Admission to the Physical Therapy Program

Physical Therapy Education Admission Fast Facts

Degree Offered
DPT Doctor of Physical Therapy

Areas of Study
Social and Natural Sciences

Admissions Requirements
Fulfillment of requirements does not guarantee admission into the program. To be considered for admission, the applicant must successfully complete the following prior to matriculation:

University / College Required Prerequisites
All applicants are required to present a minimum overall quality grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale. Required courses must be taken for letter grades. Credits for courses in which grades below "C-" were received are not accepted in fulfillment of the program prerequisites. Grades below "C-", while not accepted for transfer, are still calculated as part of the grade point average for determining admittance.

Prior to the intended fall semester of enrollment, the applicant must successfully complete 90 semester hours (135 quarter hours) by July 15. A maximum of 66 semester hours can be earned from a community college. If an applicant has not completed a bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment, they must have completed a minimum of three upper level courses (300-400) in a declared major area. Required courses (4 credit hours each) are:
1 Year in Anatomy & Physiology (Lecture/Lab) Must be lecture/lab courses in human or vertebrate anatomy and physiology.
May be fulfilled by completing one course in Anatomy and a second course in Physiology or by taking Anatomy/Physiology I and Anatomy/Physiology II.
1 Year Chemistry (Lecture/Lab) Must be lecture/lab courses. May be fulfilled by taking General Chemistry I and II or General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry or General Chemistry and Biochemistry.
1 Year Physics (Lecture/Lab) Must be lecture/lab courses (General Physics I and General Physics II). Must include mechanics, heat, light, sound and electricity. Physical Science will not fulfill this requirement.

Note: For the required courses above, we will not accept online credit.

The preferred applicant will demonstrate an academic record that reflects a balance of course work in the humanities and the social and natural sciences.

Application Checklist
Required by the School of Allied Health Professions Academic and Student Affairs
1. On-line UNMC Supplemental Application
2. $70 non-refundable application processing fee
3. If your native language is not English, click this link: English proficiency requirement
4. If you completed coursework from an institution outside the USA: Foreign transcripts

Required by Division of Physical Therapy Education
1. Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) on-line application (including three (3) letters of reference).
2. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores are required and are submitted through PTCAS using our program code 7752. GRE scores for code 7752 will automatically be sent to PTCAS for the UNMC Physical Therapy Education program. Do NOT send GRE scores to the main university or graduate admissions. Note: New PTCAS admissions cycle begins in July. GRE scores must match the admissions cycle for which you are applying in PTCAS. Do not submit GRE scores to PTCAS prior to the new cycle. Please visit the PTCAS website to view the 2012 revised GRE instructions for new and repeat applicants. Applicants must arrange for official scores to be sent to any PTCAS GRE codes on July 1 or later, so the new GRE ScoreSelect options are reflected. The GRE test must be taken by August 15 for scores to be received by the application deadline.
3. A personal interview is required to be considered for admission. Interviews are offered to a limited number of qualified applicants before final acceptance is offered by the Admissions Committee. Accommodations to the interview schedule are at the discretion of the admissions director. (Preference is given to Nebraska residents. Questions regarding residency status should be directed to the Office of Academic Records 402-559-6468.)

NOTE: There are no formal requirements for volunteer, observation, or employment experiences in the field of physical therapy; however, as with all career choices, a broad exposure to the field is encouraged.

Other Admissions Tracks
See our pathway programs for additional admissions tracks.

For questions or clarification of requirements, contact Diane Landon at sahpadmissions@unmc.edu.

Application Deadline

Admission Demographics