Education · 1 of 5

The path

A bachelor's degree, then a 2-year professional master's.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Biology, chemistry, physics, math. You need high marks for the whole path.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Kinesiology, health science or biology are common. Programs look at your GPA in the last 2 years and want it high, usually 3.7 or better on a 4.0 scale.

3. 3

   MScPT (master of science in physiotherapy)

   2 years

   Two intense years with 1,000 or more hours of clinical placements across hospitals, private clinics and community care. Only about 15 programs in Canada.

4. 4

   CPTE (Canadian Physiotherapy Examination)

   After graduation

   Since 2026 there is one national exam, run by CAPR (the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators). It has a written section and an oral, scenario-based section with a single pass mark. It replaced the old PCE (physiotherapy competency exam) and the separate provincial clinical exams.

5. 5

   Register with your provincial college

   A few weeks

   For example the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. Then you can use the title physiotherapist.