Admission Requirements

All students must be able to meet the Essential Requirements of Physical Therapy Education at Elon University.

A satisfactory national background check, at the student’s expense, is required prior to matriculation.

All students must complete the entire Elon DPT curriculum. No advanced placement or advanced standing is granted, nor is transfer credit or credit for experiential learning accepted in lieu of the outlined curriculum.

The requirements listed below are for the 2023-24 admissions cycle. We are a competitive program and evaluate each application on its own merits. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review our Class Profile to gain an understanding of our average criteria for matriculated students.

Undergraduate Degree

Evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree or date when degree is expected.

Each applicant must complete a bachelor’s degree in the United States from a regionally accredited college or university. International degrees that have been evaluated as United States regionally accredited equivalent may fulfill this requirement. All prerequisites must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university.

Those with an in-progress baccalaureate degree are eligible to apply, provided they will receive the degree prior to the January start term.

Prerequisite Courses

Elon requires six science courses and one non-science course. Grades of ‘C’ or better are required in each prerequisite course. No prerequisite course may be taken on a “pass/no pass” or “credit/no credit” basis*. All prerequisites must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university. Coursework from a community college or online institutions can be accepted.

*The admissions committee will accept Pass/Fail coursework taken during the years 2020 and 2021. No additional documentation is required.

Five of the six science courses must be completed at the time of application. All science prerequisite courses must be completed within 10 years of enrolling in the program (2015 or later for the 2023-24 admissions cycle). Advanced Placement courses or placement exams cannot be used to satisfy prerequisites.

  • 6 Science Courses (3-credit hour course or higher with lab)
    The applicant must have 6 natural and/or life science courses selected from the following: Biology, Chemistry, Human Anatomy/Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, Pathology and/or Physics.

    • Courses may be from the same discipline. For example, Biology I and Biology II would suffice as 2 of the 6 science courses.
    • Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy, and Physics courses require a lab.

The non-science course does not have a time limit.

  • 1 Psychology Course (3 semester hours): It is preferred that this course is from the psychology department, but an upper-level course from another department may be acceptable.

Official Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)

GRE scores must be from within the last five years and sent to Elon’s PTCAS code 7617.

Letters of Recommendation

Three recommendation letters are required, including one from a practicing physical therapist and one from a professor/instructor. The admission committee has no preference for the one “other” recommendation letter and will accept two from the same category (such as 2 professors). Acceptable references include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following list:

  • Practicing Physical Therapist (required)
  • Professor/instructor who has taught you at the undergraduate or graduate level and can speak to your academic abilities (required)
  • Other (choose 1): PT, health care provider (physician, NP, PA, ATC, etc.), supervisor during observation hours, professional supervisor, a professor from any subject, academic or research advisor, coach

Contact

You may review a list of Frequently Asked Questions here. Please direct all questions regarding the admissions requirements or process to the Graduate Admissions team at gradadm@elon.edu or 336.278.7600.