Doctor of Physical Therapy Application Requirements

Arcadia’s hybrid DPT program is a full-time program consisting of 110 credits completed across 25 months. Applicants of the hybrid program must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who plan to continue U.S. residency throughout the entire length of the program.

Next Class Cohort: August 2023

Candidates are reviewed holistically and must receive an acceptable departmental review of the full application. Meeting all of the below requirements does not guarantee admission into Arcadia’s hybrid DPT program.

To qualify for admission to Arcadia’s hybrid DPT program, you must meet the following criteria and submit the materials listed below.

This application, which must be completed online, includes your academic and professional history, and personal statements.

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. You must have completed your degree prior to entering the program, but is not required to apply.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum Arcadia prerequisite GPA of 3.0 is required.

All applicants are required to send official GRE scores and we do accept the GRE At-Home exam. Your exam must have taken place within 5 years of submitting your application, as ETS only provides score reports for exams taken within that time frame. There are no exceptions to submitting a GRE score report, regardless of an individual’s professional and academic background. There is a minimum required score of ≥ 151 for the individual Verbal Reasoning portion of the exam. There are no exceptions for meeting the required minimum Verbal Reasoning score. Required minimum scores of ≥ 150 on Quantitative Reasoning and ≥ 4 on Analytical Writing are also expected. The Arcadia DPT Online GRE school code is 4722.

Official transcripts are required for prerequisite courses and degree-bearing work. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned. If grades are not included, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Applicants do not need to include transcripts for external certificates or extra classes not related or not required to submit. Do not send transcripts directly to Arcadia. Transcripts can be sent using e-transcripts to ptappsvcs@onlinehealth.arcadia.edu or via sealed mail to the following address:

Arcadia University
Application Processing Center
Arcadia DPT Online
PO Box 30096 002-001
College Station, TX 77842

Please note: To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor retained by that institution. Transcripts submitted by enrolled or prospective students are considered unofficial documents, even if they are in a sealed envelope provided to you by the issuing university.

Applicants should have experience working in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Observation hours can include both volunteer and paid work but must demonstrate knowledge of the profession.

Two personal statements are required for admission. Personal statements consist of two essays that describe your interest in physical therapy, why you wish to attend Arcadia, and what you hope to learn in the field. Please complete two essays that respond to the prompts below:

Essay 1: Every person has a story that has led them to a career. Since there are a variety of health professions that “help” others, please go beyond your initial interaction or experiences with physical therapy, and share the deeper story that has confirmed your decision to specifically pursue physical therapy as your career.

Essay 2: Please discuss why you feel online classes paired with in-person training (hybrid model) is an ideal learning structure for you to complete the rigorous Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and why you have chosen to apply to Arcadia’s DPT program. Please include any personal experiences, learning styles, or individual preferences that will support your success in the hybrid program.

Essay 3: Tell us what about Arcadia’s DPT program appeals to you. 

Include any personal experiences, learning styles, or individual preferences that will support your success in the hybrid program.

Please download the prerequisites form PDF in order to view the detailed prerequisite requirements on Pages 2 & 3. In conjunction with this form, you must refer to the Prerequisite Requirements on our website, which provides additional specifications for each prerequisite course. 

Biological Science — four courses (a minimum of 12 semester credits) from a biology department, which must include the following:

Physical Science — four lab/lecture courses directed toward science majors to include the following:

Behavioral Science — two courses: one course in Psychology, and one course from either Anthropology, Sociology, or Psychology to include:

Statistics — one course to include:

If you need assistance to determine if you meet our prerequisite requirements (or that you will meet them before matriculation), you must complete the following steps:

Two letters of recommendation are required:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to add a third letter of recommendation of their choosing:

Once admitted into the program, all admitted applicants will be required to place a deposit of $1,500 to hold a place in class.¹

¹ In addition, any student who currently lives or has lived in New York state within the past 7 years (as determined by an initial background check) will incur a one-time additional “pass through fee” of $95 upon entry into the program for a criminal background report. This fee is subject to change at the discretion of the state. Students subject to this fee will be billed through their student account.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference