RF-PTCAS Program User Guide
This guide provides you with documentation, reference guides, and direct links that answer common admissions questions about the RF-PTCAS Applicant Portal, CAS Configuration Portal, and WebAdMIT. It also contains resources that may help you work more efficiently throughout your admissions process. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact a member of your account team.
Cycle Timeframes
CAS Applicant Portal
The CAS Applicant Portal opens in mid-September and closes in mid-September. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the RF-PTCAS Application Cycle Dates page.
CAS Configuration Portal
Between late July and mid-August, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The account team and ABPTRFE review submitted configurations in September.
WebAdMIT
You can view new applicants and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in mid-September.
Program Participation Requirements
ABPTRFE requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from ABPTRFE and RF-PTCAS, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.
Applicant Portal
The first three sections of the RF-PTCAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).
You can access the RF-PTCAS application and RF-PTCAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).
For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:
- Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
- Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the RF-PTCAS Complete application status.
- RF-PTCAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.
You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to RF-PTCAS Customer Service.
Configuration Portal
Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the account team and ABPTRFE before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, ABPTRFE will approve it.
WebAdMIT
Review the WebAdMIT Help Center for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:
- Data Dictionaries and Master Code Lists: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager and Report Manager, including associated lookup tables.
- Deferring Applicants On Demand: learn how to transfer deferred applicants from one cycle to the next.
- Integration Help Center and WebAdMIT API: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
- Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.
The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the CAS Applicant Portal, CAS Applicant Gateway, CAS Configuration Portal, Liaison Letters, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.
For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.
Cycle Enhancements
2026-2027
The table below contains enhancements for RF-PTCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
User Interface |
The application is updated to a new, mobile-first, and modern applicant portal that we call CAS 3+. Visit the CAS 3+ Upgrade page to learn more about its key benefits and a preview of the upgraded application. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Contact Information |
Applicants can validate their mailing addresses via the SmartyStreets integration. You can view verified address data from WebAdMIT. |
Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Race and Ethnicity |
The US OMB published a set of revisions to SPD 15, which results in a new combined race and ethnicity question, with Middle Eastern or North African added as a major race category. Review the release notes for more information about changes to the CAS Applicant Portal and Liaison Outcomes/WebAdMIT, as well as best practices in managing these changes. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Application Fees |
Applicants can calculate their application fees before submitting their application. They can also apply any fee waivers or coupon codes to see what the adjusted calculation would be. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Invitation Codes |
Invitation codes are individual deadline extensions that programs offer directly to applicants. In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, a larger group of applicants may miss many programs' application deadlines. Now a CAS can offer CAS-level invitation codes that applicants can use for any program and organization within a single term. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Configuration Portal |
Branding |
Pixel tracking can be enabled on the Add Programs and Program Materials sections to gain more insight into your program or organization's applicants. You can insert your tracking ID into the CAS Configuration Portal to establish standard tracking pixels from the major ad providers, including Google, Meta, and LinkedIn. |
Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement. |
Available now |
|
Liaison Letters |
Recommendation Forms |
Recommenders (and if applicable, their delegates) can reopen and edit their completed letters of recommendation (i.e., evaluation, reference). |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Application Status |
You have full viewing rights for applicants in the Manual application status. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Deferred Applicants |
CASs can transfer deferred applicants on demand. |
Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
2025-2026
The table below contains enhancements for RF-PTCAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Fees |
The application fees increased to $175 for the first program and $75 for each additional program. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Dashboard Banner |
The dashboard banner highlights the 500+ participating programs in RF-PTCAS and directs applicants to the Add Program page to learn more. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
CAS Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Biographic Information |
A new Preferred Name question was added. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Liaison Letters |
Recommendation Forms |
Recommenders can include comments on their ratings for Likert scales. You can view their comments within WebAdMIT and the full application PDF. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page |
The CAS Custom Questions panel has subpanels by question block, so you can more easily find applicant data and restrict your users' access to it via Work Groups. |
Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Application Status |
You have partial (i.e., limited) viewing rights for the On Hold application status. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page Email Templates Export Manager List Manager |
The Title field is no longer collected in the application and will be removed from WebAdMIT. You will need to update any lists, exports, emails, and other integrations to account for this field removal. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Applicant Details Page Export Manager List Manager |
The Refugee answer option was removed from the Visa Information question in the application. You should update any lists, exports, and other integrations to account for this answer option removal. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Export Manager |
The Program Plans field under the Applicant field grouping was removed from the Export Manager. The CAS-custom Program Plan/Intent to Apply question remains. You should update any exports and other integrations to account for this question's removal. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |