What You Need to Know Before You Apply
Compiled is a list of courses and what you need before you apply. Included are deadlines, important dates, and a list of classes. Information can change, so meet with an Admissions Counselor on a regular basis, at least once a year.
PTCAS APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applications Open: June 15
Applications Due: October 1
- We will begin reviewing applications once the application cycle opens. Our admissions cycle will not close until the class is full.
- We recommend you apply as early as possible.
| Your PTCAS application must be marked complete by Midnight (EST) Eastern Standard Time October 1, 2025 (10:00 PM Utah Time). Transcripts must be official and mailed to PTCAS from your registrars' office. We recommend you start this process early. If you pay for Professional Transcript Entry (PTE), you must submit no later than September 15 to ensure PTE completion by our application deadline of October 1. |
PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
Applicants must complete all prerequisite requirements to be admitted. This information is subject to change without notice.
Prerequisite requirements are identical for all pathways (residential and hybrid).
- A completed Bachelor’s degree issued by either a regionally accredited, four-year U.S. institution or a comparable institution recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education in one’s home country.
- A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- A minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0.
- All prerequisite requirements must be completed prior to starting the DPT program, and courses must have been taken within 7 or 10 years of application due date, respectively (see prerequisite courses below). Note: The DPT program starts with a summer semester that begins mid-May.
- All prerequisite coursework must earn a letter grade*. Any coursework with a grade below C will not fulfill a prerequisite; C-minus is NOT acceptable.
- If a prerequisite course is repeated, the highest grade earned in that course will be used to calculate your Prerequisite GPA.
- Advanced Placement (AP) courses will NOT fulfill a prerequisite.
- For courses with a required lab, the lab must have an in-person component.
*Applicants will not be penalized for Pass/Fail or Credit/No-Credit marks on their transcripts in any classes taken Spring 2020 and Summer 2020.
Prerequisite Courses
The following prerequisite course requirements are categorized by completion date. Navigate through the courses to determine eligibility of your courses prior to application, or download a printable version below.
MUST BE TAKEN WITHIN 7 YEARS OF APPLICATION DUE DATE AND MUST BE COMPLETED AND GRADED PRIOR TO APPLYING
One course in Anatomy with lab and one course in Physiology with lab OR
A two-course sequence in Anatomy & Physiology, each with lab
A two-course sequence in General Chemistry, each with lab
- Requires a full series with labs (two semesters of the same). For example: General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II, or Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II.
A two-course sequence in General Physics, each with lab
- Acceptable physics courses will have pre-calculus, calculus, or trigonometry as prerequisites.
- Requires a full series with labs (two semesters of the same). For example: General Physics I and General Physics II, or Physics for Scientists & Engineers I and Physics for Scientists & Engineers II.
- Labs (not lectures) incomplete by application date may be eligible for an exception to this timeline.
Two courses in Biological Sciences (not botany: Exercise Physiology can count as 1 biology)
- Lab optional
MUST BE TAKEN WITHIN 10 YEARS OF APPLICATION DUE DATE AND MAY BE IN PROGRESS WHEN APPLYING
One course in Statistics
- Acceptable statistics courses will include both descriptive AND inferential statistics (e.g., hypothesis testing, t-test, Analysis of Variance, regression, confidence intervals).
One course in Psychology
- Must be taken through a Psychology department.
Last Updated: December 2024
Other Application Requirements
Physical Therapy Observation Hours
Evidence of exposure to the PT profession is required for application to the University of Utah DPT program. While we do not require a minimum number of hours or settings, we encourage applicants to obtain at least 50 hours observing a licensed physical therapist (PT) in at least 2 different settings. For these observation hours to be considered part of your application, they must be recorded in PTCAS. PTCAS will then contact the PT for verification.
Letters of Recommendation
As part of the PTCAS application, students are required to submit three letters of recommendation. We require one from a licensed physical therapist, one from an academic instructor, and one from an employer/co-worker/supervisor. Students will submit the contact information for their references into PTCAS. PTCAS will then contact references to fill out the letter of recommendation form. Students SHOULD NOT submit letters of recommendation directly into PTCAS.
Essay
All students are required to submit an essay within their PTCAS application. The essay is our way to get to know you. Since there is no interview process, this is your time to convey why you have chosen our program, explain what a physical therapist does, and your passion behind why you want to be a Physical Therapist. Essays are limited to 4500 characters with spaces.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the first language, applicants must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS, to determine English proficiency. On the TOEFL, students must achieve a score of at least 90 Internet based, 575 if paper based. On the IELTS, students must achieve a score of at least 7.0.
Admissions Questions
Email your specific questions or concerns to dptadmissions@hsc.utah.edu (Residential) OR hybrid.dptadmissions@hsc.utah.edu (Hybrid).
Students needing general university advising for general education or bachelor degree requirements should contact University College at 801-581-5146 or visit their website.
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