Frequently asked questions

Fill out the online application at the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service. You must also fill out the NAU online graduate application. Please visit our admissions page for more information.

The NAU DPT program does not have graduate assistant positions available. There are scholarships that students can apply for once they are in the program and many of our students work part-time. Please visit our Program Data page for more information on tuition and fees and the NAU financial aid page for further information.

The application period begins in early July each year and generally closes October 1st of that same year. Admission would be granted for August of the following calendar year.

No, the PTCAS application and NAU Graduate Application are used for both campuses.

Yes, the GRE is required, and official scores must be reported directly to PTCAS. Instructions are in PTCAS. Multiple retakes of the test are allowed and the program takes the top score in each category. You must meet the minimum requirement in each category, applicants who do not meet minimums will be declined.

Yes. NAU receives 1,300 and 1,700 applications a year for our 48 spots at the Flagstaff campus and 50 spots at the Phoenix campus.

No, they are not flexible. Applicants who do not meet minimum requirements are declined. In addition, we encourage you to visit our program data page to see the average scores of those accepted to the program. The program takes your top score in each category for the GRE if you take it multiple times.

100 observational hours are recommended but not required. They can be paid, volunteer, inpatient or outpatient but must be under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. We recommend a breadth of experiences and settings rather than a depth of one experience. Please visit the PTCAS website for information on submitting your observational hours.

Yes. In accordance with the DPT program mission and goals, the program does give preference to applicants who indicate a high potential for remaining in the state of Arizona to work following graduation.

AZ residency for in-state tuition is not decided by the department. Students who are not automatically granted residency must file a petition. Visit the student service center for more information.

You are invited to provide a preference, but there is no guarantee that your request will be granted.

Yes. About 300 students are invited to interview with half randomly assigned to interview at Flagstaff and half at Phoenix. Interviews are usually held in November or December.

Yes, but travel is limited. For example, you may be required to attend a 3-day course in the second year that may be on the other campus. The site of the course alternates year-to-year between campuses.

Yes, in fact, we encourage you to do that. If you wish to visit the Flagstaff campus, email your request to physical.therapy@nau.edu. If you wish to visit the Phoenix campus, email your request to chhs-pbc@nau.edu.

The program is 2.5 years long (7 semesters) with a December graduation.

No, the program is full-time. Classes occasionally are scheduled in the evening or on weekends, but most are between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.

Find tuition and fee information on the NAU admissions website.

Many of our applicants have degrees in exercise science or kinesiology, but we do not require any particular major. The primary issue is that you must complete all of our prerequisites before beginning the program. You may only have 3 outstanding prerequisite requirements when you apply.

The list of prerequisites can be found at the PTCAS website and on our admissions requirements page. If you have specific questions about prerequisites, email your question to physical.therapy@nau.edu.

No, you can take them from any 2- or 4-year accredited college or university.

There is some graduate student housing available at NAU in Flagstaff, but there is limited availability. There is none available in Phoenix. Our students live in apartments in surrounding neighborhoods.

Classes begin around the 3rd week of August for Flagstaff students and mid-August for Phoenix students.

Students complete 30 weeks of clinical education work in the final year of the program. The goal of the program is to graduate the GENERALIST practitioner, and therefore the selection of clinical placements should reflect the widest possible exposure to diversity in practice setting, population, and age groups of clients. Our program primarily serves the State of Arizona. Close ties and familiarity with the local clinicians and facilities is essential for successful clinical education. Therefore, our predominant clinical opportunities are in the regional facilities of Northern Arizona, Phoenix and Tucson. Clinical assignments are arranged through collaboration between the students and the Directors of Clinical Education (DCE).

Students will have a role in the selection process, however the University and the DCE’s reserve the final authority in determining clinical experience placements. Due to the high volume of students seeking clinical experiences in the Phoenix metro/Flagstaff regions, there is an expectation that each student completes a clinical experience in a rural or out of area location.

Students are never allowed to solicit their own clinical placements. NAU maintains contracts with over six hundred clinical sites. These facilities include outpatient adult and pediatric clinics, hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, school districts, and home health agencies, among others. Facilities may be urban or rural, and include specialties such as wound care, vestibular rehab, athletic venues, industrial rehabilitation, hand therapy, pelvic health and many other categories. There are also national and regional contracts which would allow a student to be placed out of state. Students may work with the DCE to determine if one of these affiliates would be an appropriate choice for one or more of their clinical rotations. Any student planning an out of state experience is strongly encouraged to investigate and plan for housing, travel, and other expenses that they will incur.

Applicants must have and maintain the statutory requirements that will be needed for licensure.  While requirements vary from state to state, the NAU DPT program requires that students meet background clearance requirements of the State of Arizona to permit their participation in clinical experiences in AZ as part of the program. Applicants must be able to obtain a LEVEL 1 Fingerprint Clearance card from the state of AZ. For more information, please review the Arizona Statute. A criminal background check may also be requested depending on clinical site requirements or probable cause.

Yes, they are mandatory. Details will be provided upon admission.

Transfer credits are not accepted. The entire Program of Study for the DPT must be completed at NAU.

We require a non-refundable deposit of $600 to hold your place in the program. This is applied to your fall tuition if you choose to enroll.

AP courses that appear on your college/university transcript may be used to fulfill a DPT prerequisite for NAU. Note that the AP course will not be used in calculating your prerequisite GPA.

In addition to the PTCAS fee, the NAU graduate application fee is $65. That fee is paid directly to NAU at the time you submit your online NAU application.

Yes, please visit our Admissions Requirements page for more information.

Yes, the TOEFL is required for international students but is waived if you have earned a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from a U.S. university or college. Please visit the NAU Graduate College international graduate admissions page for more information.