Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review (PTA-EER)

The PTA-EER is an evaluation that determines whether the applicant’s education is substantially equivalent to that of a graduate of a U.S. physical therapist assistant (PTA) program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

• To ensure accuracy and fairness, FCCPT uses the Physical Therapist Assistant Coursework Evaluation Tool (PTA CWT 2007), which has been validated against the CAPTE criteria for PTA education. Please note that evaluation criteria for PTA licensure is different than criteria for PT education. Completion of PT education does not guarantee equivalency on the PTA-EER.

• Important: Some jurisdictions do not accept evaluations using the PTA Coursework Tool. Prior to applying for PTA-EER, be sure to contact the jurisdiction(s) where you are seeking PTA licensure to ensure that they will accept the PTA-EER evaluation report.

What does the PTA-EER include?

A course-by-course evaluation of the educational records provided by the applicant’s educational institution(s) compared to the educational requirements for a PTA degree in the U.S.

Who should apply for the PTA-EER?

• If you are seeking a license to practice as a PTA in a U.S. jurisdiction that licenses foreign-educated PTAs; or
• If you are seeking to obtain a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) certification.

Important: You should not apply for the PTA-EER if:

• You are not a graduate of a physical therapy education program, holding a diploma as either a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant; or
• You are a PT applicant who did not meet the Educational Credentials Review criteria for educational equivalency.  You should not consider the PTA-EER as an automatic next step.
• The PTA-EER is not a shorter or simplified version of the Educational Credentials Review. It is a different review with different criteria.
• You are a PTA applicant seeking a Health Care Worker Certificate for visa screening, refer to the Comprehensive Credentials Review (Type 1 Review) section of our website.
• Note: The PTA-EER cannot be used by USCIS for immigration purposes. To be eligible for a Health Care Worker Certificate, you must have earned a professional healthcare degree. A PTA degree/certificate is not considered a professional healthcare degree, and therefore is not eligible for visa and immigration purposes.
• If you are applying for a PTA license in New York State. Refer to the New York Credentials Verification service for details on applying for licensure in New York.

Before you apply - read the following important information

• Submitting Documents
• Foreign Language Documents
• Do’s and Don’ts, a step-by-step guide to the PTA-EER application process (below).
• Review the Sample Application.
• Review the Application Fee Schedule, and be prepared to make payment at time of application.

What You MUST Do to Apply:

• Complete the online application and pay for the PTA-EER.
• Complete the applicant portion of the following academic request form and send it to all appropriate institutions (U.S. and foreign).
• PTA-EER Request for Academic Credentials Verification (page one to be filled out by applicant, page two to be completed by registrar or principal of academic institution)
• Complete and submit a signed and notarized PTA-EER Attestation form with one (1) recent passport-size photo (2 x 2” or 51 x 51 mm).
• Submit a copy of your PT or PTA diploma(s), degree(s), and/or certificate(s) to FCCPT, which have been notarized as a true copy of the original.
• Note: FCCPT will accept notarized copies of diplomas, degrees, and/or certificates from the issuing institution, if received with the Academic Credentials Verification form.
• Note: FCCPT will accept PT education documents for the PTA evaluation.

Additional steps you may need to complete:

• If you want a third party (an authorized representative) to contact FCCPT on your behalf, you must submit a notarized Release of Information form.
• If FCCPT sends you a request for translation, you must arrange for translation of the original language documents. See Foreign Language Documents for more information.

What you should NOT do:

• Do not send original diplomas or certificates. All documents sent to FCCPT become the property of FCCPT and will not be returned.
• Do not send any copies of transcripts, mark sheets, syllabi, or license verifications to FCCPT. These documents must come directly from the issuing institutions.
• Do not collect transcripts or verifications in sealed envelopes and forward these to FCCPT. These documents must come directly from the issuing institutions.
• Do not send the Attestation forms and copies of diplomas to your schools and request the school send them with your academic documents. This will delay your process significantly. The Attestation form and your notarized copy of your PT or PTA diploma should be mailed directly to FCCPT by you (the applicant).