How to become a Physiotherapist

Official title: Physiotherapists

Also called: Physiotherapist, Community physiotherapist, Paediatric physiotherapist, Specialist physiotherapist, Veterinary physiotherapist, Superintendent physiotherapist, Electro-therapist, Electro-therapeutist, Physiotherapy practitioner

Physiotherapists plan and apply massage, promote and encourage movement and exercise, use hydrotherapy, electro-therapy and other technological equipment in the treatment of a wide range of injuries, diseases and disabilities in order to assist rehabilitation by developing and restoring body systems.

Main tasks

• Examines medical reports and assesses patient to determine the condition of muscles, nerves or joints in need of treatment
• Writes up patients’ case notes and reports, maintains their records and manages caseload
• Plans and undertakes therapy to improve circulation, restore joint mobility, strengthen muscles and reduce pain
• Explains treatment to and instructs patient in posture and other exercises and adapts treatment as necessary
• Offers advice and education on how to avoid injury and promote patient’s future health and well-being
• Supervises physiotherapy assistants
• Monitors patient’s progress and liaises with others concerned with the treatment and rehabilitation of patient, and refers patients requiring other specific medical attention

How to become one

Entry is most common with GCSEs/S grades and A levels/H grades followed by up to four years training on an approved degree scheme necessary for state registration as a physiotherapist. Some science and other graduates are eligible for accelerated two year pre-registration MSc degree programmes in Physiotherapy or Rehabilitation Science. Relevant apprenticeships are available.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Physiotherapist (level 6). England. Typically 48 months. Skills England standard ST0519.
• University: Allied Health degrees, Offered by 17 universities in the UK

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £43,532 a year The middle half earn £35,953 to £50,694.
• About 67,700 people work in this job now, and about 74,200 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)

Related jobs

• Occupational therapists
• Speech and language therapists
• Psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists
• Clinical psychologists
• Other psychologists

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Physiotherapist?

Entry is most common with GCSEs/S grades and A levels/H grades followed by up to four years training on an approved degree scheme necessary for state registration as a physiotherapist. Some science and other graduates are eligible for accelerated two year pre-registration MSc degree programmes in Physiotherapy or Rehabilitation Science. Relevant apprenticeships are available.

How much does a Physiotherapist earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £43,532 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £35,953 to £50,694.

Is a Physiotherapist a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 67,700 to about 74,200 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a Physiotherapist?

Usually. 96% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.