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See the University of Colorado Doctor of Physical Therapy Program website for detailed information regarding the unique aspects of the program, the curriculum, admissions requirements, and more.

The University of Colorado (CU) Physical Therapy (PT) Program is a 2.5-year program that typically begins with Orientation on Wednesday in the same week of Memorial Day, followed by summer semester beginning on Monday in the first full week in June. The academic program (including clinical education) continues for 8 consecutive semesters with graduation in December 2025. Full-time and part-time clinical education experiences are interspersed throughout the first two years and begin as early as the second semester (fall). During the Fall semester of the third year all students complete a final 16-week clinical internship. Upon completion of the Program, students are awarded the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE). Following graduation, some students will continue in a year-long paid internship at the same site for an additional 36 weeks and other students may continue in a specially designed internship and/or post-professional residency experience, while others choose to assume employment as a licensed PT. 

At the University of Colorado, we seek applicants who bring a passion for healthcare and working closely with patients, a variety of life experiences, commitment to service and leadership, a strong academic background, and those who will add to the diversity of our student body and the physical therapy profession. Our curriculum is rigorous, and students still find time to pursue opportunities in community service and get involved in faculty research activities.

Start date for the next class will be June 5, 2023. This is preceded by a required Orientation during the week prior (May 31-June 1, 2023).

Applications must be submitted to PTCAS by the October 3, 2022 deadline and verified by November 4th, 2022 in order to be available for review by the Admissions Committee. Missing or delayed components of the application will delay verification and could impact the review. It is up to the applicant to track the progress of their application within their PTCAS portal. Because it sometimes takes PTCAS 4-6 weeks to verify applications (including letters of recommendation), it is our recommendation that applicants submit their application by mid-September.

For the 2022-2023 Application Cycle the University of Colorado Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is offered only as a Residential Pathway.

The University of Colorado PT Program is excited to announce the plan to offer both a residential and a hybrid pathway beginning the 2023-2024 application cycle. Both pathways will share the same coursework and have the same graduation requirements. While students in the residential pathway meet on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora multiple days each week for in person courses, labs, and learning activities, students in the hybrid pathway will meet with faculty online and come to the Colorado Springs campus ~5 times each academic year for 7-14 days of intensive immersion lab learning experiences. Similarities and differences between these two outstanding options are available on the program website for applicants to review. 

• Students in the residential pathway generally live near campus or in the Denver-metro area. Residential does NOT infer that student live on campus. These students attend classes on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, CO. Some class sessions may occur online (blended learning) when that meets the course objectives, but there will be time on the Anschutz Medical Campus throughout each week.  Students complete clinical experiences in the greater Denver/Front Range area, throughout Colorado, or across the nation. This pathway follows the more traditional model of physical therapy education that has been successfully producing CU graduates for the past 75 years.
• We anticipate that students in the hybrid pathway will live in their local community throughout their DPT education and travel to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Campus for approximately 7-14 days of intensive lab immersion within each semester or learning block. The rest of the content will occur online in synchronous or asynchronous format for most courses. The hybrid pathway blends the convenience of online learning with the excellence of in-person lab immersion experiences throughout the educational experience. Clinical experiences will be offered in the Colorado Springs area, rural Colorado, and across the nation. It may also be possible for students to complete clinical experiences in their local community. This pathway is provisionally accredited.

A DPT/PhD option provides students with the opportunity to become doctorally prepared Physical Therapist clinicians (DPT) and Rehab Scientists (PhD) in tandem. Applicants interested in this option MUST have previous research experience.  

Students also have an opportunity to earn a DPT-MPH dual degree through the Colorado School of Public Health. 

Admission to the DPT program does not guarantee admission to the MPH or PhD program. A separate application is required later in the DPT program. 

Hybrid Pathway at the University of Colorado- Colorado Springs (UCCS) planned for the 2023-2024 application cycle. See the CU DPT website for more details.

Interviews are required and are by invitation only (interviews will be conducted virtually and are typically held in January). Check the PT Program website for updates during the summer/fall of 2022. 

A $1000.00 deposit is required to accept an offer of admission and is applied to the first semester tuition and fees.  The deposit must be submitted paid via credit card or eCheck (using checking account number and routing information) through the University of Colorado payment system.

Percent of IN-STATE and OUT-OF-STATE applicants accepted annually varies, and there is not a specific or set number of applicants accepted solely on this criteria. 

WICHE applicants accepted varies annually depending on qualified applicants who are offered admission and who meet WICHE criteria.  

Program is committed to a holistic review of applicants and gives preference to those who excel in academics, leadership/community service, and work/life experience. This commitment extends to individuals from all backgrounds, to Colorado residents, and to expanding diversity in the physical therapy profession.