Physical Therapy Foreign Educated Applicants

General Information

Applicants who graduated from a physical therapy program that was not accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) may qualify for licensure under WAC 246-915-120. Review the following steps to understand the application requirements.

All documents must be sent from the issuing entity directly to the department. Documents can be sent to the department by email, or by mail to:

Physical Therapy Credentialing
P.O. Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877

If any documents are not in English, an English translation signed by the translator must be submitted with the official document.

Note: If you hold an active physical therapy license in another state or US territory for at least two years with no gap in licensure lasting longer than 90 days and no disciplinary action, you may qualify for a license by endorsement. Please review WAC 246-915-040.

Application

Online Application Instructions

Online application instructions are on our website.

Once you have submitted your application, you will find your pending credential number on the Provider Credential Search website. Refer to this credential number any time you contact the Department of Health or submit paperwork.

If you need to submit a paper application (PDF), send your application and fee with a check or money order payable to:

Department of Health
P.O. Box 1099
Olympia, WA 98502-1099

The following forms may be required to complete the application process.

Credential Evaluation Report

You must have a credential evaluation report on your professional education and training prepared and submitted by one of the board-approved credential evaluation agencies. The report must be sent directly from the credential evaluation agency to the board. The applicant is responsible for any expenses associated with the evaluation.

The evaluation must use the appropriate FSBPT Coursework Tool (CWT) to determine whether your education is substantially equivalent to a CAPTE accredited physical therapy education. The appropriate CWT means the CWT in place at the time the foreign educated physical therapist earned their professional degree in physical therapy. 

Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy, Inc. (FCCPT) 
124 W. St. S., 3rd Floor 
Alexandria, VA 22314-1917 
703-684-8406 

International Consultants of Delaware, Inc. (ICD) 
3600 Market St., Ste. 450 
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 
215-222-8454, ext. 510, fax 215-349-0026 

International Education Research Foundation (IERF) 
P.O. Box 3665 
Culver City, CA 90231-3665 
310-258-9451

English Language Proficiency

You must demonstrate English language proficiency by meeting one of the following requirements:

Verify you were born in a country where English is a native language;
Verify that the medium of instruction for your foreign physical therapy program was English;
- To qualify for this option your college or university where you earned your physical therapy degree must send verification that your program was taught in the English language directly to the department.
- If applicable, it may help to have the English language verification letter sent to the department with your transcripts.
Take and pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) per WAC 246-915-120
- To schedule your exam or to have verification of your scores sent to the department, contact the TOEFL/TSE Registration Office at PO Box 6152, Princeton, NJ 08541-6152, call 609-771-7100, or email toefl@ets.org.
  - The “TOEFL code” for Washington State is 9783.
- Applicants are not required to take and pass all sections of the TOEFL in one sitting.

Healthcare License Verifications

A completed license verification must be received to demonstrate you hold a valid, unencumbered license or authorization to practice physical therapy in the country where you earned your physical therapy degree.
- If you earned your physical therapy degree in a country where a license or registration is not required to practice, you do not have to fulfill this requirement.
A completed license verification must be received for every state, country or jurisdiction where you hold or have held a health care practitioner license.
- License verifications must be received directly from the other jurisdiction(s) where you hold or have held a license.
- Jurisdictions may submit their own license verification form or letter in lieu of using the Washington license verification form.

Credential Verification (PDF)

Transcripts

We must receive transcripts for every college or university you have attended directly from the education organization. Your transcripts for your physical therapy degree must indicate the date you earned your degree.

Transcripts can be sent by email, or by mail to:

Physical Therapy Credentialing
P.O. Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877

If any documents are not in English, an English translation signed by the translator must be submitted with the official document.

National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE)

You must take and pass the NPTE as described in WAC 246-915-030. If you have already taken and passed the NPTE, contact FSBPT to have your scores transferred to Washington state.

If you have not yet taken the exam, you will need to submit your application and all supporting documents to the Washington state Board of Physical Therapy to receive approval to register and take the exam. Once approved, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter from FSBPT with instructions on how to register.

Under WAC 246-915-030, an applicant may take the NPTE a maximum of six times, except applicants who fail the NPTE two times with very low scores. A very low score is defined as performing at or below chance level (scale score 400 and below).

Employment Verification

Applicants must have each employer complete an employment verification form for every physical therapy position held within the past three years. Employment verification forms must be sent to the department directly from the employer.

Completed forms can be sent by email to ptapplication@doh.wa.gov, or by mail to:

Physical Therapy Credentialing
P.O. Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to take the TOEFL? Are there any exceptions?

Under WAC 246-915-120, you must take and pass the TOEFL to demonstrate English language proficiency. You are not required to take the TOEFL if you meet either of these two exceptions:

English is the native language of your country of origin; or
English was the language of instruction in your physical therapy program and your college sends verification directly to the Department.

Which credential evaluation agencies are accepted in Washington?

The Board of Physical Therapy has approved the following credential evaluation agencies:

Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy, Inc. (FCCPT)
124 W. St. S., 3rd Floor
Alexandria, VA 22314-1917
703-684-8406

International Consultants of Delaware, Inc. (ICD)
3600 Market St., Ste. 450
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651
215-222-8454, ext. 510, fax 215-349-0026

International Education Research Foundation (IERF)
P.O. Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231-3665
310-258-9451

What if my credential evaluation is not deemed substantially equivalent to a CAPTE accredited program?

A determination that your education is not substantially equivalent does not mean that you cannot become licensed, but you will need to correct the deficiencies. The education evaluation agency who completed your evaluation may help you identify missing coursework that can be completed through supplemental education. Under WAC 246-915-120, the Board of Physical Therapy may allow you to correct deficiencies through coursework pre-approved by the board or by obtaining a new passing evaluation after completing the deficiencies.

My transcripts aren’t in English, is that okay?

Yes, but they must be translated. If any documents are not in English, an English translation signed by the translator must be submitted with the official document.

Your credential evaluation agency may have additional requirements concerning how foreign-language documents and translations must be prepared and submitted.

Will all my college level education be evaluated, or only my physical therapy program that led to my degree?

The education evaluation agency you select will require all your transcripts for any college level coursework completed. They will determine what can be considered to determine substantial equivalency to a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program.

Additionally, as part of your state license application, you will need to have all your college level transcripts sent directly to the department from your college or university.

How long does it take to get an education evaluation?

The education evaluation agencies are independent organizations. Contact the evaluation agency to determine their current timeframes.

Do I have to pass all sections of the TOEFL in one sitting?

No. Under WAC 246-915-120, for the purpose of applying for a physical therapy license Washington does not require you to pass all four sections of the TOEFL in one sitting.

Do I need to send transcripts to both the department and to my credential evaluation agency?

Yes. To apply for a license in Washington state we must receive all your transcripts directly from your college or university(s). We cannot accept transcripts from any other source, including the credential evaluation agency. The credential evaluation agency may also require direct source transcripts to complete an evaluation report.

What if I’m licensed in another state? Can I get a license by endorsement?

If you have been licensed in another state or states for 2 years or more, you may qualify for a license by endorsement if:

your other state is considered substantially equivalent to Washington;
you have no licensure gaps longer than 90 days; and
you have no disciplinary action against your license.

Under this licensure pathway, you do not need to submit NPTE scores, transcripts, an education evaluation, or evidence of English language proficiency.

Where should my college send my transcripts?

All documents must be sent directly to the department from the issuing entity. Transcripts can be sent by email to ptapplication@doh.wa.gov, or by mail to:

Physical Therapy Credentialing
P.O. Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877

If any documents are not in English, an English translation signed by the translator must be submitted with the official document.

What English language proficiency exams are accepted in Washington?

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is the only English language proficiency exam approved for licensure purposes in Washington state. Minimum passing scores are listed under WAC 246-915-120.

How do I get approved to take the NPTE?

If your physical therapy program was not CAPTE accredited and you have not yet passed the NPTE, you must first submit your application for licensure and all supporting documents to the Department of Health. To be approved to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), foreign educated candidates must be approved by the jurisdiction where they seek licensure.

The Board of Physical Therapy will review your application and if approved, FSBPT will be notified, FSBPT will issue your Authorization to Test (ATT). The ATT notice will include instructions on how to register for the NPTE.

What if I took and passed the NPTE already?

You do not need to retake the NPTE if you already passed the examination, as long as your scores are considered passing under Washington state law, per WAC 246-915-030.

If you passed the NPTE through another state, you can submit a score transfer request to FSBPT to have your score transferred electronically to Washington. You are still required to submit a license application, pay applicable fees, and meet all other requirements as a foreign educated applicant under WAC 246-915-120.

What if the country where I earned my physical therapy degree doesn’t require a license or registration to practice physical therapy?

If you earned your physical therapy degree in a country where licensure is not required to practice, you do not have to submit a verification from that country. You must satisfy all other application requirements and submit license verifications for all other states or jurisdictions where you hold or have held a healthcare professional license.

Can I use my foreign PT education to apply for a PTA license in Washington?

No. Physical therapist assistants must complete a CAPTE accredited physical therapist assistant program to be eligible for a license in Washington state. We do not have a licensure pathway for foreign educated PTAs.

Contact and Connect

If you have additional questions after reviewing this website, please contact the physical therapy program.

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