Physical Therapist Assistant AAS Information
Physical Therapist Assistant AAS Information
Join ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø’s Physical Therapist Assistant Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program for immersive hands-on learning paired with strong theoretical foundations. Under the guidance of expert instructors, you'll engage in practical lab sessions, applying your learning to real-life scenarios.
In your program, you’ll benefit from small class settings, ensuring personalized attention and hands-on training for an enriched learning experience. Graduating from this program equips you with skills to successfully work as a Physical Therapist Assistant. You’ll also be eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) and to apply for state licensure as a PTA. Licensure is required in the state of Washington.
Physical Therapist Assistant AAS is a full-time, daytime in-person program with a cohort that starts every Fall. Classes generally occur between 8 am - 4 pm, Monday through Friday, though some hours may vary. Please note that you must have reliable transportation for clinical rotations in the second year.
Physical Therapist Assistant is a Selective Admission program, meaning it has specific admission criteria and a selective, competitive admission process. Pay careful attention to the information on this page to ensure that you are as prepared as possible to apply.
PTA Info Sessions
Information sessions provide an overview of the career of the PTA, the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø PTA program curriculum, as well as an overview of the admission application requirements and process.
How to Apply for Physical Therapist Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistant AAS is a Selective Admission program, which means it has specific admission criteria and a separate application process. For details on applying to the program, submitting transcripts, program funding, and other important resources, please visit the Selective Admission page. Please email Selective Admissions with any questions.
Important Dates and Deadlines
Program Length: 6 quarters of PTA technical & clinical courses
Fall 2026 Application Deadlines:
Physical Therapist Assistant accepts applications for one cohort per year, starting PTA classes in Fall. Up to 20 qualified applicants are admitted for the Fall 2026 cohort. Applications will be collected and processed in three (3) rounds. In each round, qualified applicants will be scored against one another. If the cohort is not full after a round, the next round will open for additional applications. If the cohort fills after a round, no additional rounds will be open.
- Round 1 Deadline: June 30, 2026
- Decisions announced by July 30, 2026
- Round 2 Deadline: July 31, 2026
- Decisions announced by August 20, 2026
- Round 3 Deadline: August 21, 2026
- Decisions announced by September 4, 2026
Applicants can be considered for conditional admission on a space-available basis after the Round 3 application deadline.
Mandatory Orientation:
Admitted students will be required to attend a mandatory orientation on campus.
- Wednesday, September 23, 2026
- 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
- Allied Health Building, room TBA
Apply for PTA!
You can find the application within the Selective Admission Portal. Simply select "Start a New Application" to begin! You must have a current ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø email to access this portal. Please visit the Selective Admission Page for details on how to apply. Please email Selective Admission if you experience any difficulty accessing the portal.
Admission and Selection Information
Physical Therapist Assistant program selection is based on application scoring. Scores are calculated as follows, and up to the top 20 applicants are offered admission. ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø does not keep a waitlist, but applicants may qualify for conditional admission on a space-available basis after the Round 3 application deadline.
Application Scoring:
- Prerequisite Course Grades: 45 points possible
- Observation Hours & Verification: 20 points possible
- Optional Completion of BIOL&242: 10 points possible
- LASSI Assessment and Reflection: Completion Required
- Total Possible Score: 75 Points
All application materials and requirements must be complete by the application deadlines to be considered for Rounds 1 or 2. We cannot waive any requirements. Program requirements include pre-requisite courses, observation hours, and an assessment and reflection. Additional documentation, attendance at the Mandatory Orientation, and required immunizations will apply to accepted candidates. No other factors are considered for admissions. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all materials are submitted and received properly by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø. While we try our best, it is not possible for the admissions office to notify applicants of missing materials or respond to applicant inquiries as to the status of their application.
See below for details on admission criteria.
Applicants are required to complete at least 24 hours of observation of a licensed
PT or PTA in a clinical setting. The PT/PTA must be licensed in the United States.
Once the hours are completed, applicants will need to enter the PT or PTA's name and
email into the application for verification. These verifications must be completed
in order for the application to be considered complete.
Prerequisite Courses (45 Points Possible)
The following courses are used to rank candidates and are worth up to 45 total possible
points in the application scoring system.
PTA Prerequisite Courses Block 1 (Minimum 2.5 Grade Required): 25 Points Possible
Applicants must complete each course with a minimum 2.5 grade or higher to qualify
for admission.
*Science courses must be completed within 10 years to qualify for admission.
**Introduction to Public Speaking is strongly recommended for success in the program.
Applicants who have BIOL&241 in progress at the time of application are not eligible
for conditional admission and will only be considered when the course is complete.
PTA Prerequisite Courses Block 2 (Minimum 2.0 Grade Required): 20 Points Possible
Applicants must complete each of the following courses with a minimum 2.0 Grade or
higher to qualify for admission.
Optional BIOL&242 Completion (10 Points Possible)
Students who complete BIOL&242 Anatomy & Physiology 2 will earn up to 10 points for
their application. In order to qualify, applicants must complete BIOL&242 with at
least a 2.0 GPA or higher.
Completion of BIOL&242 is not required but is strongly recommended by the PTA Program
Faculty because it supports greater student success in PTA coursework. Science classes
must be completed within 10 years of the application deadline to qualify. If you have
questions about this, please email Selective Admission.Observation Hours (20 Points Possible)
If you have questions about Observation Hours, we recommend attending an Information
Session or emailing Selective Admission.
LASSI Assessment and Reflection (Complete/Incomplete)
The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) is a self-report assessment tool
that is designed to gather information about your study practices and attitudes to
help you and the program director understand your individual needs. After you complete
the assessment, reflect on and analyze your results from the LASSI assessment.
Purchase LASSI Online:
There is a $10 fee associated with the LASSI assessment. Please visit Advising for
more information about completing the assessment.
LASSI Reflection Essay:
Write and submit a 1-2 page reflection that includes your responses to the following prompts:
Applicants are scored on a Complete/Incomplete basis. Both your assessment results and reflection must be uploaded into the application for your application to be considered complete.Additional Program Requirements:
Accepted applicants may be subject to additional requirements for clinical compliance
purposes. The following information is intended to give accepted applicants an overview
of some of the key requirements for the PTA program. PTA program faculty will provide
thorough instructions and details during program orientations and coursework.
National Criminal Background Check
Before beginning clinical coursework or other clinical activities, all ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø PTA
students will be required to complete a background check to meet contract requirements
with community clinical sites.
Fees for background checks vary. If a criminal background check for a student contains
any flagged items, clinical facilities may deny access to that student. While entrance
to the PTA Program may not be denied because of background check findings, without
access to the clinical facilities, such a student would not be able to satisfactorily
complete the PTA program and will be so advised.
After graduation from the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø PTA program, licensure as a PTA in the state of Washington
requires a background check. The Washington State Department of Health has the ability
to deny PTA licensure based upon criminal history. More information can be found through
the
Documentation for Clinical Affiliation Participation
Additional documentation may be required for enrolled PTA program students to participate
in off-campus community-based clinical affiliations required for completion of the
PTA program.
Documentation for clinical work may include but is not limited to:
National Board Exam for PTA Licensing
To work as a Physical Therapist Assistant in Washington State and other states throughout
the United States, graduates of a PTA program must pass National Physical Therapy
Exam (NPTE) from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and apply
for state licensure. The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø AAS PTA program has coursework which provides opportunities
for students to study and prepare for the NPTE. Graduates of the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø PTA program
are eligible to take the NPTE for PTAs.Required Immunizations:
Students enrolled in the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø PTA program are required to provide current proof
of immunization prior to participating in any clinical education experience. Immunizations
are required to ensure patient safety and are based on the policies of contracted
clinical sites. Clinical agencies may deny placement if a student is unable to meet
the immunization standards. Students who are unable to meet the clinical requirements
for the program may be prevented from continuing or graduating from the PTA program.
Immunization requirements may include:
Science Course Time Limits
All Science classes must be completed within 10 years of the application deadline. Please email Selective Admissions if you have questions about this rule.
Program Catalog Page:
Check out the Physical Therapist Assistant AAS for a preview of the program's courses!
Preparing for Success
Physical Therapist Assistant is a demanding and highly rewarding profession. To best prepare you for this reality, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø's PTA program pairs rigorous academics with hands-on learning in both clinical site placements and a state-of-the-art lab. Even the prerequisite courses can be quite demanding. ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø highly recommends that you take full advantage of services offered to students so you can be the best possible applicant for PTA.
Advising
Our highly-skilled and qualified Advisors (also called Student Success Navigators) can help you build an individualized plan to complete all PTA requirements in a reasonable time frame and with the greatest chance for success! You can find information on Advising and connect with an Advisor here: ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø.edu/Advising
The Learning Lab
The Learning Lab is a drop-in tutoring center that supports all ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø students with subjects like math, English, science, and even the TEAS test. Get support from certified tutors, faculty, and staff with this free resource!
Community Resources
Here at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø, we try to prioritize helping you succeed as much as we can. You can find a list of community resources to help with housing or food insecurity, emergency financial aid, and even childcare on our Community Resources page.
TRIO
The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø TRIO program provides individualized advising, tutoring, and other support serves. This program is available to students who are first-generation college students, students with disabilities, or low-income students. Check out the TRIO page to see if you might qualify!
Estimated Program Costs
The Physical Therapist Assistant AAS program costs an approximate total of $17,570. You can use grants, loans, scholarships, or other types of funding to help with this cost. We recommend applying for FAFSA or WASFA. Please contact Financial Aid if you need support applying for aid. If you need additional funding or do not qualify for traditional financial aid, you can also explore our Scholarship options, or apply for Workforce Support Services and Funding.
Mission, Philosophy, & Goals
Mission
The mission of the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Physical Therapist Assistant program is to prepare students to enter the healthcare workforce as entry-level physical therapist assistants who are competent to assist the physical therapist in the provision of safe, ethical and effective physical therapy. The program aims to provide students with high quality didactic and clinical education in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills of physical therapy as well as tools for lifelong learning to maintain industry competitiveness.
Philosophy
The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Physical Therapist Assistant program believes the function of the physical therapist assistant is to assist the physical therapist in the provision of safe and effective physical therapy to help people restore and improve motion for greater quality of life. It is the philosophy of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø to foster the acquisition of physical therapist assistant skills in a safe learning environment that supports communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, and to promote culturally sensitive, ethical, and compassionate care in the physical therapy workplace.
Goals
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Graduates of the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Physical Therapist Assistant program will possess the skills necessary to perform safe, effective, and ethical entry-level physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist.³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
Graduates of the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Physical Therapist Assistant program will be prepared to obtain an entry-level position as a physical therapist assistant.³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
Graduates of the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Physical Therapist Assistant program will be prepared to engage in lifelong learning and career development as a physical therapist assistant in order to maintain industry competitiveness.Accreditation
The Physical Therapist Assistant program at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) at the associate degree level and at the baccalaureate level. For more information on CAPTE Accreditation, please visit the main PTA webpage.
³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Policies
Listed below are important ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø policies. Please review them before applying to the Physical Therapist AAS program.
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In signing and submitting the application, you will be certifying that to the best of your knowledge the statements made are complete and true. This means that failure to disclose and submit official transcripts from all schools, colleges, or universities attended and failure to disclose and submit complete and accurate information may result in the denial of admission or subsequent dismissal from Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Your application will be considered incomplete without the required signatures.
Once your online application is completed, make sure to click the "Review Application" button. Make sure everything looks correct, then click "Verify and Submit," enter your name as your signature, and click "Submit". In the application portal, your application must show 100% complete. If it does not say 100% complete, it will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Your application may still be considered incomplete without all required documentation or checklist items. All checklist items must be complete for your application to be reviewed and considered for admission.
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Students are allowed to participate only in clinical affiliations with which Lake Washington Institute of Technology has a signed agreement. Clinical affiliation experiences for the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Physical Therapist Assistant Program are generally located in clinics and facilities throughout the Puget Sound region in King and Snohomish County. Some experiences beyond this region may be available. Students are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from all clinical affiliations. When affiliations occur in the program, they are full-time (40hrs/week) with the schedule set by the supervising clinical instructor.³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity in education regardless of race or ethnicity, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in accordance with college policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations.³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
To comply with federal laws, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is required to ask for your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). We will use your SSN/ITIN to report Hope Scholarship/Lifetime tax credit, to administer state/federal financial aid, to verify enrollment, degree and academic transcript records, and to conduct institutional research. If you do not submit your SSN/ITIN, you will not be denied access to the college; however, you may be subject to civil penalties (refer to Internal Revenue Service Treasury Regulation 1.6050S-1(e) (4) for more information). Pursuant to state law (RCW 28B.10.042) and federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), the college will protect your SSN from unauthorized use and/or disclosure.³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø reserves the right to rescind a student's offer of admission wherever:
- the student's final academic record has lowered significantly,
- the student's application materials are found to contain misrepresentations,
- misconduct occurs or is brought to the attention of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø after an offer of admission is made, or
- an error led to the offer of admission.
The determination to revisit an application and rescind an offer of admission based upon the above factors rests solely with the Enrollment Services Office. Appeals are heard by the Vice President of Student Services.
Students who disagree with selective admission decisions should follow the grievances and appeals procedures as published online.