DPT Admissions Information

Applicants must earn a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States prior to matriculation into the DPT program. Applicants may have a degree in progress at the time of application, but must have a plan in place to have the degree conferred prior to the beginning of our courses in July.

Applicants must achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA in the most recent 60 credit hours of coursework at the time of application.

Applicants must achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA in our specifically required prerequisite coursework.

Applicants must complete all of the prerequisite course requirements. Applicants may have coursework planned or in progress at the time of application, but must have a plan in place to have all coursework completed prior to the beginning of our courses in July.

Applicants must submit letters of professional reference through PTCAS. A letter from a practicing PT is highly recommended. No recommendation letters will be accepted outside of PTCAS. A minimum of two letters are required.

There are no waivers or exceptions to any of the admissions eligibility requirements.

Due to the limited number of seats and our policy of offering admission on a rolling basis, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the application process early in the cycle.

Applicants must submit the PTCAS and non-refundable Application Processing Fee to be eligible for admission. The Application Processing Fee must be received before an application will be reviewed. The program will begin making invitations to interview in the late summer/early fall. To be considered for an interview, an applicant must have his/her verified PTCAS and application processing fee received by the published deadline. Applications will be reviewed in the order they become complete. An applicant's PTCAS must be verified and all application materials must be received before a file will be read by the Admissions Committee. No application status updates will be available until after PTCAS has verified the application. No incomplete applications will be considered and no application materials will be accepted after the published deadline.

PTCAS: The Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) is offered through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). All transcripts and letters of recommendation must be submitted through PTCAS. No letters of recommendation will be accepted outside of PTCAS. All updates need to be sent through PTCAS. No academic or health care updates should be sent to the school. Transcripts should not be mailed directly to the DPT program unless you have received a request for an update from the program. No other applications are required in addition to the PTCAS.

$40 Non-refundable Application Processing Fee: This application processing fee is in addition to any fees required by PTCAS. The link to pay the fee online will be emailed to the applicant once we receive a completed PTCAS application.

Note: the GRE is not a requirement for admission and will not be considered in our selection process.

Prerequisite courses may be in progress or planned at the time of your application, however, all prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the beginning of the DPT curriculum.

Prerequisite coursework must be satisfied with a grade of C or higher (2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale).

All science coursework must be intended for science majors. Courses with KIN, KINS, EXSS, PT or NURS prefixes will not satisfy prerequisite requirements.

There is no restriction on how long ago prerequisite courses were completed. Prerequisite coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

If you have a question about whether a particular course satisfies one of our requirements, you must complete the Course Evaluation Request Form to have a staff member from the Office of Admissions review the course in question. The Office of Admissions cannot provide transcript evaluations. Applicants are responsible for confirming that prerequisite requirements have been satisfied.

We will accept CLEP or AP credit as long as your courses have been recognized by your undergraduate institution and the credit is recorded on your college/university transcript.

Required Coursework:
Psychology - 3 Semester Credit Hours
Biology - 3 Semester Credit Hours
Chemistry (with lab) - 8 Semester Credit Hours
Anatomy and Physiology (with lab) - 8 Semester Credit Hours
Physics (with lab) - 8 Semester Credit Hours

Strongly Recommended Courses:
These courses are not required for admission but may contribute to success in physical therapy education.
Biomechanics
Exercise Physiology
Statistics
Medical Terminology

Each year, we receive a large number of completed application for a limited number of class positions. The Admissions Committee takes a broad range of factors into consideration as we select candidates, including:

Academic background
Understanding of the role of the PT
Enthusiastic letters of reference
Community service
Evidence of service and leadership, including honors, achievements and awards
Other life experiences and extracurricular activities
A mature, insightful essay

Although an applicant's entire academic record is considered, strong academic performance alone does not ensure acceptance. While prior experience in a physical therapy setting is not required, this experience is considered a beneficial attribute and viewed positively by the Admissions Committee. PT mentoring and shadowing experiences are not required, but are encouraged. Letters of reference from a physical therapist are strongly encouraged. Evidence of personal integrity, maturity, motivation, communication skills, interpersonal skills, critical thinking skills, writing ability, dedication and the ability to work with others are additional factors that will be considered. The above qualities are evaluated by several means, including letters of reference, the scope and nature of extracurricular activities (including work and volunteer experience), the scope and breadth of prior education and through the interview process. Our recent entering class profiles will give you some insight into how successful applicants have performed in some of the areas assessed by the Admissions Committee.

Because we value diversity in each class, be sure to tell us if you:

Speak more than one language.
Come from a rural or medically underserved area.
Are the first person in your family to attend college.
Come from a disadvantaged background.
Have rare talents or accomplishments.

Selected applicants will be invited to the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth for an admissions interview. Interviews generally take place on campus from September to January. Interviews may end sooner if the class is filled. Candidates who are invited to interview will be contacted by phone or email. Declining an invitation or failing to appear for a scheduled interview will result in rejection of your application. Early submission of your application can increase your chances of interview selection. Interview results are confidential and are considered in the competitive selection process.

The program may make admission offers as early as September. Offers will be continuously made until the class is filled.

It is the policy of the University of North Texas Health Science Center not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or disabled veteran of the Vietnam era status, in its educational programs, activities, admissions or employment policies. Questions or complaints should be directed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Office at (817) 735-2357.