Admissions and Application Process
The following are requirements for admission to the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program. Each of these requirements must be fulfilled and evidence of their completion must be submitted. Failure to submit evidence of fulfilling all admission requirements will exclude applicants from consideration for admission.
- Complete all admission requirements and be admitted to the Blinn College District. Applicants must be TSI compliant or exempt.
- Complete the PTA Program Application.
- The application is open from October 1 to March 1 each year.
- The application cycle for fall 2027 admission will open on October 1, 2026, and remain open until March 1, 2027.
The following components are required to complete the PTA Program Application:
- Official transcripts from every college or university you’ve ever attended.
- Completion of all prerequisites with a grade of “C” or better.
- Prerequisites include: PTHA 1201, ENGL 1301, PSYC 2301, BIOL 2401 and 2402, HITT 1305, and a Humanities/Fine Arts elective.
- Prerequisites may be ‘In Progress’ at the time of application submission, but all must be completed prior to beginning the PTA Program.
- ATI TEAS Test Score
- A minimum score of 65% Overall on the TEAS Test is required for your application to be considered. You may re-take the test as many times as you wish.
- Information on where and how to take the TEAS Test can be found on our health sciences testing page. You will be required to upload a copy of your score sheet into the application.
- Observation Hours
- A minimum of 20 observation hours in any Physical Therapy setting is required. This can be paid or volunteer experience. Observation hours are valid for two years.
- Documentation of Experience Form
The following components are not required, but are highly recommended to enhance your application:
- Additional observation or employment hours in a PT setting
- Must obtain at least 20 hours in each new setting
- Completion of all prerequisites prior to application submission
- Competitive Prerequisite and Overall GPA (3.0 or higher)
- Previous degree (Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, Ph.D.)
- Certifications (EMT/Paramedic, CPR/AED, First Aid, LMT, ATC, etc.)
- Community Service hours
TOEFL iBT
Applicants whose first/native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL iBT, regardless of US education, or years of residence, and provide scores by the application deadline. Information about the test can be found on the TOEFL iBT website.
To ensure consistency across licensing and credentialing agencies, the Blinn College Physical Therapist Assistant Program requires ESL applicants to meet the minimum TOEFL iBT score established by the Texas Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE) and the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). The ECPTOTE licenses PTAs in Texas, and the FSBPT develops and administers the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), which is required for PTA licensure.
The minimum required scores for each section are outlined below.
Please note: As of January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT scoring report recently changed the way section scores are expressed. See the comparison table below for minimum requirements for each section using the old vs. new scores.
In addition to uploading a copy of your score sheet into the PTA Program Application, applicants must also request their official scores to be sent to Blinn College (Destination code: 6043).
Scoring Requirements:
| Section | Old Version | New Version |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 21 | 4.5 |
| Listening | 22 | 4.5 |
| Speaking | 24 | 4.5 |
| Writing | 22 | 4.5 |
