Physical Therapy Admission Requirements

Entry-level DPT

Applicants for the DPT Program are required to meet or exceed the following criteria:

1. Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university – or –completion of 90 credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university that include the DPT Program course prerequisites – or –enrollment in the final year of the Spalding University Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree program for DPT majors
2. Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a four-point scale.
3. Minimum prerequisite and science grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a four-point scale.
4. At least two letters of reference from a professional who can best address the applicant’s ability to be academically successful as well as address personal/professional characteristics. Letters should come from a college/university counselor/advisor/faculty member, a physical therapist that supervised your volunteer/work experience, and/or faculty advisor for a college/university club or organization.
5. GRE (Graduate Record Examination) recommended minimum scores of 150 on each of the verbal and quantitative, and minimum of 3 on the analytical writing section. GRE scores must be taken within the past 5 years.
6. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for applicants who graduated from a college, university or professional training school in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States do not need to take the TOEFL.  All other applicants must score at least 550 on the written examination, 213 on the computer-based examination, or 79 on the internet-based examination.
7. Observation/Employment in Physical Therapy totaling 40 hours under the supervision of a physical therapist signed and verified by a physical therapist.
8. Prerequisite coursework:
   • Applicants must submit evidence of satisfactory completion of the following courses with a minimum of a “C” (courses must be completed within 10 years):
     • Science Courses: Each science course must be a course for science majors, have a  laboratory component, and be a two-course sequence with more than 3 semester credits in length per course.
       • i. Human Anatomy and Physiology – or one three-credit course in human anatomy and one three-credit course in human physiology
       • ii. Chemistry – 8 credits
       • iii. Physics – 8 credits
     • Statistics – 3 credits
     • English/Psychology/Humanities: 18 credit hours total with a minimum of one 3-credit course in English, Psychology and Humanities.
     • One writing-intensive course, which may also be any prerequisite course.
9. Interview with members of the DPT Program Admissions Committee
10. Technical standards and essential functions statement of agreement

We continue accepting applications for our Fall 2024 cohort from May 16, — July 15, 2024. To apply for the Fall 2024 cohort, visit our How to Apply page. Additionally, we are accepting applications for our Fall 2025 entry-level DPT cohort from June 17, 2024 — May 15, 2025. To apply for the Fall 2025 cohort, lease apply through PTCAS. We accept applications for our entry-level DPT cohort once per academic year.

In the meantime, we encourage you to tell us about yourself, and we’ll be in touch with more program information.

Criminal background checks are required for Professional Practice (clinical education) placement. Findings of a criminal background check may preclude placement in the Professional Practice courses. Students with findings on a criminal background check will be counseled by the program director regarding potential implications for state board licensure as a physical therapist. Students with convictions of certain criminal history may not meet state board requirements for licensure as a physical therapist.