Physical Therapy (Direct Entry)

If you hold a baccalaureate degree in another field of study, the Post Baccalaureate Doctor of Physical Therapy program [PB-DPT] may be right for you. With an earned undergraduate degree and the completion of the outlined core prerequisites, you may apply as a graduate student to the professional phase of our DPT program. As such, you will join an existing cohort of undergraduate students and together will work as a graduating class toward the DPT.

Our DPT builds on the university’s core values of interdisciplinary education, urban engagement, international knowledge, and cutting-edge research. Faculty are active in the American Physical Therapy Association and engaged in active clinical research and practice. A hallmark of our program is the integration of experiential learning and didactic education whether through use of standardized patients, communication and interaction with community consultants, participation in service-learning projects, or engagement in research with our faculty.

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Northeastern University physical therapy graduates are innovative, global leaders who excel in clinical practice, research, and community service. As one of the longest-accredited physical therapy programs in the United States, and the only program with cooperative education, our students graduate with exceptional clinical decision-making skills and experience in the field of physical therapy.

• PTCAS application
• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from all institutions attended
• Personal statement
• TOEFL or IELTS for applicants who do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution and whose native language is not English
• Undergraduate GPA 3.00 (B) or higher
• Official GRE scores within last five years
• The following prerequisites:
  • Anatomy & Physiology with Lab (2 semesters)
  • Chemistry with Lab (2 semesters)
  • Physics with Lab (2 semesters)
  • General Psychology (1 semester)
  • Developmental Psychology (1 semester)
  • Statistics (1 semester)
  • Exercise Physiology (1 semester)
  • A minimum of forty [40] observation/volunteer hours in a physical therapy facility

Once your application is submitted, received, and processed, you will be able to access your Application Status Check. If you are required to provide further information regarding your proficiency in English, you will be able to complete the requirement in several ways, depending on your familiarity with English, and the frequency with which you use English each and every day:

• Non-native English-speaking applicants will be required to submit official and valid results from one of the following English Language Tests:
  • C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (Cambridge English)
  • Duolingo English Test (DET)
  • IELTS Academic
  • PTE Academic
  • TOEFL Internt-based Test (CEEB Code: 3667) Northeastern will accept either the in-person version completed in a test center, or the TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• However, based on your academic environment and the primary instructional language in either your high school or university, you may be eligible for a waiver. All waivers must be submitted through your Application Status Check. For additional information and to determine whether or not you are eligible for a waiver, please read the section below on waiving the English proficiency requirement.

Please note: Northeastern’s Admissions Committee reserves the right to request proof of English language proficiency from any applicant, regardless of citizenship or first language, at any time during the evaluation process.

• 1.Create your application

  Submit your application through The Common Application or the Coalition Application (both are accepted). Once you have created your application, please select Northeastern University to directly submit your application to us. Application fee of $75 or need-based fee waiver* *Northeastern accepts need-based fee waivers from the Common Application, the Coalition Application, as well as organizations such as the College Board and ACT, or in a written request from a school official.

• 2.Submit all required materials

  Double check to make sure that you have submitted all required materials. Even if your application has been submitted, we cannot begin reviewing your file until all of your required materials have been received. For applicants applying for the 2022-2023 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require standardized testing to complete an application for admission.

• 3.Check your application status

  Within seven days of applying, you should receive a confirmation email containing your Northeastern University ID number and instructions for setting up your Application Status Check account. To ensure all of the necessary documents have been submitted, and for updates or information about your application, visit your application status check.