Admissions

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is designed for those individuals with an undergraduate degree in a field other than physical therapy. There is no specific undergraduate major required to apply to our program and no major is more advantageous or disadvantageous for your application. Applicants should have a sufficient knowledge of the physical therapy profession to make an informed career choice.

Admission decisions are substantially influenced by the applicant’s ability to demonstrate personal characteristics considered consistent with the expectations of professional behavior and the equitable delivery of patient/client-centered services. Applicants must demonstrate success in academic and professional aspects of the program. Personal interviews are required for applicants who reach the final stage of the admission process. If two applications are essentially equal, preference will be given to the North Carolina resident.

Applicants should, per PTCAS instruction, continue to monitor their application to ensure materials (transcripts, letters of recommendation, verified PT hours, etc.) have arrived at PTCAS.

• PTCAS will open June 16, 2025, for the 2025-26 cycle with matriculation for Fall 2026.
• All application materials must have arrived at PTCAS by the application deadline date of September 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST. This includes all transcripts and recommendation letters for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
• The UNC-CH supplemental application and fee must be completed by September 22, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST. This is separate and distinct from the PTCAS application.

The following supplemental materials are required:

1. Complete the UNC-specific questions via PTCAS. These are questions that we ask each applicant to answer over and above the general questions posed by PTCAS. The UNC-specific questions will also be answered via PTCAS.
2. Complete the UNC-CH supplemental application. The supplemental application consists of questions required by the NC General Assembly about military service, community standards, and residency (for those who wish to claim NC Residency for tuition purposes).
3. The supplemental application and fee payment of $95 must be submitted to UNC-Chapel Hill by September 22, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST. Specific directions related to the supplemental application and fee will be emailed to each applicant after their PTCAS application is submitted to PTCAS and routed to UNC-Chapel Hill. The supplemental fee and application are separate and distinct from the fees charged by PTCAS.
4. You will be automatically emailed the link to complete the supplemental application within three to four business days of your application being sent to UNC-CH via PTCAS.

Know These Requirements Before Enrolling in the DPT Program.

PTCAS has two additional questions that are asked of every applicant. Each applicant is asked to respond to an essay question in the “Supporting Information” section of the application. Questions are also asked about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Finally, a question exists for re-applicants in the “Program Materials” section.

1. Volunteer or shadow at several (at least three) different places that represent three different PT settings. We recommend exposure to at least three different practice settings, with the total number of hours being at least 50. Potential settings include, but are not limited to, large health systems, home health agencies, private practices, skilled nursing facilities, pediatric developmental centers, educational settings (schools), and sports medicine clinics.
2. Physically observe the activities of the physical therapists if possible. If you volunteer, your activities may be limited unless you specifically request to shadow a physical therapist. It is also important to observe procedures for documentation, managerial support, business practices, etc.
3. Variety in physical therapy experience is more valuable than total hours. Understand what you are observing so that you can speak knowledgeably about the discipline.
4. We strongly encourage supervisors and recommendation providers to electronically submit the information requested electronically to PTCAS for verification of observation hours. Each applicant must keep accurate contact information so that they can enter the information into PTCAS. Applicants should inform supervisors and reference providers about when they plan to submit their application so that they can be prepared to receive the email and complete their necessary steps. All references and shadowing hour verifications are required to be completed and received by PTCAS by September 15, 2025.  Do not wait a week before the deadline to complete these steps.  Paper documents can sometimes be difficult to read and may not fully convey what you learned. PTCAS has designed the electronic verification process to be consistent and gather as much information as possible.

The UNC Office of Scholarships and Applicant Aid is the best source of information about applying for all forms of financial aid.

Through the generous donations of alumni and friends, the Division of Physical Therapy provides scholarships to some students. Prospective applicants who are offered admission are automatically considered for all available scholarships and awards. Additional information about scholarships and financial aid will be made available at the time admission is offered. Learn more about departmental scholarships and awards.

Review the current per-semester tuition schedule and fee information documents, specifically under “School of Medicine” then “Department of Health Sciences.” Tuition and fee information is listed under Department of Health Sciences and shows the instate tuition rate and then the out of state tuition rate for one semester.

View the Student Financial Fact Sheet page for a financial breakdown of the DPT program based on statistics from the most recent graduating class.

Fee Waivers

A waiver for the DAHS supplemental fee is available to qualified individuals. If you applied for and were granted a fee waiver for the PTCAS application, you will be granted a waiver for the UNC-CH Department of Health Sciences (UNC DPT) fee. Please send a brief note of confirmation regarding the PTCAS waiver and/or a copy of the PTCAS waiver confirmation, with your PTCAS ID number, to dptadmissions@unc.edu.

We admit 30-32 applicants each fall for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Admission is highly competitive. No component of your application is more important than another. A holistic approach is used to consider all applications.

With the limited number of positions that can be offered to prospective physical therapy students, the program expects that students accepted to the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program will enroll in the year in which they are accepted. The program’s policy on deferral of admissions is provided here.

Military Student Admissions and Deferments

In accordance with state law, the University of North Carolina provides admissions deferments to members of the military and their spouses for the following:

• Reserved Armed Forces: two-year minimum deferment period
• Active Duty Armed Forces: five-year minimum deferment period
• Students must request a deferment at least 30 days prior to enrollment
• No applicant will be denied admission to the University solely based on military service or the intent to enter military service

Additionally, please not that the University offers in-state tuition to student veterans who meet the following criteria:

• Served active duty for at least 90 days
• Received an honorable discharge
• Meet one of the following:
  • Served active duty with a permanent station in North Carolina for at least 90 consecutive days
  • Graduated from a North Carolina high school on or after January 1, 2024
  • Was awarded a Purple Heart

Student are responsible for providing documentation to verify eligibility.

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