Admissions

Doctor of Physical Therapy

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree at Florida International University is a limited-access, full-time enrollment program with a competitive admissions process based on comprehensive evaluations. Students are admitted once a year for the Fall semester.

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in any academic field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on all listed below:
- Cumulative (overall)
- Pre-Requisite
- Upper Division (last 60 credits of the bachelor’s degree)
At least 60 hours of observation at a physical therapy clinic or facility. This must be completed prior to application to the program.
Three (3) letters of reference, two of which must be from a licensed physical therapist.
Applicants must complete the online FIU Graduate School Supplemental Application.
GRE minimum required test sections:
1. Verbal: 50^th percentile
2. Quantitative: 50^th percentile
3. Analytical Writing: minimum score of 3.5
Completion of the following prerequisite courses before starting the program (courses listed are for students enrolled at FIU). Please note that survey courses in chemistry, biology, and physics are not acceptable.
1. Two (2) semesters of General College Physics with labs
  - PHY 2048, PHY 2048L, PHY 2049 and PHY 2049L
    --OR--
  - PHY 2053, PHY 2048L and PHY 2054, PHY2049L
2. Two (2) semesters of General College Chemistry with labs
  - CHM 1045, CHM 1045L, CHM 1046 and CHM 1046L
3. Two (2) semesters of General College Psychology
4. One (1) semester of General College Statistics
5. Biology (select one of the following two options):
  - Option 1: One (1) semester of General College Biology with lab, one (1) semester of human physiology with lab, and one (1) semester of anatomy with lab:
    BSC 1010, BSC 1010L, PCB 3702 and PCB 3702L OR
    HSC3549 and ZOO 3731 and 3731L
  - Option 2: One (1) semester of General Biology with lab and two (2) semesters of anatomy/physiology combined with labs: BSC 1010, BSC1010L (FIU does not offer combined anatomy/physiology courses). Applicants can have 2-3 prerequisite courses outstanding at the time of application. However, those courses MUST be completed before starting the program.

Admission & Evaluation Process

A candidate’s application is reviewed by three (3) graduate faculty from the Department of Physical Therapy. An applicant is granted an interview based upon his or her ranked academic score together with supplemental information obtained from the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCA S) application. An academic score is determined from GRE scores, cumulative and prerequisite GPA. Supplemental information includes references, physical therapy observation experience, extracurricular and community activity, and a general essay.

A candidate may either be invited to interview early or following the application deadline. Students who interview early may or may not be recommended for admission or a decision for admission may be deferred until completion of all interviews following the application deadline.

Candidates who interview after the application deadline may or may not be recommended for admission or may be placed on an alternate list.

Early Admission

The FIU Physical Therapy department reviews applications on a weekly basis beginning in September prior to the January deadline of the following year. Well-qualified students who apply within this timeframe will be invited to campus for an early interview. Successful candidates will be offered early admission contingent on completing all admission requirements. The FIU Physical Therapy department also participates in the PTCAS Early Decision program.

About our Admissions and Program Policies

Florida International University and Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences policies, procedures, requirements and regulations are continually reviewed to serve the needs of the university/college’s publics and to respond to the mandates of the Florida Department of Education, Board of Governors, the Legislature, and other regulatory and accrediting agencies. Changes in programs, policies, procedures, requirements, and regulations may be made without notice.

Contact Us

For questions regarding our admission and/or application requirements, or for advising assistance, please contact the FIU Physical Therapy department:

Tel: 305-348-6640