The requirements, deadlines, and process for applying for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program are outlined below. As a potential applicant, you should review this admissions information before you apply.
International applicants must follow the international application process and admission standards of the Office of International Affairs.
Apply for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program
Step 1: Review the admissions requirements
- Completed—or will complete—a bachelor's degree in any major from a regionally-accredited institution
- Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 and a math/science prerequisite of 3.2
- Completed all prerequisites with a maximum of one outstanding course by the application deadline of October 1
- Completed observation of PT practice (40 hours are recommended but in light of the ongoing pandemic, not required)
Step 2: Start your applications
There are two applications you will need to complete to be considered for the DPT program at Indiana University.
- You'll apply to the program using the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). All application materials must be submitted in full and verified in PTCAS before you are advanced in the admissions process. There is an initial program designation fee of $150 and a $55 fee for each additional program. Complete the PTCAS application. Your PTCAS application must be in “Complete” status by October 1.
- Submit an application through the IU Centralized Application System (CAS). Applications are not reviewed until the $70 application fee is paid. The program name in IU's CAS is "Physical Therapy DPT." Using the filters at the top, select IUPUI as the campus, 2022 as the start year, and Indiana University University School of Health and Human Sciences for school.
Submit all supporting documents
All supporting documents must be submitted through PTCAS by the application deadline.
Download the Prerequisite Course Completion Form, enter your information, save the document, then submit it with the IUPUI Graduate Application in the “Department Information/Additional Upload” section.
If you have not completed your bachelor’s degree you will need to complete a Declaration of Intent to Complete Degree Requirements Form and submit as a document upload in PTCAS, or submit it with the IUPUI Graduate Application in the “Department Information/Additional Upload” section.
We require at least two letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation must be electronically submitted electronically via the PTCAS Application.
Final notes
- Invited candidates will participate in an in-person admission interview on the first Friday in December.
- In response to the coronavirus pandemic, online labs for prerequisite courses completed during 2020 and 2021 will be accepted for any application year.
- If an applicant’s school has transitioned to a Satisfactory/Fail or Pass/Fail grading option in response to the pandemic, grades would be accepted as follows: For students in the Indiana University system, a Satisfactory grade would be accepted although a Passing grade would not be accepted. For applicants from universities other than Indiana University, either Satisfactory or Passing grades will be accepted, though Satisfactory is preferred if both S and P grades are an option.
- Applicants who meet all other application requirements though do not meet the minimum 40 hours of observation are still encouraged to apply. Following application submission, alternative solutions to observation hours will be provided.