Internationally educated physical therapists seeking to practice in the United States must undergo credential evaluation and secure registration via individual State Physical Therapy Boards. The process is centralized via the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and requires passing the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).
Success Rate
6–12 Months
$2,500 – $4,000 USD
Total Duration
Estimated Cost
Success Rate
Difficulty Level
Follow these steps to achieve your global medical career
Submit comprehensive educational transcripts to the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) for evaluation against the Coursework Tool (CWT) benchmark.
Achieve minimum score thresholds on the TOEFL iBT (Reading 22, Listening 21, Writing 22, Speaking 26) as mandated for healthcare professional certification.
Apply directly to the intended state jurisdictional board for professional licensure to obtain an official Authorization to Test (ATT) letter.
Create an online dashboard profile on the FSBPT website and register for the specific NPTE scheduling window utilizing your active ATT code.
Sit for the 250-question computer-based examination at a Prometric testing center, testing clinical assessment, interventions, and body systems.
Pass the state-specific law and ethical regulation computer-based test required by individual jurisdictions to complete regulatory onboarding.
Essential prerequisites for this pathway
Downloadable guides and references
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