Admissions
admission requirements
You’ve worked hard for your dream and are now considering which doctor of physical therapy graduate schools to attend. We know that students always wonder whether or not they are qualified. You don’t have time for guesswork. That’s why we’ve made it easy by outlining our admission requirements.
If you're interested in applying to our program, applications for the next cohort (beginning in January 2026) open June 17, 2024. Your application must be verified by PTCAS and available for review by our admissions committee no later than April 1, 2025. The earlier you complete the requirements, the better. All required application materials (transcripts, etc.) must be submitted directly to PTCAS. We operate on a rolling admissions process.
PTCAS application
Wingate University uses the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) for all applications to the physical therapy program.
Submit an official degree transcript
You must earn a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution by the time you begin the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. You must submit an official degree transcript for confirmation. International degrees that have been evaluated as a United States equivalent will not be considered for admission. If you’re admitted into the program with your baccalaureate degree pending, you’ll be considered provisionally admitted until your degree is awarded.
Prerequisites
Each applicant must complete the following 11 prerequisite courses to be considered for the Wingate University DPT program. For applications to be eligible for consideration, applicants must be within two outstanding prerequisites.
If you’ve attended an institution that awards a quarter or other means of reporting coursework hours, you must have completed what our admissions committee deems to be an approximate equivalent to the semester hours shown for each course.
Submit your official GRE score
Graduate Review Examination (GRE) scores are not required, however, if submitted, GRE scores within five years of the anticipated date of enrollment will be considered. GRE scores should be submitted directly to PTCAS. The Wingate University physical therapy program code is 0747.
Two letters of recommendation
A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required. At least one letter of recommendation must be from a licensed physical therapist.
Fifty hours
A minimum of 50 observation hours with a licensed physical therapist is required. Other experiences with physical therapy will also be considered. Observations may be in any setting, and may be paid or unpaid.
Interviews
After an initial application review selected applicants will be invited to a virtual interview based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to, cumulative GPA, prerequisite GPA, letters of recommendation, the PTCAS essay, observation experiences, service/volunteer activities, and leadership endeavors.
Do you know about our Advantage Programs?
There are currently about 254 accredited DPT programs in the US, but there is only one in which I am proud to call home, Wingate’s DPT program. Our program is comprised of a staff of professors who take the extra step everyday to ensure that they are providing the best possible education to develop us into clinicians that will stand apart from the rest. They utilize their expertise to provide us the foundation and skills that allow us to be the next generation of physical therapists that will revolutionize our profession. More importantly, they care. They care about us as individuals, not just students, and this shows in everything they do. We are family in this program and we strive to do our best to not only take care of one another, but our community as well. I am proud to be a graduate of Wingate University’s DPT program and will always be a part of this family.Steven Brantley, Class of 2022
| Course | Credits | W.U. Equivalent | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy with lab OR Human Anatomy & Physiology I with lab | 4 | Principles of Anatomy & Physiology I BIO311 | 4 |
| Human Physiology with lab OR Human Anatomy & Physiology II with lab | 4 | Principles of Anatomy & Physiology II BIO312 | 4 |
| Physics I with lab (may be calculus- or non-calculus-based) | 4 | 4 | |
| Physics II with lab (may be calculus- or non-calculus-based) | 4 | 4 | |
| General Chemistry I with lab | 4 | 4 | |
| General Chemistry II with lab | 4 | 4 | |
| General Biology I with lab | 4 | 4 | |
| Upper-level (300 or above) Biology or Physiology (Exercise Physiology may fulfill this requirement) | 3 | 3 | |
| Human Psychology (may be normal or abnormal) | 3 | 3 | |
| Math | 3 | 3 | |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 |
Wingate DPT Acceptance & Matriculation Rates
| Matriculation Year | Total Applications | Accepted | Matriculated | Yield Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2021 | 436 | 113 | 42 | 37% |
| January 2022 | 353 | 89 | 44 | 49% |
| January 2023 | 353 | 97 | 41 | 42% |
Ready to save your seat?
If you’re admitted to the program, we make a personal call to share the good news. Upon request, we will follow up the call with a letter mailed to your preferred address.
To confirm that you accept the admissions offer, we require a $1,500 non-refundable deposit. Please note, for acceptance notifications that are made before January 15th of the applicable application cycle, applicants have a deadline date of January 15th to submit the non-refundable seat deposit. Acceptance notifications that are made after January 15th must submit the non-refundable deposit within 30 days of the initial acceptance notification. For acceptance notifications that are made after April 1, 2021, we require the non-refundable deposit within 10 days of acceptance notification.
The expiration date of the offer of admission will be stated in the acceptance notification. Failure to pay the $1,500 deposit by the expiration date stated in the notification will forfeit your place in the program.
There are no waivers or exceptions to any of these requirements. The Wingate University Doctor of Physical Therapy program offers no advanced placement or any other type of transfer credit from any prior enrollment in any health sciences, medical or related program. A qualified applicant previously enrolled in another CAPTE-accredited DPT program can be considered for admission only after consultation with the director of the former program of study.
join us!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Wingate University Doctor of Physical Therapy program (DPT), we invite you to attend one of our virtual information sessions:
- Learn more about our DPT program and the application process
- Meet the DPT program faculty, staff and current students
- Ask questions
Find out when the next information session is by calling (704) 233-8674 or emailing DPT@wingate.edu.
DPT Diversity Admissions Statement
Wingate University DPT seeks students who are highly qualified academically and have diverse backgrounds and experiences that will enrich our program and the physical therapy profession. It is important for the department and the future of our profession that our student body reflect the diverse and ever-changing needs of society. To help meet the department’s globally-focused mission, it is essential that students are able to learn from each other and from each individual’s unique experiences, characteristics and perspectives. Therefore,to the extent permitted by law, the department intentionally seeks a wide range of student populations that encompass a broad spectrum of characteristics including geographic origins, social and economic backgrounds, age, races and ethnicities, viewpoints, special talents, veteran status and personal achievements. The assessment of personal achievements shall take into account a prospective student's circumstances and obstacles that she or he has been faced with or has overcome.
