Admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is highly competitive. All applications to the DPT Program at Bellarmine University must be made through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). Bellarmine University does not require a supplemental application.
General information about PT program admissions is available at www.apta.org. Specific information about Bellarmine’s DPT program in PTCAS, such as requirements, course prerequisites, and deadlines, is available at APTA - Bellarmine University.
Please visit the Catalog of Bellarmine University for a description of the program, application information, admission criteria, information for international applicants, and required and recommended course prerequisites: DR.DPT Program | Bellarmine University Catalog
Students interested in a transcript review in preparation for application to the program may submit the request here:
Admission Information
The Bellarmine University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program prepares students for licensure and practice in the field of physical therapy. Candidates for licensure in all states must hold a post-baccalaureate degree in physical therapy from an accredited institution. Individuals can apply for admission to this program through a competitive application process. There are three types of applicants for the program:
“Bachelor's+3” Path
Interested applicants can apply and may be potentially admitted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program after completion of a bachelor’s degree in a major of choice from Bellarmine University or another accredited institution. Applicants must complete all program prerequisites and application requirements (available in the Catalog link above).
“3+3” Path
This path is open to Bellarmine University undergraduate students who have completed at least 60 credits (generally two full years) at Bellarmine University. Students apply for the DPT program the summer before the junior year. If accepted, a student would begin the DPT program after 3 years of undergraduate coursework. Students must still fulfill all requirements for an undergraduate baccalaureate degree from Bellarmine (completion of all general education requirements + completion of the first year in the DPT program). In doing so, students would earn a Bachelors in Health Sciences degree following the first year of the DPT program.
Students are required to complete at least 18 credits in a content area or discipline that is equivalent to a minor prior to entering the DPT program. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisor to ensure this requirement is met.
Launch to DPT: Early Assurance Program aka “LEAP” Path
Highly selective program open to high school seniors to apply. If accepted, students matriculate as undergraduates at Bellarmine and can then apply to the DPT program on the “Bachelor’s+3” or “3+3” Path. Students must complete all application requirements and meet all standards for university admission to be accepted. Learn more on our LEAP Path page.
Incoming Student Statistics
| Incoming Class |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
| Number of applications |
508 |
494 |
488 |
354 |
279 |
| Incoming class size |
76 |
73 |
72 |
72 |
70 |
| Numberof students offered admission |
158 |
208 |
165 |
180 |
160 |
| Average incoming GPA |
3.51 |
3.39 |
3.54 |
3.44 |
3.46 |
| Average incoming prereq GPA |
3.46 |
3.34 |
3.47 |
3.42 |
3.32 |
| Number of incoming Bellarmine students |
15 |
19 |
20 |
17 |
15 |
These numbers reflect averages. Some accepted students scored higher and some lower than the numbers shown here.
Contact Information
Please direct Doctor of Physical Therapy admission questions to:
Alex Wink
Assistant Director of Health Professions Graduate Programs
502-272-7993, awink@bellarmine.edu