DPT Requirements - Boston

• Transcripts: Only official transcripts are accepted through the PTCAS application. Note that if you are offered admission and decide to enroll, you will be required to provide a final official transcript from your undergraduate institution, which includes a date of degree conferral. This must be on file no later than May 23, 2025 or the student will not be allowed to enroll. Transcripts for all courses taken internationally must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). The WES evaluation MUST be sent to Tufts directly.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) - Optional: The GRE is not required for admission to our program, but applicants may choose to submit their scores. Regardless of whether or not you choose to submit your GRE scores, your application will be reviewed using the same holistic review process that all applications undergo. Applicants who choose to submit their GRE scores, must have Educational Testing Services (ETS) submit their official GRE scores using the Tufts Doctor of Physical Therapy - Boston PTCAS specific code 4891. Do not use any other codes and be aware that Tufts University has multiple graduate programs and CEEB codes, so make sure you select the correct one carefully.
• Two Letters of Recommendation: Each evaluator will be able to submit their letter of recommendation electronically, via a secure link that will be sent to them directly.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), if applicable: Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit evidence of proficiency in one of three ways: 1.) official TOEFL scores, 2.) official IELTS scores (Our institution requires an minimum overall band score of 7.0. Tufts University’s DPT Program only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS test center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. An institutional code is NOT required. Submit IELTS scores by contacting the test center where you took the exam directly and request that your test scores be sent to the following e-download account: "Tufts University Doctor in Physical Therapy".), 3.) evidence of enrollment for two or more years (four or more semesters) in a degree-granting college or university located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand.
   
  Submit TOEFL scores with your application for admission by having ETS send your scores to code 5312 (American Physical Therapy Association).

The DPT Admissions Committee and faculty will review completed applications (e.g., application and all required materials) in the order of receipt on a rolling basis.

Applicants are evaluated based on cumulative GPA, prerequisite GPA, GRE scores, observation hours, and references. Other factors considered, but not required, include relevant work experience and/or military experience. The DPT Admissions Committee will grant admission interviews by invitation only.

Interview Process: The DPT Admissions Coordinator will coordinate interviews for all selected applicants. All interviews will be conducted using a web-based video platform. Applicants will video-record and upload their responses to interview questions in real-time for review by the DPT Admissions Committee.

Selection Process: The DPT program will accept students based on a holistic evaluation of their application, supportive documents, and interview. All applicants will be notified by email regarding final selection decisions.

The DPT Admissions Committee will use a combination of academic performance, personal references, essays, and interviews to ensure nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all applicants.

Degree Requirements: Prospective students must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Tufts University School of Medicine DPT programs accept only degrees and courses from institutions accredited by agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Prerequisite Coursework: Applications will be accepted as long as courses are in progress. At the time of application submission, prospective students must have at least seven of the 10 required prerequisites completed in order to be considered for admission, as reflected by submitted transcripts. However, all 10 prerequisite courses must be completed with proof received by May 23, 2025 by way of an official transcript. Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of C or higher is required. Credit awarded through AP exams may be used toward direct equivalent prerequisites if the AP credit was accepted by the prospective student’s undergraduate institution. All prerequisite courses will be assessed for fit on a case-by-case basis.

• Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) and prerequisite course GPA of 3.00 or greater on a 4.00 scale.*
  • *For those applicants who may be considered as a disadvantaged applicant and identify as such on their application, the DPT admissions committee will consider the applicant’s self-reported background and how this may have resulted in a GPA below the minimum of 3.00.
• Pass/fail courses are not accepted for required prerequisite courses. If applicants have repeated a prerequisite course, the applicable course with the most recent acceptable grade (C or better) will be used to calculate the applicant’s prerequisite GPA. Credit awarded through AP exams may be used toward direct equivalent prerequisites if the AP credit was accepted by the prospective student’s undergraduate institution.
• Courses used to fulfill the Anatomy & Physiology I & II lecture and lab requirements must have been completed within 10 years of the admissions cycle year (e.g., If applying in 2023, then Anatomy & Physiology courses taken since January 2013 will be accepted). Courses used to fulfill the remaining 10 prerequisite courses do not have a specific expiration date and can be older than 10 years.

Quarter System Courses:

Completion of three quarters each of Biology, Physics, and Chemistry is required to fulfill the 2-semester requirement.

We require one sequence of Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) to fulfill the prerequisite requirement. This can be fulfilled by either:

• Anatomy & Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II (A&P I & II), or
• Separate, individual courses (often one semester/quarter each) in Anatomy and Physiology.

Please note: Once you choose a sequence (A&P I & II or individual courses), you must complete the chosen sequence and cannot switch between the two formats.

Required Labs:

• Courses used to fulfill the Anatomy and Physiology requirements must have a lab associated with them.
• For the remaining six courses (Biology I & II, Chemistry I & II, and Physics I & II), at least four of these six must have labs associated with them.

Please see the attached document for additional prerequisite details, including examples of specific courses to fulfill the requirements.

If you would like our admissions team to check if a specific course counts as a prerequisite for the DPT program, fill out our prerequisite check form.

Prerequisite Check

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for a completed application. Applicants can choose to submit their GRE scores. Test scores should be from within five years of the current admissions cycle year. For the GRE, the program considers Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. 

Whether an applicant chooses to submit their GRE scores or not, all applications are reviewed using the same holistic review process. The choice to submit a GRE score is entirely at the discretion of each applicant. An applicant may choose to submit their GRE scores if the applicant feels their GRE scores may help demonstrate academic ability. Please note that lack of scores will not hurt applicants' chances of admission.  

If choosing to submit their GRE scores, applicants must have Educational Testing Services (ETS) submit their official GRE scores using the Tufts Doctor of Physical Therapy - Boston PTCAS specific code 4891.

English proficiency must be demonstrated in one of the following three ways for non-native English speakers:

1. Provide evidence of enrollment for two or more years (four or more semesters) in a degree-granting college or university located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand.
2. TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) evaluates the ability of non-native speakers to understand and use English in an academic setting. Tufts University School of Medicine – like many other American universities, government agencies and businesses – requires candidates to submit their TOEFL scores. The TOEFL is REQUIRED if English is NOT the candidate's first language OR the candidate has a non-U.S. academic degree. Minimum TOEFL score required = 100 IBT. The USMLE will not be accepted.
3. IELTS: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a standardized test of English language proficiency for individuals who are not native English language speakers. The IELTS is an alternative option for applicants to demonstrate English language proficiency when applying to a DPT program. Minimum IELTS score required = 7.0.

Submission of two recommendations; one from a licensed physical therapist and one from someone of the applicant's choice. It is suggested, but not required, that the second recommendation be from a professor who had the student in class. Recommendations cannot consist of family, friends, clergy, or politicians.

Completion of a minimum of 40 hours of observation, volunteer, or work experience with a licensed physical therapist is required. Evidence of hours must be uploaded electronically in the form of a document with a minimum of the applicant’s name and number of hours along with the supervising PT’s name, signature, and PT license number.

Applicants will be selected to complete and submit a short video-recorded interview based on a holistic review of the applicant’s application. Submission of all required application material does not guarantee an interview. Successful interview completion is required for admissions consideration but does not guarantee admissions to Tufts DPT program.

Physical therapy is a mentally, physically, and psychologically demanding profession. All graduates must meet a standard level of competence across all domains defined in the curriculum, with or without reasonable accommodations. The primary objective of the Tufts University School of Medicine Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is to prepare students to practice as generalist physical therapists. Thus, every student must complete all aspects of the required curriculum as determined by the program. A DPT graduate must have the ability to function effectively in a variety of educational and clinical situations; communicate effectively with peers, instructors, staff, patients, and members of healthcare teams; and maintain composure in unpredictable situations. They must be able to render patient care in a respectful, empathic, and culturally safe manner, maintaining awareness of explicit and implicit biases. The acquisition of scientific knowledge, demonstration of psychomotor skills, use of clinical reasoning and sound professional judgment, application of ethical, and professional attitudes and behaviors, and moral principles are essential to responsible physical therapist practice.

The DPT Program is committed to the education of all qualified individuals, including persons with disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, are capable of performing the essential functions of the DPT program in which they are enrolled and the profession they pursue. The student should also be aware that the facilities that accept our students for clinical education may or may not be able to provide the same accommodations that are given in the classroom.

The DPT program complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as state and local requirements regarding students and applicants with disabilities. No otherwise qualified and competent individual with a disability shall be denied access to or participation in services, program, and activities solely on the basis of the disability. A student with a documented disability, however, will need to be able to meet all technical standards and to perform all essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations are those that enable students with disabilities to meet the requirements of the DPT curriculum but do not fundamentally alter the essential academic or clinical skills, knowledge, or behaviors, outlined below. Students who wish to apply for accommodations should contact the Office of Graduate Student Services (OGSS) or the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at Tufts University.

The DPT program also complies with all applicable civil rights laws and does not permit or tolerate discrimination on the basis of any protected category. As part of its commitment to creating an inclusive environment, the DPT program provides reasonable religious accommodations to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs that conflict with the program’s requirements so long as the accommodation does not create an undue hardship or does not fundamentally alter the program as outlined below. For more information about religious accommodations and how to request them, students should review the Tufts University Religious Accommodation Policy and contact OEO.

Click below for specific technical standards and essential functions.

View Technical Standards & Essential Functions

Background Checks

All students will undergo criminal background checks before matriculation into the program. Some clinics may require additional checks prior to attending clinical experiences. Applicants should be aware that a prior criminal background could restrict the ability to obtain professional state licensure. Acceptance into the DPT program does not imply or guarantee that a student will be able to obtain such licensure.

Online learning technology requirements

Students are required to have a laptop computer and a mobile device for testing, and have installed Tufts' two-factor authentication. The program uses computer-based testing for many of our courses, and exams are conducted Examplify through ExamSoft, which has specific laptop requirements. Students are responsible for the maintenance of their approved personal devices and all necessary software for the program. iPads/tablets may be used for a mobile device but cannot be used for examinations conducted with Examplify. The testing software will not run on Chromebooks, Android, or Linux operating systems. Laptops must be accessible during the on-site clinical skills lab for course-specific assessments completed while on-site.

See Learning Remotely for additional information about optimizing your online learning experience.

Disability Support Services

If you have documented learning or physical disabilities and will need accommodations for your classes, you will need to submit the Request for Disability Support Services form to the associate director of student programs and affairs. Visit the Graduate Programs Accessibility Services page for more information.

State Authorization

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. SARA covers all interstate placements in clinical or practical situations among SARA member states, no matter the nature of the main program. However, some placements may also be subject to the rules of professional licensing boards, in which case the placement must also meet such requirements. SARA does not supersede professional requirements imposed by such boards. State authorizations can be quite complex depending on the student's home state. Students interested in Tufts University School of Medicine’s DPT program should check this site for updates, but also follow-up with local licensing agencies to determine any potential concerns within their home state. Currently, all states with the exception of California are part of the SARA initiative.

Professional Licensure

You are considering an academic program that leads to a professional license in your state, it is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in your home state, before beginning the academic program located outside of your state. It is the student's responsibility to contact the appropriate licensing board in his/her home state to confirm whether our DPT program, at Tufts University School of Medicine, will meet the requirements for licensure in that state.