (2026–27)
1$185
5$445
8$640
10$770
15$1,095

$185 + $65 for each additional program. In the 2024–25 cycle, applicants applied to 8.45 programs on average (PAEA).

The other costs

  • Supplemental applications: set by each program. Duke's was $70 (non-refundable) for the 2025–26 cycle; its page hadn't been updated for 2026–27 when we checked in October 2026.
  • GRE (only if a program on your list requires or accepts it): $249 plus any tax, and $40 for each extra score report. If you qualify (U.S. citizens or resident aliens with financial need who are college seniors or graduates not enrolled in school, or people receiving unemployment benefits), an ETS fee reduction voucher brings the test down to $100.
  • PA-CAT (only if a program on your list requires or accepts it): $257, including the test center fee for standard administration; Exam Master offers fee assistance. See PA-CAT vs. GRE.
  • Casper (only some programs require it): costs depend on the test type and number of programs; UW–Madison, for example, lists $50 plus a $20 distribution fee. See the Casper guide.
  • Seat deposit, if you're accepted: varies by program. For example, Duke's is $1,125 ($475 of it goes toward first-semester tuition) and Michigan State's is $500, and both are non-refundable.

The PA Life's two sample budgets come to $1,769 (two virtual interviews) and $2,769 (two interview trips). Both assume 10 programs, five $60 supplemental fees, the GRE plus three extra score reports, and no Casper, PA-CAT or seat deposit. Your total could be lower or much higher.

Fee waivers

  • CASPA: a fee waiver covers your first two programs ($250). To use the full $250, submit to at least two programs at the same time with Submit All. Eligibility is based on the adjusted gross income on the 2025 federal tax return (Form 1040), which has to fall below CASPA's low-income level; if a parent or guardian claimed you as a dependent, you use their return. Waivers are first-come, first-served and must be requested before you submit. Once approved, you have 21 days to submit or the waiver is voided. For 2026–27, every waiver was gone by September 2026.
  • Casper: Acuity says applicants approved for CASPA's Fee Assistance Program "may be eligible to have their Casper test fees waived or reduced." Check the fee assistance box and upload proof when you reserve your test.
  • Program fees: some programs waive their own fee. Duke waives its supplemental fee for active-duty military and veterans, and for applicants who received or were eligible for a CASPA fee waiver (you email proof to the program).

Plan it before your cycle opens

  1. Pick your list first. Every extra program adds $65 plus any supplemental fee.
  2. Check which tests each program requires, so you don't pay for one nobody on your list asks for.
  3. If you qualify for a CASPA fee waiver, request it early in the cycle, but only once you can submit within 21 days of approval. Waivers run out, and an approved waiver is voided if you don't submit in time. The 2026–27 cycle opened April 30, 2026.
  4. Set aside money for one deposit before acceptances arrive.

Fees and rules can change from one cycle to the next. Check each official page before you pay or plan.

Related guides

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Quick answers

How much does CASPA cost?

In the 2026–27 cycle, CASPA charges $185 for the first program and $65 for each additional program, so 10 programs cost $770.

Can I get a CASPA fee waiver?

CASPA fee waivers cover your first two programs ($250), based on the tax return you or the parent who claims you filed. They are first-come, first-served, and the 2026–27 waivers were gone by September 2026, so request one early in the cycle, once you're ready to submit within 21 days of approval.

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.