• Although we have contracts with around 400 clinical sites, our vision is to have true partnerships with a smaller number of sites who can take students consistently every year. Our focus is on quality of clinical education experiences offered rather than quantity. While many of the sites are local in the greater Denver area and surrounding cities in Colorado, we do have sites across the United States. 
• Please note that not all 400+ sites offer an experience during each of the clinical education experiences.

No. Although the Program appreciates the value of international experiences, international clinical education sites may not have the same physical therapy and licensing standards as those in the United States and cannot always meet the Program’s specific objectives for each clinical education experience. Therefore, all clinical experiences must be completed in the United States. Students may have other options for international experiences as an elective, as an optional activity through campus organizations, or after completion of their DPT degree. 

There is a process for requesting to open a new clinical site, however, establishing new clinical sites will only be considered according to Program need and at the discretion of the clinical education team. ​ ​

Yes, our students take a 6-credit Clinical Anatomy I course in the first summer semester and a 3-credit Clinical Anatomy II course in the second summer semester. Students work in a group performing dissection of human cadavers during these courses.​

• The CU Anschutz Medical Campus was designed to facilitate interprofessional interaction. The education buildings and lecture halls/other classrooms are utilized by students from all the health professions represented on campus, including but not limited to: physical therapy, physician assistant, dental medicine, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health. ​
• Examples of interprofessional interaction include a course with physician assistant students and an Interprofessional Education (IPE) and Development course designed to investigate ethical scenarios and patient cases, from a collaborative team perspective.

Learn more about IPE

No, all applicants are considered at the same time.​

In addition to academic metrics, the CU PT Program looks closely at an applicant’s experiences, personal attributes, and characteristics.  We are committed to selecting students who demonstrate dedication to their learning, commitment to the profession, involvement within their community through work or service, leadership potential, effective interpersonal skills and strong self-reflection.​

• A portion of qualified applicants are invited for mandatory on-campus interviews, which take place in mid- to late-January or early February.
• Interviews are 1-on-1 for 30 minutes. There will be 2 interviews with a faculty member or clinical partner.
• Prior to the interview, your application is thoroughly reviewed by our Admissions Committee. The interviews themselves are blinded, so the interviewer will know nothing about you other than first and last name.  This gives the interviewer the opportunity to evaluate you on factors such as communication skills, critical thinking, and thoughtful answers without bias from the application.

The University of Colorado policies require full COVID vaccination for students, faculty and staff on all four CU campuses. This requirement would need to be met at least 4 weeks prior to Orientation, at the start of the PT Program. (Read more about the CU requirement, and find FAQs, here.) There are NO waivers of any kind for students with specific religious convictions or beliefs. Waivers due to a medical condition require approval at the campus level and must adhere to a strict review process. 

Footnote 2 of the Requirement and Compliance policy states “Currently, the only absolute contraindications to COVID-19 vaccination are i) severe immediate allergic reaction to previous dose or to a component of the COVID-19 vaccine, ii) immediate reaction of any severity to a previous dose or known (diagnosed) allergy to a component of the COVID-19 vaccine.” 

In the event a student receives a waiver for a medical exemption, it should be noted that the waiver could impact the availability of placement in certain clinical sites, engagement in educational activities within close proximity of others (common in DPT lab skills courses), and overall progression in the educational curriculum with the cohort.

Visit our tuition & fees page here

Visit our scholarship offerings page

CU Anschutz Medical Campus residency status is initially determined by the information you provide on the Initial Residency Verification Form you will complete once you are a fully admitted student.

Residency Information

 

 

If you have been able to establish residency, you would be able to pay in-state tuition for the second year and third half-year of the Program. Visit the registrar residency page

Changing your residency

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Yes, DACA  students are eligible to apply.

Yes, Physical Therapist licensure in Colorado may be obtained without verification of lawful presence. 

• There are many residential opportunities near CU Anschutz Medical Campus, located in Aurora, Colorado. Students live in Aurora, closer to downtown Denver, and even as far as Boulder, Greeley or Colorado Springs.
• There are no campus dorms or university sponsored housing. There are several private apartment complexes directly north of the Strauss Health Sciences Library. There are many other new and renovated apartments and houses just beyond the Anschuz Medical Campus in all directions.
• The Office of Campus Student Services has housing resources available to current students. This includes a database through which students may look for open properties and roommate opportunities.

Student service fees include a Regional Transportation District Fee (RTD) pass. There are two light rail stations close to campus and shuttles that run between campus buildings and the light rail station. The RTD pass also includes the RTD bus system, multiple bus lines run directly to the Anschutz campus.​

A number of faculty, students and staff bike into work as well, with plenty of bike racks available.

• Due to the academic rigor of the Physical Therapy Program, it is strongly recommended that you secure enough financial aid to support yourself through school. This is particularly important during the first year. 
• There are part-time work-study jobs on campus and within the PT program such as, working at the library circulation desk, performing data entry for research projects, cleaning the labs, providing classroom technical support, and more. 
• You may choose to pursue part-time jobs to help supplement your costs such as driving for a ride share company, working as a nanny, working as a personal care assistant for an individual, serving at a restaurant, etc. This is typically on a very part-time basis (2-10 hours per week).

• Classes are sometimes 8:00 am-5:00 pm Monday through Friday, averaging 30 hours a week.
• Lectures are typically 2 hours in length with 10 minutes to transition to the next class session. Labs are anywhere from 2-4 hours in length.