Out-of-State Applicants

Although the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy believes its primary responsibility is to educate California residents, nonresidents with superior credentials are encouraged to apply.

Foreign Applicants

Undergraduate degrees earned outside the U.S. must be evaluated for parity with U.S. degree standards. For UCSF, a foreign applicant must additionally complete at least one year of academic work at a campus of the University of California or other comparable institution in the United States prior to the submission of an application to the professional program. Completion of this prerequisite school year as described does not guarantee admission to the program.

For SFSU, a foreign applicant must earn a minimum score of 213 (computer based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL). Refer to the SFSU Bulletin for further information.

Foreign-trained physical therapists or physicians who are not eligible for, or choose not to seek U.S. or State licensure in their field, must meet all the qualifications for entry into the program regardless of prior training. Undergraduate degrees must be evaluated for parity with U.S. degree standards. Work previously done in the basic or applied sciences may not be acceptable as prerequisites depending on course content. Students expecting to apply should verify acceptance of coursework and should expect to take a challenge examination on equivalent course content. For example, if a student has completed an anatomy course in another country, that course may not be acceptable as a prerequisite unless the student passes a comprehensive examination over that course material. Most foreign trained therapists or physicians who have not been found eligible for licensure should expect to complete all prerequisite coursework in an accredited U.S. college or university in order to be considered for admission.