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Cost of the program

Please go to the 2020-2021 Tuition & Fees chart and visit the top of page 10 for relevant information about the current per semester costs.  Students are billed on a per credit hour basis. Over the course of the program, students must complete a minimum of 27 credit hours. The estimated total tuition and fees for the entire program for an instate student is $24,997 and for out-of-state students, total tuition and fees is estimated at $48,460. This program is a two-year, part-time program, and students normally take between six to eight hours per semester for four semesters and summer. Please review the curriculum for information about the program structure. These numbers are estimates and may change from year to year. Transitional students pay tuition and fees as well as a small technology fee.

To Apply

Online applications for the Transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy (tDPT) program are available every October for fall admissions. This program will be phased out in 2024 after graduation of students admitted in the fall of 2022.

Applicants must show evidence of graduation from a master of physical therapy degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education. Applicants must demonstrate academic and clinical promise as evidence-based practitioners and must also demonstrate licensure, or eligibility for licensure, as a physical therapist in a United States jurisdiction in which the applicant plans to complete the DPT clinical requirements.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree may be considered for admission but should show clear evidence of professional development beyond the bachelor’s degree via completion of graduate level coursework, certifications, or other training/professional development activity that conveys readiness for a graduate degree program.

PROSPECTIVE INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: Even though this is a distance learning program, you must be a currently licensed physical therapist within the United States to apply to our program. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Admissions Documents to be Submitted

Your application will not be reviewed without the following required information. You should print this as a checklist and confirm that all are provided before you pay the application fee and submit your application.

  • The Transitional DPT Application: The application opens every October and closes in March for admission to the following fall term. (All documents listed below will be submitted electronically via the Transitional DPT Application.)
  • A personal statement explaining your goals in applying to our program and how you feel it will fit your educational and professional needs.
  • Official transcripts from each college/university attended including UNC-CH graduates.
  • Copy of physical therapy license from any U.S. jurisdiction or application for licensure.
  • Two recommendation letters submitted electronically.
  • TOEFL scores for all students for whom English is a second language.
  • Application fee. This can be submitted online via credit card immediately following submission of your application.
  • GRE Scores are NOT required to apply for the transitional DPT program.

Applicants with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree may be considered for admission but should show clear evidence of professional development beyond the bachelor’s degree via completion of graduate level coursework, certifications, or other training/professional development activity that conveys readiness for a graduate degree program.