3 answers
Sara
Student
L'Île-Perrot, QC
6
Questions
Asked
519 views
What school's would you recomend are good ones if i want to go study in the direction of Athletic therapie?
Like not only in Canada, but like from all around the world. (preferably school's that are English or French). Like give me a top 10 of best schools and tell me also if they're like hard to get into please.
Login to comment
3 answers
Eesha Srivatsavaya
Consulting
6
Answers
McLean, Virginia
Updated
Eesha’s Answer
Any school that has strong sports teams will typically have good programs for such things!
Thanks for the answer
Sara
Suraayah Hunter
Independent Consultant
18
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Suraayah’s Answer
Sara, athletic therapy is one of those fields that pulls you in because it sits right where movement, recovery, and human potential meet—and the way you’re already looking beyond Canada tells me you’re someone who wants a future that feels bigger than the place you started. That curiosity is exactly what this field thrives on. Before you choose a school, it helps to understand how athletic therapy works around the world. Canada prepares Certified Athletic Therapists (CAT), the United States prepares Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC), the United Kingdom and Australia build their pathway through Sports Rehabilitation or Physiotherapy, and France develops its training through Kinésithérapie du Sport. This isn’t just background information; it’s the map of your future. The credential you choose shapes where you can work, how easily you can move between countries, and which programs will actually prepare you for the kind of career you imagine for yourself.
Because you’re open to studying in English or French, your options expand in a way most students never get to experience. You can look at programs in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia without having to limit yourself. Schools like Concordia University, Université de Montréal, Université Laval, University of Calgary, York University, University of Manitoba, Loughborough University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, and University of Queensland stand out because they don’t just teach athletic therapy—they put you inside it. These are places where you’re on the sidelines of varsity games, inside rehabilitation clinics, in performance labs, and sometimes even around professional teams. When you picture yourself in those environments, notice what sparks something in you: the adrenaline of sideline coverage, the focus of clinical rehab, the science of performance labs, or the creativity of supporting dancers and gymnasts. The right program will feel like a place where your energy fits.
As you explore your options, pay attention to the pieces that shape your long‑term mobility: the language of instruction, the cost, the scholarships, the clinical hours, the internship guarantees, and whether the credential allows you to work internationally. Athletic therapy is a field built on real experience, and the “how” begins now. You can start building your foundation by shadowing athletic therapists or physiotherapists, volunteering with local sports teams, helping with taping or first‑aid support, working at summer sports camps, or staying involved in sports like soccer, hockey, dance, cheer, gymnastics, or track. Every hour you spend in those environments teaches you something about injuries, movement, pressure, and the kind of work that feels natural to you. It also shows schools that you’re serious, committed, and already developing the instincts they want their students to have.
There’s strong financial support available through the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), provincial scholarships, university entrance awards, Sport Canada, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) in the United States, Erasmus+ in Europe, and French government programs. And as you look at schools, pay attention to mentorship opportunities, co‑ops, research labs, varsity placements, and partnerships with professional sports organizations. These are the experiences that shape your confidence, your skill set, and your career direction. With your willingness to explore programs around the world and your openness to studying in either English or French, you’re already ahead of most students entering this field. Every step you take from here will help you understand not just where you can go, but where you belong—and athletic therapy is a field that rewards people who show up with curiosity, commitment, and heart.
- Dr. Hunter
1. Select your credential lane — Certified Athletic Therapist (CAT), Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), Physiotherapy, or Kinésithérapie du Sport — to determine your country and certification pathway.
2. Choose your language lane — English, French, or both — to narrow your program list.
3. Build clinical exposure immediately through shadowing, volunteering, taping, first aid, and sports camps.
4. Evaluate programs by clinical hours and sports partnerships, not rankings, to ensure strong hands‑on training.
5. Apply for scholarships early — Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), provincial awards, Erasmus+, and French government funding — and create a shortlist of three to five schools aligned with your goals.
Because you’re open to studying in English or French, your options expand in a way most students never get to experience. You can look at programs in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia without having to limit yourself. Schools like Concordia University, Université de Montréal, Université Laval, University of Calgary, York University, University of Manitoba, Loughborough University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, and University of Queensland stand out because they don’t just teach athletic therapy—they put you inside it. These are places where you’re on the sidelines of varsity games, inside rehabilitation clinics, in performance labs, and sometimes even around professional teams. When you picture yourself in those environments, notice what sparks something in you: the adrenaline of sideline coverage, the focus of clinical rehab, the science of performance labs, or the creativity of supporting dancers and gymnasts. The right program will feel like a place where your energy fits.
As you explore your options, pay attention to the pieces that shape your long‑term mobility: the language of instruction, the cost, the scholarships, the clinical hours, the internship guarantees, and whether the credential allows you to work internationally. Athletic therapy is a field built on real experience, and the “how” begins now. You can start building your foundation by shadowing athletic therapists or physiotherapists, volunteering with local sports teams, helping with taping or first‑aid support, working at summer sports camps, or staying involved in sports like soccer, hockey, dance, cheer, gymnastics, or track. Every hour you spend in those environments teaches you something about injuries, movement, pressure, and the kind of work that feels natural to you. It also shows schools that you’re serious, committed, and already developing the instincts they want their students to have.
There’s strong financial support available through the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), provincial scholarships, university entrance awards, Sport Canada, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) in the United States, Erasmus+ in Europe, and French government programs. And as you look at schools, pay attention to mentorship opportunities, co‑ops, research labs, varsity placements, and partnerships with professional sports organizations. These are the experiences that shape your confidence, your skill set, and your career direction. With your willingness to explore programs around the world and your openness to studying in either English or French, you’re already ahead of most students entering this field. Every step you take from here will help you understand not just where you can go, but where you belong—and athletic therapy is a field that rewards people who show up with curiosity, commitment, and heart.
- Dr. Hunter
Suraayah recommends the following next steps:
Ken McCaslin
Director, Healthcare Interoperability
5
Answers
Bonita Springs, Florida
Updated
Ken’s Answer
This is a difficult question. I recommend you go to a rehab facility that specializes in athletes and see if you can meet some of the therapists. They will know the best colleges for their profession.