General Application Information

The application cycle for the summer 2026 cohort will begin in the fall of 2025, with the deadline of January 15th, 2026.

Any questions regarding application cycles should be sent to Dr. Terranova at abterran@uncg.edu.

Following a review of applications, qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an on-campus interview at their own expense. Interviews may occur virtually in certain circumstances (e.g., international applicants).

Early decision: Applicants may apply early in the fall semester. This allows applicants to submit materials and complete the application process before the new year. Deadline is November 1, 2025.

Applicants wishing to apply for an early decision must meet the following criteria:

1. GPA: 3.5 or higher
2. Completion of at least 100 observation hours
3. Completion of all but 2 prerequisite courses

Early decision applicants should plan on an interview as early as the week before Thanksgiving, with an official decision on acceptance shortly thereafter.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the admission requirements set forth by The Graduate School, applicants to the M.S.A.T. degree program must also meet additional requirements to be considered for admission. The following requirements are mandatory for admission eligibility and consideration and must be verifiable during the application process:

1. Completion of a Baccalaureate degree program from a nationally recognized, accredited University.
2. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in previous college and university coursework.
3. Satisfactory completion (C or better) of the following prerequisite coursework:
   • Human Anatomy (lecture and lab)
   • Human Physiology (lecture and lab)
   • Biology
   • Chemistry
   • Physics
   • Psychology
   • Exercise Physiology
   • Nutrition
4. Completion of a minimum of 100 clinical hours under the direct supervision of an athletic trainer (AT). Verification can occur in 2 ways:
   • Recommender: If the recommender you are using for this application also supervised your observation hours, they can verify those hours when they complete their reference for you.
   • Application portal: If you obtained hours from a non-recommender, you can indicate that in your application under “Supplemental Documents.”
5. Please note that hours obtained under the supervision of a Physical Therapist do NOT count unless the individual is credentialed as an ATC/PT.
6. International students who do not have access to a certified AT in their home country are encouraged to move to the United States and complete their hours before applying to the program.

Admission Criteria

Application to the AT program is highly competitive.  We review the credentials of each applicant, and the final selection is based on many factors. No single admission criterion has a decisive influence on the applicant’s acceptability. Admission is NOT guaranteed simply upon satisfactory completion of all program prerequisites. The number of students admitted into the program varies from year to year, with the number of students selected ranging from 10-12 annually.

Notification of Admission

Applicants are notified by UNCG regarding their admission. If offered admission, applicants must select their intent to enroll or not enroll. In addition, the AT Program Director will send out information and congratulations to all accepted applicants. 

If the application is rejected, the student has the opportunity to reapply the following year.

**PLEASE NOTE: The Graduate School reserves the right to reject the committee’s recommendation and/or require additional information from the student.

POST-ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The following documentation/certifications must be current and on file with the AT Program Director prior to beginning clinical rotations in the fall semester. Many of these will be completed during the summer session. The exception to this will most likely be the immunization record. 

1. A completed Student Medical/Immunization Form (PDF) to show evidence of all immunizations required by UNCG. Students who have not completed at least the first 2 shots of the HBV series will NOT be permitted to engage in clinical rotations.
2. Evidence of current liability insurance coverage through the University’s Student Insurance Policy for Allied Health and Medical Field Work or equivalent personal policy.
3. Front and back copies of current First Aid and CPR Certifications (including Adult, Child, Infant CPR, Two-person CPR, bag-valve-mask, and AED.

Students are responsible for all costs associated with their own health care, and when for obtaining immunizations and health certifications.