Department of Physical Therapy

We admit a class of approximately 36 students per year. The new cohort class begins each fall semester.

Yes. Out-of-state residents can apply to the University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy program. We make no distinction between in-state and out-of-state students for admission or tuition purposes.

Yes. Early assurance is available to qualified applicants whose first choice is the University of Dayton. Candidates will be interviewed and notified of their acceptance prior to the general application deadline in the fall.

If you are accepted for early assurance, you will be asked submit a $1,000 deposit. If you are not accepted for early assurance, you will remain in the normal applicant pool for UD and may also apply to any other programs by the general application deadline in the fall.

Visit our application information for specific dates related to the application process.

We do not require a specific major to apply for our program, as long as the prerequisites are completed. Visit admission requirements for details about prerequisite course requirements. Common majors include health science, psychology, exercise science, biology, etc.

Yes, however, your application will remain incomplete until this requirement has been met. All observation hours must be completed before the start of the program.

It is generally favorable to have a majority of your observation hours completed prior to applying so you have a good understanding about the physical therapy profession.

Yes, you can. However, we require a minimum of four sciences with labs completed by the application deadline under which you are applying.

Because our deadline falls in the middle of the fall term, we can only consider coursework completed during the last full term prior to the application deadline (the summer term before the deadline). All prerequisites must be completed prior to the start of the program. You must maintain your GPA to remain eligible for admission. Visit admission requirements for more information.

If an applicant has been working in a science or clinical field since taking prerequisite courses, there may be rare exceptions to the 10-year policy. Please contact our Admissions Coordinator if you have questions about your situation.

NOTE: Psychology, human development and statistics are exempt from the 10-year policy.

While your anatomy and physiology courses may have a bio prefix, they cannot be used for your biology prerequisites. Your biology courses must be general or specialized (e.g. microbiology, genetics, vertebrate zoology, vertebrate physiology, developmental biology, pathophysiology or immunology).

We do not provide transcript evaluations prior to receiving an application. If you have questions about a specific course, please contact our Admissions Coordinator.

We require a minimum cumulative and prerequisite science GPA of 3.0, though competitive applications to our program will typically have a 3.5 or higher GPA (both cumulative and science).

These are general guidelines and may fluctuate from year to year depending on the strength of the applicant pool. All candidates who meet the minimum will be considered and are encouraged to apply.

The GRE is optional for admission into our program. Choosing not to submit a GRE score will not negatively impact your application. However, for some candidates, submitting scores may provide additional insight into your academic performance that could assist the admissions committee in judging your ability to succeed in our program.

Submit results directly to PTCAS GRE Code 0294.

The only application we require is the PTCAS application. The University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy program has no supplemental fees or applications.

Please send all materials to PTCAS; nothing should be sent directly to the University of Dayton.

Instructions and addresses for transcripts and recommendations (called "evaluations" on PTCAS) are available on the PTCAS website after you have created an account.

We require three letters of recommendation:

1. From a PT, preferably someone you shadowed.
2. From a professor or faculty member in your major.
3. From a person of your choosing (professor, employer, another PT, etc.). This person must know you in an academic or professional capacity.

NOTE: Letters from family members, friends, clergy, etc. (regardless of title) will not be accepted.

We require 40 observation hours. A minimum of 10 hours must be completed in an inpatient setting.

We strongly prefer that your hours be completed in at least two different facilities. This could be a pediatric setting and an outpatient orthopedic setting. This will allow you to understand different areas of physical therapy practice.

We do not require a specific form, but you will need to input all of your observation hours into PTCAS, with contact information for verification through PTCAS.

You should track your observation hours in a document that can easily be referenced and uploaded. It would also be helpful to include the contact information for the therapist you are shadowing.

An interview with a faculty member is a required part of the admission process. Interviews typically take place virtually and are scheduled individually.