Application Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the Alberta Bridging Certificate program, the following are required.

Degree in Physical Therapy

Applicants must hold a degree in physical therapy from a university outside of Canada that has been assessed and recognized by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators.

The Alliance must verify that an applicant's educational qualifications meet Canadian standards through credentialing.

Applicants will be asked to fill out a Verification Request Form and submit it to the Alliance at the time of application. This form cannot be completed until after an applicant has completed the credentialing process.

English Language Proficiency

Language proficiency is a very important part of the application process. Since English is the language of instruction and a key requirement for professional communication in Canada all applicants must be proficient in English before admission.

To succeed in academic courses, applicants must meet the minimum standard described below. While the bridging program does offer skill development in professional communication, applicants who require additional language support must obtain these communication skills before applying to the Bridging Certificate program.

All passing scores must come from one sitting of the language assessment and must be taken within two years before applying to the bridging program.

The testing institution should send the results to the University of Alberta.

  • Institution code: 963
  • PT Department Code: 619

Scores more than two years old cannot be verified; therefore the applicant would be required to re-take the test.

The Department of Physical Therapy reserves the right to require further demonstration of English language proficiency (Section 203.2.4 of the University of Alberta Calendar).

Authorization to Work in Canada

Applicants must prove they are eligible to work in Canada, as verified by Canadian citizenship or permanent resident card or open employment authorization, which does not limit studies or work in health care. Additionally, students with open authorization to work must also have a study permit.

Applicant Commitment

Applicants must be available to meet the academic expectations for:

  • Hours in home-based studies and on-campus.
  • Clinical placement (plan for six-week, full-time clinical placement).
  • Computer literacy and continuous computer and email access.

A newer laptop computer (no older than approximately two years old) will be required. It should be capable of running the latest versions of Firefox or Google Chrome, Microsoft Word and Adobe Reader.

Students will be eligible to purchase discounted software from the Microstore on the Main University of Alberta (North) Edmonton campus.

ready to practice physical therapy in Canada

The Self-Assessment Readiness Tool (SART) helps internationally-educated physical therapists understand the profession in Canada. Though this tool can be useful in showing the "day-in-a-life" clinical practice scenarios, it is only a guide for your personal use and does not provide any evidence or assurance of your ability to obtain a license to practice in Canada.

Essential Competencies for Physical Therapists in Canada, October 2009.

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