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Admissions

Admission requirements to the Doctor of Chiropractic program are similar to other rigorous training programs for health professionals such as medical or physical therapy school.

Beyond academic achievement, prospective students are encouraged to showcase experiences outside the classroom that demonstrate their suitability for this program. These experiences should highlight characteristics such as a desire to help others, strong social skills, cultural competence, effective teamwork, clear oral communication, ethical responsibility, reliability, adaptability and a commitment to continuous improvement and lifelong learning.

The admissions committee will use a holistic approach and will look at applicants’ previous coursework for a broad mix of sciences and humanities. The admissions committee will also evaluate applicants' grades, essays, letters of recommendation and extracurricular activities to select students who are well prepared for a science-based program and that possess a strong desire to become an integral part of the future of health care.

The application is open in GradCAS.

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Admission Requirements 

  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
  • Minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale).
  • Meet the technical standards.
  • Upon acceptance students must meet the SHRS Clinical Participation Requirements.
  • Verification of English Language Proficiency. Verification is required unless the following apply: 
    • the applicant is a citizen of a country whose official language is English,
    • the applicant has completed a degree program at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., or 
    • the applicant is not a citizen of a country whose official language is English but has completed a degree program at an institution outside of the U.S. where the language of instruction is English and where the official national language of the country in which the institution is located is English.

Admission to this program is highly competitive and applicants are strongly encouraged to have a robust background in the life sciences.

Recommended coursework includes:

  • Biology, 3 credits 
  • Physics, 3 credits 
  • Inorganic/general chemistry, 3 credits 
  • Organic Chemistry, 3 credits 
  • Additional physical and life science courses/labs, 12 credits 
    • Examples of Physical and Life Sciences
      • Anatomy & Physiology
      • Biochemistry
      • Biological Sciences
      • Biomechanics/Kinesiology
      • Botany
      • Ecology
      • Embryology
      • Exercise Physiology/Science
      • Genetics
      • Immunology
      • Microbiology
      • Nutrition
      • Pharmacology
      • Physical Sciences
      • Psychology
      • Statistics

Application Requirements 

The 2025-2026 Application cycle will open on August 1, 2024. The final deadline for application submission is February 1, 2025.

  • All applicants must complete the application in GradCAS which includes the following requirements:
    • Two (2) letters of recommendation.
      • One letter from an academic reference – a professor/instructor from a course(s) for which the applicant was enrolled. It is encouraged that the the academic course be from a recommended course for the DC program OR a course associated with the student’s major area of study.
      • The second letter should come from a healthcare professional who can speak to the applicant’s potential success in a rigorous healthcare academic program.
      • Letters of recommendation should include insights regarding the applicant’s potential for successfully navigating a graduate-level professional degree program and provide specific examples of observed characteristics supporting such insights.
    • A personal essay that describes how your lived experiences have inspired your interest in health care, and specifically why you have chosen chiropractic.
      • Essays should be no longer than 500 words in length and double-spaced.
      • The ideal essay will reveal your personality, ethics, creativity, and describe how your life experiences would promote cultural humility in the profession.
    • A resumé.
    • Upload unofficial transcripts from all U.S. institutions attended in the Academic History section of CAS.  
    • Upload a course-by-course evaluation with GPA conversion for all higher institutions you have attended outside the U.S. in the Academic History section of CAS. The evaluation may be from World Education Services (WES), Inc. or Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). 
    • If applicable, request official English Language Proficiency test scores from one of the following options. Minimum scores accepted follow: 
      • Duolingo English Test: 130. Scores should be made available electronically to “University of Pittsburgh – School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.”  
      • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 7.0. Scores should be made available electronically to “University of Pittsburgh Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.”  
      • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): 100. Scores should be submitted electronically through ETS to institution code "2927." 
      • Unofficial scores may be provided via GradCAS (in addition to the official scores required)in the Academic History section of CAS. Unofficial Duolingo score reports can be uploaded under Documents in Program Materials (in addition to the official scores required).

All completed applications will be reviewed by members of the Doctor of Chiropractic program admissions committee. Personal interviews will be required of the top applicants and will be conducted by videoconference.

Please note that admission to the program is competitive. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee admission. Admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.