Physiotherapy

We recommend you begin your OzTREKK application about a year before your program would start. Most programs in Australia start between January and March, so that means you would start your OzTREKK application between January and March the year prior.

Here’s how the typical “cycle” works if your program starts January – March:

March – May: You gather all required documents like passport photo page, transcripts, résumé, personal statement, and send them to our office. Don’t worry, we’ll tell you exactly what we need!

June – August: Interviews (if your program requires one)

September – December: Offer time! If you get an offer, we’ll walk you through the acceptance (or decline) process and give you all the help you need to get ready to go.

January – March: Time to head Down Under!

Yes, but you’ll require parental or guardian consent (signature). OzTREKK will provide the necessary documentation for this signature.

If you won’t be 18 when your program starts, you’ll be required to show that you’ll be living with an approved guardian until you turn 18. If you don’t have an approved guardian in Australia, you may need a family member to apply for a guardian visa to accompany you. This guardian visa should be obtained as part of the student visa application

Scholarship options in Australia are usually limited for international students as they tend to be reserved for those undertaking postgraduate research degrees; however, we can advise you where to look and whether specific programs have a history of offering scholarships.

Occasionally, scholarships are granted to high achievers—those with very high marks. In previous years, we have seen $5000- to $10,000-scholarships given to OzTREKK students.

Check out OzTREKK’s Financing page to learn more about scholarships and paying for your degree.

Rolling admissions means the university assesses applications as they are received, or on a “first come, first served” basis. As soon as they’ve met the quota and the program is filled, they close the applications. So, for a program that has rolling admissions, the earlier you apply the better!

For a transcript to be considered “official,” it must be sent directly from your high school, college, and/or university (either via snail mail or by email). It can even come from you—as long as it arrives in the original, sealed envelope.

To assess your application, universities must see your official transcripts certified by OzTREKK—a requirement of Australian and New Zealand universities and a part of our agreement with them.

By email (preferred method): Your high school, college and/or university can email them to transcripts@oztrekk.com or they can use an official transcript service, like Parchment or MyCreds. When submitting a request for a digital transcript and a password is required, please use OZTREKK1 (all capitals, no spaces). If you have a character limit or need to set an access pin, please use 1234.

By mail (only if unable to send via email): Please order your transcripts to be sent directly to our office from all institutions where you have studied since high school, including any college studies, exchanges, transfer credits, and/or advanced placement (or IB) studies. Please note, some programs also require high school transcripts; if this is the case, your student advisor will let you know.

Send your documents via FedEx or Purolator, especially when you need your documents to arrive at our office ASAP. If you use Canada Post’s courier Xpresspost, please don’t request a signature, as this can add delays.

OzTREKK
301–1 Sherbrooke Street East
Perth, ON K7H 1A1 Canada

As soon as your transcript arrives, we’ll let you know!

To begin the process of certification, the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) requires that the applicant show evidence of having completed 1,025 hours of supervised clinical education with at least 100 of these hours in musculoskeletal, 100 in neurological, and 40 in cardiorespiratory conditions.

As long as you graduate from one of the Australian university programs that OzTREKK features, it is expected that you will fulfill your 1025 clinical hours as they are worked into the program; however, we still encourage all students to keep track of their hours because it is ultimately your responsibility to record and report.

A good start would be to speak with your faculty advisor to inquire about clinical hours; they will have resources to help you. For more information, please visit our Practicing physiotherapy in Canada page.

The process can take up to two years as the timing of the exams can make the process very protracted; however, you are permitted to work under supervision between the written and clinical portions of the PCE exam. Get more information about the process on our Practicing physiotherapy in Canada page.

If your documents are not in English, you must provide full translation of each document, either prepared by your university or by a registered translator. You must not translate the documents yourself.

Please note OzTREKK must receive the official translation directly from the university or translator in order to certify the document. Please read How Do I Send My Transcripts for more information.

You are encouraged to contact the regulators directly so you’re 100% clear on the accreditation process. You can contact the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) or your provincial authority with any detailed accreditation questions.

All the physiotherapy programs OzTREKK features are accredited in Australia, so you could practice immediately in Australia, or return to Canada as many students do. The process to stay in Australia is very simple.

To practice as a PT Canada, you must first complete a course called “The Context of Physiotherapy in Canada,” offered at several universities in Canada, including the University of Toronto, which has an online course that you can complete before leaving Australia.

Once you complete the course, your next step is to apply to the Alliance (CAPR)  to have them assess your qualifications based on two criteria: education (degree at an accredited university) and supervised clinical hours (minimum of 1,025). There are five criteria, but the other ones are less complex: identification, English language, and your understanding of the practice in Canada (the course mentioned).

After Alliance successfully assesses your credentials, you would need to complete the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE) like any other physiotherapy graduate in Canada prior to provincial registration.

Learn more about the process on our Practicing physiotherapy in Canada page.

For graduate-entry physio programs (master or doctor), anything above a 3.1/4.0 cGPA is considered competitive for most of our physiotherapy programs. If you have a cGPA lower than 2.7/4.0, we don’t recommend applying. Visit our Eligibility page for competitive stats based on previous applications.

For undergraduate-entry physio programs, eligible candidates have a high school diploma with an overall average of approximately 85% – 95%, with studies in math, science, and English but this may vary by university. Entry is competitive and meeting minimum GPA requirements does not guarantee entry. Candidates with more than 1 year of full-time university degree studies will be assessed based on university cGPA.