The UConn Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is a three-year, post-baccalaureate professional program that begins in May and includes summer coursework. Classes and clinical experiences are conducted in person primarily during daytime hours.

The first and second years focus on foundational and clinical sciences, healthcare practice, and professional development. During these years, students also participate in integrated clinical education experiences that provide opportunities to apply their classroom learning in real-world settings.

During the third year, students complete three full-time clinical education experiences, each lasting between 10 and 12 weeks, in a variety of practice settings.

No. Students must first complete a bachelor’s degree and all prerequisite coursework prior to entering the program. We do not accept UConn freshmen directly into the UConn DPT program.

No. We do not offer a post-professional transitional DPT program. We do not permit the transfer of DPT credits from other programs. All students complete all the courses listed on the UConn DPT Plan of Study.

Our program is housed in the Kinesiology Building on the Storrs campus. Located on Horsebarn Hill Road, we are across the street from main campus which provides a small school feel with large school resources within reach. Commuter parking for our students is very convenient, as is access to downtown Storrs Center for shopping and dining.

One special feature of our building is the Human Anatomy Learning Lab (HALL) for cadaveric dissection. This is the only cadaver lab on campus, and our students have access to the lab throughout their time here.

Tuition varies by year. Information about cost of attendance can be found here: Costs | Physical Therapy Program

Yes. Incoming students should complete the FAFSA for the current year and the upcoming year to be made eligible to Federal Direct Loans. Information on applying for FAFSA and other financial aid information for Graduate Students can be found here.

Scholarships and graduate assistantships (1 assistantship per class) are available for enrolled students to apply for during their first summer in the program.

Applicants are welcome to explore other scholarship opportunities.

Enrolled out-of-state students are eligible to apply to establish CT residency, and if approved, may be eligible for in-state tuition rates for Years 2 &3. More information on the process can be found at this website and you can review the residency requirements on the Application for In-State Tuition.

Applicants apply through PTCAS and must submit the following items for consideration:

• Personal essays (two) following the prompts in PTCAS
• Official transcripts
• A resume (maximum two pages)
• GRE scores are optional but encouraged to strengthen your application (University of Connecticut DPT Program PTCAS institution code: 1431)
• Contact information for two recommenders who will submit letters of recommendation through PTCAS. One of your recommenders should be a physical therapist or healthcare professional.
• Description of volunteer, employment, leadership, and/or research experiences.
• Description of physical therapy observations. Minimum of 40 hours required; diverse settings and unpaid/non-credit-bearing experience hours are preferred.
• Information on prerequisite coursework and grades

Applications are reviewed holistically by the UConn DPT Admissions Committee. Students who are selected for admission will be invited to complete a supplemental application through the UConn Graduate School. This supplemental application serves as an indicator of intent to enroll and should not be started until applicants receive instructions from the DPT Admissions Coordinator. Only an official transcript is required for the supplemental application.

The PTCAS application period for the May cohort is June 15 - December 1.

UConn DPT follows a rolling admissions process and starts reviewing applications in September until the class is filled. Therefore, it is highly recommended that applicants apply early. Waiting to apply by the December deadline is NOT recommended as the number of available seats in the class will decrease throughout the review period.

No. We do not have a formal interview process. As a result, the Admissions Committee relies on the application materials to gain a holistic understanding of each candidate. Personal essays and recommendation letters are particularly important, as they provide an opportunity to highlight experiences, motivations, and qualities that may not be evident from academic metrics alone.

Two letters of recommendation are required. We prefer that one be from a licensed physical therapist who knows you well enough to evaluate your suitability for the profession. A strong recommendation provides specific observations about your character, professionalism, communication skills, initiative, and interactions with patients and healthcare teams. Letters that only verify observation hours or attendance are not considered a recommendation. The second letter may come from a faculty member, academic advisor, employer/supervisor, or another recommender accepted as indicated in PTCAS. For details, visit APTA - University of Connecticut

Yes. Applicants must complete a minimum of 40 physical therapy observation hours. Unpaid/non-credit-bearing experience hours are preferred. The goal of the observation is to familiarize students with the profession of physical therapy as well as to solidify their choice of physical therapy as a profession.

Applicants who seek experiences across multiple practice settings (e.g., inpatient settings, outpatient settings, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology, sports, or orthopedics) demonstrate a broader understanding of the physical therapy profession. We value this breadth of exposure, as it reflects initiative and a thoughtful exploration of the profession.

Additional observation experience beyond the requisite 40 hours has minimal impact on admissions decisions.

Verification of hours is not required. Hours must be completed by the PTCAS application deadline.

The number of admitted students will vary depending on the number of qualified applicants. The target number of matriculated students is 30 in each class.

We use a rolling admissions process, and we begin making offers around the beginning of November. When an applicant is offered a spot in our program, we ask them to confirm their intent to enroll by submitting a supplemental application through the UConn Grad School. There is a $75 application fee. This first step does not require a deposit. It simply affirms the applicant’s intent to enroll and keeps the offer active. If we do not receive the supplemental application within 14 days, we will assume the applicant is declining the offer and may offer the seat to another applicant.

Once the supplemental application is submitted and processed, applicants are prompted to formally accept admission and pay a $1000 non-refundable deposit to secure their seat. This deposit will be applied to the first Summer’s tuition & fee bill.

January 15 is the final date to submit the deposit and guarantee the seat. Applicants may submit their deposit anytime before January 15, but it is not required until then.

No. The DPT Program is a post-baccalaureate graduate program. Students who enter the University of Connecticut as freshmen can apply in their senior year. While attending UConn as undergraduate does not guarantee admission into the DPT program, approximately 40% of each incoming cohort is comprised of UConn graduates.

Freshman application can be made to the University of Connecticut Undergraduate Admissions Office in a number of majors that can serve as excellent preparation for the University’s DPT Program. Appropriate majors include, but are not limited to, Biology, Kinesiology/Exercise Science, or Allied Health. However, there is no designated undergraduate track for the DPT. Students who are not ready to decide regarding an undergraduate major can apply as an Exploratory major through the Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES). To contact the ACES office, call (860) 486-1788 or visit their webpage.

Applicants must complete a minimum of 40 physical therapy observation hours. Unpaid/non-credit-bearing experience hours are preferred. Additional observation experience beyond the requisite 40 hours has minimal impact on admissions decisions. The goal of the observation is to familiarize students with the profession of physical therapy as well as to solidify their choice of physical therapy as a profession.

Applicants who seek experiences across multiple practice settings (e.g., inpatient acute care, inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurologic practice, sports, outpatient orthopedics, or community-based settings) demonstrate a broader understanding of the physical therapy profession. We value this breadth of exposure, as it reflects initiative and a thoughtful exploration of the profession.

No. There is no preferred major for admission to the DPT Program. Students should base the decision for their baccalaureate program on interest and availability. Students should plan for the inclusion of DPT admission prerequisite course requirements within the plan of study for their bachelor’s degree.

Additional coursework in areas such as human development, human genetics, biochemistry, nutrition, organic chemistry, and the biology of health and disease is recommended.

The UConn Graduate School requires applicants to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00, which is the lowest GPA we can consider for admission. However, successful applicants are typically well above this threshold. Accepted students generally have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher across all coursework.

For prerequisite coursework, accepted students generally have a science prerequisite GPA of 3.30 or higher. Applicants should have a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.00 to be considered for admission.

No, the GRE is not required. GRE scores are optional but encouraged to strengthen your application.

Because GRE scores are optional, applicants are not disadvantaged if they choose not to submit them. For those who do, the GRE is considered as one part of the overall application and may provide additional context regarding academic preparedness. The admissions committee does not use score cutoffs or place particular emphasis on any one section of the exam.

We require 10 prerequisites courses, all with a grade of C or higher and all lab components must be completed in person:

General Biology: Equivalent to UConn BIOL 1107 (with in person lab)

General Chem 1 & 2: Equivalent to UConn CHEM 1127Q & CHEM 1128Q (both with in person lab)

General Physics 1 & 2: Equivalent to UConn PHYS 1201Q & PHYS 1202Q (both with in person lab)

Human Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2: Equivalent to UConn PNB 2264 & PNB 2265 (both with in person lab; Note: Applicants can take a 4 credit Physiology with lab course and a 4 credit Anatomy with lab courses as acceptable substitutions for Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II.)

Psychology-Any *two* courses: Equivalent to UConn Psychology Courses

Statistics: Equivalent UConn STATS 1100Q or STATS 1000Q

If you are unable to determine if a specific course will meet our requirements using this resource, or if you would like to ask for an exception to our policy, please complete this form. Please allow 7-10 business days for a response while we evaluate your request.

There are limited circumstances in which online coursework will be accepted. All prerequisite course laboratories must be in-person. This means that we will accept courses taught in a hybrid mode where the didactic portion is taught virtually while the laboratory portion is administered in person.

For courses without a laboratory component, these courses may be administered in a virtual format.

When we evaluate transcripts, we look for evidence that prerequisite coursework was completed in person or in a hybrid format. In some cases, this information is clear from the transcript itself. When it is not, we may consult course catalogs, syllabi, or, if necessary, reach out to the corresponding academic department to confirm how a course was delivered.

No. We allow applicants to have prerequisite courses in progress or planned at the time of application. Because the DPT Program begins in May, all prerequisite coursework must be completed successfully by the end of the spring semester preceding enrollment. Admission would be contingent upon satisfactory completion of all prerequisites with a grade of C or better and generally maintaining an overall prerequisite GPA above 3.0 (in addition to meeting all other admissions criteria).

Applicants are also able and expected to update their academic records through PTCAS during designated Academic Update periods. These updates allow programs to review final grades for courses that were in progress at the time of application.

If you have remaining coursework to complete, you do not have to take the courses at UConn. You can complete the prerequisites at UConn or another institution, including community colleges. If you prefer to take them at UConn, you would apply to be a non-degree student.

If you choose to take courses at a community college, we strongly recommend that you use UConn’s transfer equivalency tool to make sure you are taking courses that will be accepted as prerequisites.

All prerequisite course laboratories must be in-person. This means that we will accept courses taught in a hybrid mode where the didactic portion is taught virtually while the laboratory portion is administered in person.

For courses without a laboratory component, these courses may be administered in a virtual format.

We do not have a fixed time limit on prerequisite coursework. In general, older coursework and completed bachelor’s degrees are acceptable.

However, we review prerequisites in context and look for evidence that applicants are prepared for graduate‑level study. Applicants may be encouraged to re‑take coursework, particularly science or AP‑based courses, if the material was completed long ago or if performance suggests additional preparation would be beneficial.

Final determination is made during the application review process, based on the overall academic record.

Yes. AP coursework may be accepted toward prerequisite requirements if it meets both of the following conditions:

• The AP credit was accepted by your undergraduate institution, and
• The credit appears on your official undergraduate transcript (e.g., as course credit, advanced standing, or equivalent).

Please note:

• AP credit must be clearly documented on the transcript; AP score reports alone are not sufficient.
• Acceptance of AP credit is based on how it was applied by your undergraduate institution, not solely on the AP exam title.
• Final determination of prerequisite fulfillment occurs during the application review process.

If AP credit does not appear on your transcript, the prerequisite will need to be satisfied through college‑level coursework.

Out-of-state students are eligible to apply to establish CT residency, and if approved, may be eligible for in-state tuition rates for Years 2 &3. More information on the process can be found at this website and you can review the residency requirements on the Application for In-State Tuition.

Yes. As an accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in the United States, successful completion of the UConn DPT Program satisfies the educational requirements needed to be eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). To become licensed and practice as a physical therapist, graduates must pass the NPTE and meet any additional licensure requirements established by the jurisdiction in which they seek licensure.

All 50 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia recognize the NPTE as the standard for determining licensure eligibility.

As students progress through the program, they have access to NPTE preparation resources and tools designed to support exam readiness and success. Information about our graduates' NPTE pass rates, graduation rates, and employment outcomes is available on our Student Performance Outcomes page.

There continues to be a strong demand for physical therapists. All recent graduates seeking full-time employment in physical therapy are working in the field.

Yes. Admitted students who have secured their seat with the $1,000 non-refundable enrollment deposit may request to defer their enrollment to the following May cohort if unforeseen circumstances prevent them from starting the program as planned. Deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, and program staff will work with students to explain the process and available options