About FCCPT

Welcome to FCCPT!

Who We Are

The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization that evaluates the credentials of foreign-educated physical therapists and physical therapist assistants (FEPTs), and issues Health Care Worker Certificates to those who wish to immigrate and/or work in the United States.

Purpose

We protect the public, ensuring foreign educated physical therapy professionals meet state and federal regulations.

Mission

FCCPT authenticates and evaluates the educational credentials of foreign educated physical therapy professionals using effective and contemporary methodologies in an unbiased and ethical manner.

Core Values

Ethical: Demonstrate fairness and objectivity while conducting our services in an equitable manner.

Respect: Facilitate equality, inclusivity, diversity, and belonging.

Excellence: Achieve success with integrity, accountability, quality, reliability.

Innovation: Implement data driven, informed, and collaborative process.

Service Commitment

FCCPT is committed to providing convenient, easy-to-access services to the individuals and organizations we serve in the shortest possible time.

FCCPT does not discriminate among applicants in the terms, conditions, or privileges on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, age, sexual orientation/preference, familial status, physical or mental disability, veteran status or military obligations or any other legally protected status.

What We Do

FCCPT provides educational credentials reviews for physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) using the PT or PTA Coursework Evaluation Tool (CWT), which have been validated against CAPTE accreditation requirements for PT and PTA education.

The Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) grants accreditation status to qualified entry-level education programs for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. CAPTE accredits educational programs in the U.S. and selected programs around the world. In order to apply for licensure as a PT or PTA in the U.S., jurisdictional authorities require that applicants are graduates of CAPTE-accredited PT or PTA education programs. Applicants who graduated from education programs that are not CAPTE-accredited must have their educational credentials reviewed by an approved credentialing agency, such as FCCPT.

The purpose of educational credentials review is to determine the equivalence of the education of FEPTs, compared to U.S. graduates of accredited physical therapy education programs.

For detailed information on our credentials verification and evaluation services, please see the Primary Services section of this website.

Who We Serve

Foreign-educated physical therapists and physical therapist assistants

rely on FCCPT to:

Evaluate credentials fairly and consistently, utilizing uniform standards and processes in an objective manner;
Provide findings and conclusions when reports are issued;
Identify educational deficiencies; and
Provide support through Primary Services and Related Services.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. jurisdiction licensing board members and their staff, and other regulatory authorities

depend on FCCPT to:

Follow uniform standards and processes to produce consistent, clear opinions on the credentials of foreign-educated physical therapists;
Explain how an opinion was reached and what steps were followed in the evaluation process in our evaluation report and supporting documentation;
Follow sound authentication procedures in verifying source documents utilized in a credentials evaluation;
Provide guidance and reports to meet state-specific requirements; and
Provide additional support to Jurisdictions.

International and domestic academic faculty, academic program directors, and other educators

rely on FCCPT to:

Identify common educational deficiencies to help educators improve PT and PTA curriculum;
Provide supplemental course information to allow educators to advise and inform their students; and
Provide additional support to Faculty.

Employers, immigration attorneys and health plan organizations

rely on FCCPT to:

Verify credentials of foreign-educated physical therapists for quality assurance, visa application, contracting, or accreditation.

What Makes FCCPT Unique

Applicants who complete a Comprehensive Credentials Review (Type 1 Review) with FCCPT are more than twice as likely to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) on the first attempt as those who complete their evaluation with other agencies.

Below are some other reasons why FCCPT is uniquely suited to meet all foreign PT and PTA credentialing needs:

USCIS authorized

FCCPT is one of only two organizations given authority by USCIS to prescreen FEPTs and to issue qualifying Health Care Worker Certificates for immigration.

Widely Recognized

FCCPT is the only qualifying organization recognized by all 53 U.S. jurisdictions, making it easier for applicants to move from state-to-state.

Single focus

FCCPT is the only qualifying organization dedicated exclusively to the review and evaluation of physical therapy credentials for immigration and licensure.

Always current

FCCPT keeps abreast of standards for physical therapy practice and licensure, educational curricula and foreign educational systems.

Uniquely qualified

FCCPT has the knowledge, ability, and infrastructure to evaluate credentials on a consistent basis, authenticate information sources, and produce consistent, reliable outcomes.

Uniform standards

FCCPT has created uniform credentialing standards and developed the systems, processes, and human resources necessary to consistently apply these standards.

Collaborative approach

FCCPT has developed its credentialing standards in collaboration with academic faculty, practicing physical therapy professionals, and licensing/registration authorities.

Quality assurance

FCCPT’s quality assurance program is overseen by a panel of physical therapy educators and physical therapists active in regulation of U.S. PT practice.

Our people are central to our service

Learn how the People of FCCPT make a difference in the quality and delivery of our services.

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