ACAPT Members,

At our 2018 business meeting, AC4-18 That ACAPT promotes the Alternate Approval Process developed by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy to ease the administrative burden of various stakeholders during the initial processes of students entering the physical therapy community was passed.  I wanted to share with you information about this program and encourage you to enter dialogue with your jurisdiction licensing agency to determine if you can participate in this process or not.  I am in Texas and we were an early participant in this program, and I have found it to be an easy opportunity to expedite licensure for our grads.  If you have any questions, you can always call the staff at FSBPT.  

Best wishes for a great spring season (if we can finish winter in some places)!  

Alternate Approval Pathway (AAP) for ACAPT

In 2017, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) implemented a new way for graduates from CAPTE-accredited programs to be made eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). The American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) encourages all eligible* states to opt into the Alternate Approval Pathway (AAP) to reduce the length of time it takes for graduates of CAPTE-accredited programs to schedule their NPTE.

Under AAP, if an applicant from a CAPTE-accredited school meets all NPTE eligibility requirements, eligibility for the NPTE would happen automatically and the candidate would receive the authorization to test (ATT) information the next business day. 

Once an applicant is made eligible for the NPTE through AAP, the rest of the licensure application process remains the same: the individual must submit an application for licensure to the appropriate state board; the board reviews the application, including the program completion documentation from the school; and the board issues the license if all other state licensure requirements have been met.  

ACAPT believes that AAP will improve the process for our graduating students by letting them obtain NPTE eligibility and schedule their NPTE test dates faster than the current process and would encourage you to reach out to your state to see if they are interested or able to pursue AAP with FSBPT.