Every few weeks, someone asks a version of the same question on r/prephysicianassistant: I just got accepted, and now I found out the program is on probation. Is my degree still valid? Can I take the PANCE? Could the school close before I graduate?
The short answer is that a PA program on Accreditation-Probation is still accredited. You can graduate, sit for the PANCE, and apply for licensure. But probation is not a detail you should ignore. You need to know why the program received that status and what it is doing to fix the problem.
Finding a current list is harder than it should be. The ARC-PA publishes accreditation statuses in a paginated table that can change without notice. Many PA school lists copied that information years ago and never updated it.
The list below is live. Every program shown currently holds Accreditation-Probation with the ARC-PA. The data comes from our verified directory, which we reconcile with the ARC-PA every week.
Live snapshot (Aug 31, 2026): 31 PA program locations are currently on ARC-PA Accreditation-Probation and 266 hold continued accreditation. A further 0 are on Administrative Probation, which the ARC-PA assigns for administrative non-compliance such as unpaid fees or an unfiled report — not for a finding about the education, and they are not counted in the list on this page.
What does Accreditation-Probation mean?
The ARC-PA defines Accreditation-Probation as "a temporary accreditation status initially of not less than two years." It assigns that status when a program with Provisional or Continued accreditation does not meet the Standards or when its ability to provide students with an acceptable education is threatened.
Two details are easy to miss.
First, the program is still accredited. Probation is not a suspension, and it does not automatically mean the program will close. It means the ARC-PA found problems that the program must correct within a set period.
Second, probation lasts at least two years and can last as long as four. If a program is making substantial progress but needs more time to meet every applicable standard, the ARC-PA can grant an extension of up to two years. A student can start and finish a 27-month program while that program remains on probation.
Will I still be eligible for the PANCE?
Yes. MEDEX Northwest explains this clearly in its probation FAQ: "No, this probationary status does not affect students' path to graduation, PANCE eligibility, or licensure." The program also states that probation will not appear on student records, diplomas, or transcripts and that it remains fully accredited.
If you graduate from a program with Accreditation-Probation, you are still a graduate of an accredited PA program and remain eligible for the PANCE. Your diploma does not receive an asterisk, and the status does not follow you into licensure.
What probation may affect is the education and support you receive while you are enrolled. That is the risk applicants should investigate, and it often shows up in the program's outcomes.
Is a PA school on probation easier to get into?
The published admissions standards do not suggest that it is. When you compare the programs above with those holding Accreditation-Continued, their minimum GPAs and typical class sizes are about the same. Programs do not automatically lower their GPA requirements after going on probation.
The number that would answer this question more directly is the number of applicants per seat during the current cycle. CASPA, PAEA, and the programs do not publish that information. Anyone who says probation programs are easier to get into is making an educated guess, not citing documented applicant data.
The theory is reasonable. News of probation spreads quickly, and some applicants remove those schools from their lists. One program above stopped matriculating a cohort while it prepared its response, then reopened admissions the next cycle. A program on probation could see a less competitive applicant pool in a particular year.
I would not build an application strategy around that possibility. Any small improvement in your odds comes with questions about the education you would receive.
Where probation shows up in the outcomes
Look at the first-time PANCE pass rate for each program above, then compare the medians in the note beneath the table. Programs on probation have a lower median than programs holding Accreditation-Continued, and a much larger share have first-time pass rates below 90%.
That relationship is not surprising. The ARC-PA evaluates PANCE performance, and low pass rates are part of the reason some of these programs are on probation.
The individual results vary widely. Some programs on the current list report first-time pass rates in the high 90s, and at least one has posted a 100% rate for several graduating classes in a row. Others are well below the national average. Read the program's numbers, not just its accreditation label.
Programs can receive probation for faculty turnover, shortages of clinical sites, a late self-study, curriculum documentation, a vacant program director position, or student outcomes. The status tells you that the ARC-PA found a problem. It does not tell you what the problem was. You have to look that up for each program.
Accreditation-Probation and Administrative Probation are different
The ARC-PA uses two types of probation, and the distinction matters.
Accreditation-Probation means the ARC-PA found that a program did not meet the Standards or that its ability to provide an acceptable education was threatened. It is a finding about the program itself. Those are the programs included above.
Administrative Probation is "a temporary status granted when a program has not complied with an administrative requirement, such as failure to pay fees or submit required reports." It is an administrative overlay on the program's underlying status, which is usually Continued or Provisional.
Programs on Administrative Probation are intentionally excluded from this list. Their total appears in the note beneath the table. A list that includes every program associated with the word "probation" can make an administrative lapse look like a finding about educational quality.
Three details applicants often miss
1. Accreditation follows the program and location
One university on this list operates three PA programs with three different statuses: Continued, Probation, and Provisional. The programs share a university name, website, and brochure, but they do not share an accreditation status. Searching "Is [school] PA accredited?" can therefore produce the wrong answer. Check the specific program and campus where you would enroll.
2. One accredited program may have several locations
MEDEX Northwest has one ARC-PA accreditation covering Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Anchorage, and Kona. When the ARC-PA placed the program on probation, that status applied to all five locations. We list the locations separately because applicants apply to a specific location. That is why the number of locations above is higher than the number of distinct ARC-PA programs they represent.
3. Accreditation withdrawal is rare, but possible
Thiel College had its accreditation withdrawn in June 2025. The decision was upheld on reconsideration, and the program moved to teach-out only. The ARC-PA also accepted the voluntary withdrawal of Yale's PA Online program, effective September 30, 2026. Both programs provided teach-outs for enrolled students, and neither action came without earlier warning for people following the programs' accreditation histories.
If you are considering a program on probation, do not assume withdrawal can never happen. Find out which warning signs to watch and how the program would protect current students if it lost accreditation.
How to evaluate a program before you apply
A program on probation can still belong on a good applicant's school list. Before you apply or accept a seat, spend about twenty minutes on these six checks:
- Read the ARC-PA Notice of Actions for the program. The notice identifies the Standards the ARC-PA cited. A late self-study report and a problem with student outcomes call for very different questions.
- Find the program's probation FAQ. Most programs publish one, and the better FAQs explain both the findings and the response.
- Ask about probation during your interview. Try: "Which standards were cited, what is your remediation plan, and when is your next ARC-PA review?" A defensive response tells you something. So does a clear, specific one.
- Review five years of first-time PANCE pass rates. A program at 88% after improving from 79% has a different trajectory from one that fell to 88% from 97%.
- Ask specifically about clinical rotations. Clinical site availability is one of the most common reasons for a probation finding, and students tend to feel those problems quickly.
- Compare the probation timeline with your expected graduation date. Probation lasts at least two years and can extend to four. If you start a 27-month program next year, you may graduate while the program is still on probation. That does not change your PANCE or licensure eligibility, but it is better to understand the possibility before you enroll.
Should you apply to a PA school on probation?
Probation by itself is not a reason to remove a program from your list. A program with a 100% PANCE pass rate and a citation for a documentation lapse presents a different risk from a program cited for poor outcomes or inadequate clinical placements. Treating both programs the same means letting the label make the decision for you.
You also should not accept a seat until you understand the finding. "The program is still accredited" is true, but it is only the starting point.
Apply broadly and compare accreditation with the other factors that will shape your experience: cost, location, mission fit, clinical rotations, and whether you would be happy there for the next two years.
If you already have an acceptance from a program on probation, find the ARC-PA citation and read the school's response before deciding what to do. You may decide to celebrate, negotiate, or wait another cycle. Make that choice with the facts in front of you, not a rumor or a frightening label.
How this list stays current
Most accreditation articles are accurate when they are published and outdated a year later. The list above is generated from the PA School Finder directory each time the page loads. We obtain accreditation status from the ARC-PA rather than a program's marketing page, an aggregator, or an AI summary, and we reconcile the directory with the ARC-PA registry every week.
The list also stops displaying results and shows a warning if the accreditation feed becomes stale. That prevents an outdated page from continuing to identify a program that may have already returned to good standing.
Accreditation status can change without notice. Before applying, confirm the current status of any program directly at arc-pa.org.
Build your full school list
Probation is not the only accreditation status worth understanding. New programs begin with Accreditation-Provisional, which is a normal starting status rather than a warning.
Accreditation is one part of a school list. You can compare it with location, GPA requirements, patient care hours, deadlines, and PANCE pass rates using the free PA Program Match tool. You can also enter your statistics in PA Program Match AI to receive a competitiveness score and a personalized list.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take the PANCE after graduating from a PA program on probation?
Yes. Accreditation-Probation is a status within accreditation. The program remains accredited, and its graduates remain eligible for the PANCE and licensure. The probation status does not appear on transcripts or diplomas.
How long does PA program probation last?
The ARC-PA sets an initial period of at least two years. It can extend probation by up to two more years when a program is making substantial progress but needs additional time to comply with every applicable standard.
Is it easier to get into a PA school on probation?
There is no published evidence that admissions requirements become less demanding. Minimum GPAs and class sizes are similar to those at programs with Accreditation-Continued. CASPA, PAEA, and the programs do not publish applicant volume by seat, so claims that probation programs are easier to enter remain speculation.
What is the difference between Accreditation-Probation and Administrative Probation?
Accreditation-Probation means the ARC-PA found that a program did not meet the Standards or that its ability to provide an acceptable education was threatened. Administrative Probation applies when a program fails to meet an administrative requirement, such as paying fees or submitting reports. It sits on top of the program's underlying accreditation status.
Do PA programs on probation have lower PANCE pass rates?
On average, yes. Their median first-time pass rate is lower than the median for programs holding Accreditation-Continued, and a larger share fall below 90%. Individual results vary, and several programs on the current list report first-time rates in the high 90s. The table above shows each program's rate.
Can a PA program on probation lose its accreditation?
Yes, although it is uncommon. The ARC-PA states that a program that does not meet accreditation requirements on time may face a focused site visit and withdrawal of its accreditation. A teach-out plan typically covers students who are already enrolled.
Does probation mean a PA program is closing?
No. Probation gives a program time to correct identified problems, and most programs return to Accreditation-Continued. Accreditation withdrawal is a separate and much less common action.
