Admissions

Application Information

We've compiled a guide to help you through the application process. We recommend checking back often as information may change.

PTCAS Application Deadline

October 1, 2022

Admission Requirements

An undergraduate Cumulative GPA minimum of 3.0 based on all undergraduate work.
Prerequisite GPA minimum of 3.0; 3.2 or higher prerequisite and cumulative GPA is recommended to be competitive for admission.
Work or volunteer Observation experience with a licensed physical therapist; minimum 100 hours.
On-time submission of complete and competitive PTCAS application.
Bachelor's degree from a fully accredited college or university completed prior to the start of the program in May.
Submission of University of Utah Graduate School (Supplemental) Application. Applicants will be sent an invitation to complete this application with the admission offer.

CPR Certification

CPR Certification is not necessary at time of application and does not require completion as college coursework, but is required upon acceptance and matriculation. The American Heart Association (AHA)Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers 1 & 2-Rescuer CPR and AED for adult, child and infant is universally accepted and is now the is the only CPR program accepted for the University of Utah Department of Physical Therapy. The Skills practice and Skills testing portion must be done in the classroom, NOT online. Proof of current certification is required prior to the start of the DPT program.

First Aid Certification is not necessary at time of application and does not require completion as college coursework, but is required upon acceptance and matriculation. Certification from all providers will be accepted for First Aid.

Hepatitis B for Incoming Students

Hepatitis B vaccination is a series of 3 time sensitive injections. The 2nd injection is administered one month after the first, and the third injection is given 6 months after the second. Therefore, students are advised to begin the series of vaccinations as soon as they begin the application process in order to complete the series before admission. Most, if not all, PT programs require these immunizations so it is well worth the applicant’s time to get them completed regardless of where they are admitted.

College of Health Commitment to Diversity Excellence in Admissions

The University of Utah College of Health strives to promote diversity and inclusion among its students, faculty, and staff with the realization that diverse perspectives and life experiences strengthen our academic community in multiple ways. By creating a welcoming and supportive environment that encourages academic excellence and diverse perspectives, we work toward the creation of opportunities for all to learn form one another by sharing our wealth of talents and histories. Each of our departments offer degrees in professions focused on health, wellness, and research. With the increasingly rich complexity of our population, we recognize the need for our graduates to reflect the diversity of our community. Furthermore, we also recognize the strong and positive impact a diverse collective of faculty, staff, students, and alumni can have on issues of health equity and the valuable role our College can play in reducing health disparities for all populations.

As a reflection of the College of Health's commitment to diversity, the University of Utah physical therapy program values the following in our admissions process:

Life experiences	volunteer, community service, experience with diverse populations, employment history, research activities, meaningful number of observation hours in various settings
Educational background	undergraduate major, science and non-science related academic merit
Cultural background	multicultural experiences, bilingual/multilingual, international experiences, rural background
Socioecomonic background	first generation college graduate, self-supporting, medically underserved area

The Admissions Process

After the October deadline, application files are reviewed. A complete file must contain a PTCAS Application marked complete by deadline. If the file is complete, then the application is reviewed to determine eligibility, based upon completion of all prerequisite coursework with a “C” or better, a minimum GPA (both cumulative and prerequisite) of 3.0 and the progression of a bachelor’s degree to be completed by the start of our program.

Once eligibility is determined, each student's file will be audited, reviewed and scored on an individual basis by the Admissions Committee in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Written review scores are then collated and admission to the program is offered to top candidates. Because there are a greater number of well-qualified applicants than the Department is able to accommodate, there is competition for the 118 seats available (50 SLC Residential, 18 St. George Residential, and 50 Hybrid) and although well-qualified, some applicants are not able to be admitted. Qualified applicants who do not receive an initial offer of admission may be offered an alternate spot. Alternates will be offered admission should a spot become available. We do not maintain a waiting list from year to year. If a student is not selected for admission, the student will need to reapply the following year.

The Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at the University of Utah is committed to policies of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, or age. No preference is given to in-state vs. out-of-state applicants, national vs international status, or student source of funding.

The actual acceptance of those students selected is contingent on the following:

Official acceptance by the University of Utah Office of Admissions.
Verification of completion of all course requirements, including prerequisite courses and bachelor’s degree.
Receipt of a non-refundable fee to hold class place. A portion of this fee is applied to Summer Semester tuition.
Completion of a criminal background check and a drug screen, the cost of which is the responsibility of the student.
Proof of First Aid and CPR certification.
Proof of immunizations.
Proof of health insurance coverage.

Admissions Information

Email your specific questions or concerns to d ptadmissions@hsc.utah.edu (Residential) OR hybrid.dptadmissions@hsc.utah.edu (Hybrid). Sending an email will guarantee the fastest response time.

Students needing general university advising for general education or bachelor degree requirements should contact University College at 801-581-5146 or visit their website.