DPT Admissions Overview
The
entry-level DPT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation
in Physical Therapy Education. The program is 8 semesters in length
and requires 113 graduate credit hours. Program requirements include completion
of all courses with a grade average of B (3.0) or higher, a final examination
in the form of defense of a written and oral presentation of a case study.
General Information
You must meet all University, College and Program requirements (described below) to become part of the applicant pool. Applications are accepted from September first through December first of the year prior to your entry term. Admission happens once a year, for the fall semester. Since the program is an entry-level clinical program, it is only open to those who have not yet completed clinical training in the field.
Updated Important notice – The University of Florida has
decided to postpone participation in the new Physical Therapy Centralized
Application Service (PTCAS) for applicants applying in the Fall of 2008.
Due to this postponement many of the application procedures have changed.
Please read the following information carefully.
FAQ
Please click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Achievement Testing
You will need to take all three sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), General Test, including the quantitative, verbal and analytical writing sections. The minimum scores are 400 on the verbal portion and 500 on the quantitative portion. If you take the exam more than once, the highest overall combined test performance from the best single test date is used in making admissions decisions. Scores from different test administrations are not combined. Official GRE scores must be sent directly to the department. (school code 5812 and department code 0619) Click here to review GRE on the web. Call Educational Testing Service at 1-609-771-7670 for information.
Expenses
Your annual tuition and fees are $16,410.04 for Florida residents and
$25,210.04 for out-of-state residents, payable in two installments (fall
and spring). Tuition and fees are subject to change. Additional information
regarding payment dates and methods is available at the University
Financial Services Web site.
In addition to tuition and fees, you will be responsible for lab fees, books,
and expenses incurred with clinical internship experiences, both full-time
and integrated. These may include housing, food, transportation, and related
professional expenses. Costs will vary depending upon the location of the
internship site, but you should be prepared financially for possible full-time
internships outside the state of Florida.
DPT Admission Criteria
The following are minimum requirements for entry into the DPT program.
Baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university
- Minimum score of 400 on the verbal portion of the GRE and 500 on the
quantitative portion.
Analytical writing portion is required, however there is not a minimum score requirement - Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) for undergraduate college level coursework completed in any semesters after attainment of 60 credit hours (in effect, your GPA for your junior and senior years)
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) for the average of all prerequisite courses
- Minimum of 550 on the paper-based or 80 on the Internet-based version of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for all international students or a minimum score of 6 on the IELTS (the International Language Testing System), or a minimum of 77 on the MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery)
- International students with transcripts from foreign institutions of higher education must also submit a foreign credentials evaluation available through Josef Silny & Associates or World Education Services. The transcript must be translated to English and a course by course evaluation must be completed.
- Completion of the Department of Physical Therapy Supplemental Application.
- A typewritten, one page narrative statement explaining your interest in the field of physical therapy, your understanding of the scope of physical therapy practice and what you want to achieve in the profession.
- Completion of prerequisite course work within the last 7 years
- Three letters of reference with recommendation forms
o One from someone practicing in the field of physical therapy
o One from someone who can speak to your academic ability
o One from someone who can speak to your character
*Please note that both a letter and the form are required.* - A minimum of 40 hours of observation or volunteer work with at least 10 hours in each of 3 different types of physical therapy settings, including at least one inpatient hospital setting (nursing home experience does not satisfy this requirement), one outpatient setting, and one specialty area, such as pediatrics, sports, geriatrics, etc. Please note that unless you have separate ten hour assignments within an institution, your exposure to a variety of patients within one assignment does not count as different settings. Additionally, a maximum of two of your assignments can be counted towards this requirement within the same institution, even if these are separate assignments.
- Completion of all University and Professional Program requirements by the end of the summer semester of the year you wish to enter the program
- Application received no later than December first of the year prior to your entry date
- A personal interview may be required
DPT Prerequisites
Five prerequisite courses must be completed by the end of the fall term prior to the year you wish to apply.
Required Prerequisites:
| Chemistry | General College Chemistry I and II with labs (Introductory Chemistry or Chemistry Calculation courses DO NOT fulfill this requirement) |
| Physics | General College Physics I and II with labs |
| Psychology | Two semesters of psychology including General Psychology and one other psychology course. Suggested courses include Developmental Psychology, Child Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, or Psychology of Disability. |
| Statistics | One semester of Introductory Statistics or higher |
| Biology – Either Sequence A, B, or C | A Two semesters of Biology with labs (botany courses do not count) One semester of Human Physiology with lab (Exercise Physiology does not count) B One semester of Biology with lab (botany courses do not count) Two semesters of Human Anatomy and Physiology with labs C One semester of Biology with lab (botany courses do not count) One semester of Anatomy with lab One semester of Human Physiology with lab (Exercise Physiology does not count) |
Examples
of course numbers meeting prerequisites under the Florida common course
numbering system are listed below. (Please check with the Physical Therapy
department if you have any questions about prerequisites. If you have questions
about completion of your undergraduate degree, call the College of Public
Health & Health Professions academic advisors at 352-273-6400.)
- BSC 2010 and 2011 (or 1010 and 1011) with labs for Biology
- PET 2350 or APK2105c for Human Physiology with lab
- BSC 2085, 2086 (or 1085 and 1086) for Human Anatomy/Physiology 1 & 2
- CHM 2045 and 2046 (or 1045 and 1046) with labs for Chemistry
- PHY 2004 and 2005 with labs or 2053 and 2054 (or 1053 and 1054) with labs
- PSY 2012 and DEP 3053 for Psychology
- STA 2023 for Statistics
- PET 2320C or APK 2100c for Human Anatomy with lab
DPT Admission Procedure
To be considered for admission, you must apply to the University of Florida
via the Office of Admissions application web page AND to the Department
of Physical Therapy.
Step One: To apply to the University, you may access a Web application at
http://www.admissions.ufl.edu/start.html by clicking on Professional
Schools in the blue application menu. If you do not see
physical therapy listed as a program, you have not clicked the correct category.
Please be sure that you click "Professional Schools".
At the end of this process, there will be a form to submit with your application
fee by mail or the fee can be paid directly online. Application fees sent
to the department will be returned.
Step Two: To apply to the Department of Physical Therapy the following materials
must be submitted directly to the department.
- All official postsecondary transcripts
- Three letters of recommendation with recommendation forms. References can send their letters directly to the department or can be submitted by the applicant in a sealed and signed envelop
- Official GRE scores sent directly from ETS. (department code 0619)
- A minimum of three Physical Therapy observation hours forms signed by a licensed physical therapist.
- Supplemental application and narrative statement (instructions on completing the narrative described in supplemental application)
- TOEFL scores (if required)
- Foreign transcript evaluations (if required)
Please send all materials outlined in step two to:
DPT Admissions Committee
Department of Physical Therapy
P.O. Box 100154
Gainesville, FL 32610 - 0154
DPT Deadlines
Early applications are highly encouraged. The Department of Physical Therapy will begin accepting application September first. Early application by highly qualified applicants may result in an early offer. The final deadline for applications is December first. Please note that application packets must be received (not postmarked) by this date for consideration. Classes begin in the fall semester.
Contact Information
For questions concerning admission to the DPT program, please call (352) 273-6507.
Admission Decisions
Admission decisions are based on many factors, including overall academic record, letters of recommendation, personal statements, observation experiences, and achievement testing performance, among others. Although interviews are not required, they may be requested. Prospective students are encouraged to meet our faculty through attendance at our Open House events. Please call (352) 273-6507 for more information about dates and times of our Open Houses.
