otcas personal statement length 2021

Write an Awesome Personal Statement for OT School

So you want to be an occupational therapist, but you still have to jump through the many hoops of applying for grad programs. One mandatory part of the process is writing a great personal statement specifically for occupational therapy school, which can be pretty intimidating when it’s time to put pen to paper.

Well, I’m here to help!

I personally spent quite a bit of time crafting the best possible personal statement I could for OT school, and have since read and edited many, many personal statements from pre-OT applicants. (Want me to edit yours? Sign up here !)

These are my top tips for you to craft a great occupational therapy personal statement that will help you stand out from the large crowd of pre-OT applicants. 

First, the Do’s and Dont’s of Statement Writing

• Do start early: Give yourself enough time to brainstorm, write, and revise your personal statement well before the deadline. This will really reduce your feelings of stress and being rushed.
• Do show sincerity in your writing. It’s encouraged to let your positive emotions and enthusiasm shine through. 
• Do talk about why you want to be an occupational therapist. You want the programs to see that you are serious about this decision. You are not just applying because you can’t think of anything else to do for a career.
• Do in one way or another demonstrate through your writing that you know what OT is and why it’s important.
• Do showcase why you’ll make a great addition to their program, adding unique qualities that will differentiate you from the other applicants. 
• Do talk about your shadowing experience, volunteering and work experience that is relevant to the field of OT. Make sure you keep patient information confidential if you discuss certain cases you observed.
• Do feel free to use the language of OT if you know it and are familiar with it (i.e. interventions, treatments, occupations, goals, evidence-based, functional treatments, etc.)
• Do tie your personal statement together. If you make several different points, try to piece them together for the reader to show that you’ve really thought through the big picture.
• Do have at least two people (but the more the better) read and proofread the final draft of your statement. Ask friends, family members, and someone at your school’s writing center. This can help spark ideas and ensure your application is completely free of typos or grammatical errors. The last thing you want is admissions to immediately notice any glaring spelling mistakes that you may have missed.
• Do keep the length to 1-2 pages max. You want it to be short and sweet. If any sentence or paragraph looks unnecessary after you do a final read-through, get rid of it. As a general rule, personal statements run on average 600-800 words.

Don’t…

• Don’t start your essay with clichés. In fact, leave them out of your statement altogether. An example of this is “I’ve always wanted to help people” (they see this all the time).
• Don’t plagiarize. There are a lot of personal statement examples on the internet that you can absolutely use to guide your writing process. Do not use them word for word. Programs can find out and will exclude your application.  U se the examples as templates of what kind of content you’ll cover in your statement.
• Don’t try to be humorous in your personal statement. Even if you’re hilarious, this is not the time to show this. 
• Don’t just talk about your childhood. Focus on college and post college achievements unless something in your childhood or adolescence is what drove you to a career in occupational therapy. Remember that this isn’t an autobiography, it’s a statement on why you’ll be a great OT.
• Don’t guess what you think the reader wants you to say. Be honest and don’t write in a way that is out of line with who you really are. Don’t just write something to try to impress people.
• Don’t be a downer. Avoid going into detail about your dislikes, negative views, or problems in your life. If you have a low GPA or lack of experience, don’t mention it unless you can put a positive spin on it. Listing excuses for your low GPA or GRE score isn’t a good idea either, unless you really feel the need to tie in why your GPA is lower but how you’ll be an awesome therapist despite this.
• Don’t mention specific programs in your statement if you’re using OTCAS . It will be sent to every school you apply to and therefore won’t make sense. If you apply to an individual school (not on OTCAS) then absolutely mention the school and why you’re passionate about their program.

Check out the How Get Into OT School Guide! It’s the most comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know.

Ask yourself this question:.

A bonus tip I found while perusing the Student Doctor Network Forums while researching this topic, which is to ask yourself this question:

“Can you replace your personal statement with a degree other than OT?  If not, it’s solid. If you can, then try to revise to make it only relevant to OT.”

And that’s a wrap!

If you have any other tips or tricks you’ve discovered while writing your personal statement for OT school, please feel free to add them in the comments section. I wish you the best of luck with your statement writing and your overall OT school application process!

Be sure to check out these other helpful resources:

Writing the Personal Statement (Purdue OWL)

Start Your Grad School Personal Statement in Just 1 Hour! (The Muse)

Writing a Personal Statement (Emory Pre-Health Advising)

5 Big Mistakes I Made When Applying to OT School (My OT Spot)

This post was last updated on May 12, 2023.

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As I’m working on my application essay this week, your article is very helpful! Thank you.

I’m so glad it was helpful for you 🙂 Best of luck with your applications!

Thank you for this article! I just wanted to know, do you offer services proof reading other people’s personal statements? That would be really helpful for me!

Hi May, I do offer personal statement reviewing that you can set up here . Instead of the traditional coaching call that’s linked, it will instead entail personal statement edits and feedback via email 🙂

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Privacy Overview

Complete Personal Statement Guide for Pre-OT Occupational Therapy School Programs

Introduction.

This detailed guide will provide you with tips, do’s, don’ts, examples, and other helpful things along the way to write your personal statement for OT school.

You may be thinking:

• Where do I even start with writing a personal statement?
• Maybe I can look for some more examples online.
• My story does not seem as exciting as these examples.
• These examples don’t really relate to me.
• I don’t like the writing style or “feeling” that these examples give me.
• How do I even go about this?

Or maybe you didn’t have any of these thoughts and you are just looking for some extra tips to polish up your personal statement before you send it to the world. This guide will still help!

While this guide was written with Pre-OT’s for occupational therapy personal statements in mind, it of course can apply to other professions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, PA, RN, even undergraduate programs.

I am not part of any admissions committee or affiliated with them in any way. However, as a graduate of an occupational therapy program, I also read and edited many other personal statements for friends and family. This guide is not a guarantee that you will get accepted or a guarantee that you will produce the best personal statement. This is just my opinion and unfortunately, the writing is all up to you!

Fortunately, you already have the hard part done – building your education, experiences, personal character, and goals!

Not quite there yet, that’s okay too – this guide will give you a preview of how to prepare to write your personal statement.

The Process

The process of writing a personal statement may involve something like:

Reflecting, getting something typed on the screen, getting writer’s block, getting distracted, taking a break, editing it, reflecting, typing some ideas, deleting those ideas, repeat, have it proofread, reading it out loud, reflecting, make more edits, and you’re done! While this sounds like a lot, it’s doable.

Set-up and Preparation

Start Early

When you feel like you are ready to write your personal statement, start writing! Don’t wait until the last minute to write. Personal statements require editing, giving it some time for your mind to clear to re-read, having it proofread by someone else, and making more edits.

Install Grammarly

We use Grammarly as a browser extension for its spellcheck and grammar check. It is really good at catching mistakes as you go and the free version is all you really need to get some basic editing done. This allows you to focus on the writing and not the spelling. Software like Grammarly also helps if you especially have a hard time with writing in general. While it can suggest edits for errors, it is up to you to write the content.  AI is not quite there yet, but we are close!

Cheating & plagiarizing

I just have to say it. Don’t cheat or plagiarize. Don’t hire someone to write for you. I hear stories of students cheating here or there, so it must still be happening. Grad school is not the time to jeopardize all the hard work you put in.

Have a back-up system for your document

It would be a huge set-back to lose all your hard work. These days, you can easily use the cloud such as Dropbox or Google Drive/Docs for storing your files. This goes for your personal statement document as well as your graduate school application files such as notes, deadlines, resumes, etc. All it takes is a coffee spilled on your laptop for you to lose all your hard work (it happened to my classmate in OT school). Better yet, back up all your data that is important to you. Lectures, recordings, assignments.

Write in a place you feel productive

It doesn’t have to be a quiet library. It just has to be what works. If it’s a coffee shop, then go there. Write in a place you associate with positive work (but also don’t get distracted too easily, e.g. a cat cafe) – like to your favorite study area.

It’s okay if it doesn’t seem perfect or even good at first

After all, you are writing something like this probably for the first time, with a unique set of experiences for a specific intention of impressing the OT’s admissions panel. It can be difficult for artists to create art or music, or write a book in one session. So don’t stress it!

• Re-research the profession, job description, duties, etc. BLS.gov is my favorite go-to for profession research. We have a video on it here .
• Follow the personal statement prompt and instructions. Read it several times to make sure. If there is a word limit, don’t go over. Double-check before you submit.
• Pay attention to the file format that is requested from the programs. Word doc? PDF? Make sure your file actually opens after you upload it and is not corrupt, if possible. If you are uploading to a central application like OTCAS, make sure you meet those guidelines.
• Write in the same tense and person throughout (“I”, first-person is fine).
• Write in an order that makes sense and flows to the reader, e.g. chronologically.
• Write with a purpose. Each sentence should be there for a reason and not be filler. Exclude extra information or too specific of information that doesn’t contribute to your story.
• Example: Nowadays, I want to be an occupational therapist first and foremost because I want to help people and really make a difference in each of their lives.
• Better example: My goal is to become an occupational therapist who makes a difference in people’s lives.
• Warning : I wouldn’t you use this specific example in your personal statement because it’s probably been overused. Try to be creative by saying how you want to “help” people in  other ways .
• Be honest, try to copy an example’s voice, do not write over-the-top or fabricate the story.
• Be politically correct and culturally sensitive.
• My personal statement didn’t have big GRE words or fancy syntax. It told a great story that was (in my opinion) to the point, compelling, persuasive, and driven.
• Describe your values and goals while highlighting your strengths.
• In my opinion, it is best to talk about college, work, and other achievements and experiences in your “adulthood”.
• Even traveling experience (shows cultural awareness) as an adult is more noteworthy than say winning a basketball game in high school (less relevant to OT)
• Tip: think about when you first were motivated to become an OT and start from there, not earlier.
• Don’t use cliches or minimize them as much you can. Readers see this a lot and it does not make a big impact on their impression of you.
• Don’t use slang/informal speech, e.g. “sticking with it” -> perseverance.
• Don’t make jokes and be careful if you decide to use humor (what may be funny to you may not be to the reader). It’s safe to leave humor out and just get to the point.
• Avoid being sarcastic.
• Pay attention to your use of OT – it can be occupational therapy or occupational therapist, but personally, I get confused when people use “OT” interchangeably.
• In my final submitted personal statement, I only abbreviated “MSOT” and “EMT” and did not “OT” once.
• Example: I got accepted to shadow at [facility] and was observing observed patients do their rehab exercises.
• Pay attention to these verbs in sentences that run longer. Consider shortening them to make it less tiring to read, avoiding avoid run-on sentences. (see what I did there?)
• Don’t abbreviate or hyphenate too often or incorrectly . If you do it one way, be sure you are at least consistent throughout. e.g. evidence-based, not evidenced based.
• O ccupational therapist is capitalized like this correctly.
• However, an Occupational Therapist is not correct if capitalized like this.
• This is the correct capitalization for an occupational therapist.
• The same goes for the field of occupational therapy.
• O ccupational therapy is capitalized correctly in this sentence.
• Abbreviations are always capitalized, e.g. OT.
• Don’t write anything negative about anyone, organization, place, etc .
• Don’t write in a negative tone, be a “Debbie Downer”
• “OTs make a lot of money.”
• “I will be the best occupational therapist because…”
• “I am the best candidate because”
• “Since I am… , therefore”
• “Unlike others”, or
• “Other professions” talking down, avoid talking about other professions in general. No one profession is better than another, the same applies to OT. Think about why OT over other professions leading to your decision to become one).
• Think about how someone in another profession, say a PT would feel after reading your personal statement. They should not feel offended after reading your personal statement, but instead think, “wow, such and such would make a great OT.” Not that OT is better than PT, that kind of thing.
• When I become an occupational therapist. If I become an occupational therapist.
• Don’t repeat yourself, you only need to say something once in its context. Of course, the bigger message can be repeated, e.g. intro and conclusion. Just don’t sound repetitive.
• Don’t use the same phrases (especially close to each other), try using different words. That doesn’t mean you should just look up words in a thesaurus. Really think about what’s the point you are trying to make.
• Don’t use profanity.
• In everyday speech we say things like, “that’s crazy”. Someone with a mental illness who really is crazy could be offended. I had a teacher whose pet-peeve was people who said things were crazy . Remove crazy from your personal statement.
• “He probably was abused since he was in a recovery program/”
• I would avoid using “ normal” too. “Occupational therapists help patients get back to their normal.” This implies the patient was abnormal before. Better words: recover, improve, rehabilitate, strengthen, adapt, overcome, etc.
• Other labels: retarded, slow, crippled, mental, insane
• You can include a facility name, e.g. Standford hospital – as long as you don’t talk about it in a negative context.
• “Standford hospital treats a lot of poor patients.” Standford hospital is a valuable asset to the community for the underserved.
• Don’t include anything that can be seen as a weakness, e.g. low GPA, took a semester off, DUI, unexplained career changes.
• This is your chance to “say” what you want to say and include your story that is not apparent in the other pre-requisites. All the other candidates likely have high GPAs and had to take the same pre-requisite courses, but they did not shadow at your facility with your patient , so here’s your chance to distinguish yourself.
• What experience may be unique to you ?
• For example, I included my experience of being an EMT to make myself stand out.
• This could backfire and show your lack of research into how broad OT can be. Don’t forget about mental health too! OT’s study to be  generalists , not specialists.
• While it’s okay to want to work with a specific population as a goal, don’t accidentally make it sound like you think OT’s only do one thing. Hope this one makes sense.

Question’s to address or reflect on

Reflect. Write. Take a break. Repeat.

• What is your experience with other backgrounds and cultures in your pre-OT journey?
• How did you realize that OT was for you? Why not PT? (Reflect, but don’t answer this directly.)
• What or who were the influence(s) or influencers?
• This is a rich opportunity to mention your specific OT shadowing experience at the stage in which you want to be an OT.
• I would include at least 1 example from this, 2 is better, but not too much either.
• Not just becoming an OT (graduating) but afterwards. e.g. 1 year post-grad, 5 years, where you see yourself 10 years out.
• What challenges did you overcome in your pre-requisite pre-OT journey?
• What sets you apart from other applicants? Why should I not pick person A or person B over you?
• Tip: research the school’s website for their mission statement, OT program background, etc. to get familiar with the specifics. If you can include and relate to some of this, even better!
• “My motivation to help others and my passion for occupational therapy will guide me to be successful in the [program].” or

Since [school] strives to “[OT program mission statement]”, I firmly believe that [school] will help me reach my goals of becoming a successful occupational therapist.

Recommendations

• Talk about why you want to be an OT, but not just to “help” people. How? Which population/community/background? Conditions? Why? Tip: three major categories of OT are: mental health, pediatrics, and adults/older adults. Nurses help people too. How is OT different for you?
• Hint: occupations ! meaningful, client-centered.
• Check out the OTDUDE Podcast and other podcasts for ideas; Episode 1: What is OT
• Reflection tip: other professions may be based on the medical model or helping people become healthy, but OT is different because…
• Check out AOTA.org for some phrasing of the profession to inspire you.
• If you are comfortable, use OT related terminology or phrases, but don’t go overboard, e.g. occupation, intervention, treatment, activities of daily living, evidence-based, collaborative, interdisciplinary, client-centered, holistic, functional. Plain English is fine, you don’t have to sound like a journal article.
• As mentioned, highlight why you would be a valuable candidate (fit) to their program. Think about not only your experience but your character and quality traits . Examples: creativity, leadership, patient, resourceful, reliability? Teamwork and communication?
• Show indirectly through your stories or experiences why you will be successful in the program and not “drop-out”. Perseverance.
• Psychologically, readers tend to remember the beginnings and end more than the middle.
• How will being an OT help you achieve your goals, career? Not just short-term, but think bigger. While this sounds cliche – OT is not just a job, it will become your life. A person’s job (and career) is a large part of their identity.
• The reader should feel like they read about a person they would want to meet in the program and in real life, someone who can contribute something to the cohort, school, faculty, alumni – long term relationship. You will not only graduate as a student but a colleague in the field of occupational therapy to the faculty.

Here is a template I created to get you started. This is of course not a magic template that works for everyone or neither was it created by any OT entity for students. Copy & paste this into your favorite word processing program and write away.

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1: Attention-grabbing sentence. Hook into your story.

Supporting sentences: Support the above story with specifics.

Concluding sentence: “Thesis statement” stating why you chose (or) may be a successful OT.

Body Paragraphs (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

Opening sentence: As a , I [did this, and that] at [place or company or school]

Supporting sentences: strengthen your narrative in the opening sentence. These sentences should not deviate from the opening sentence topic or story, otherwise start a new paragraph. Should answer a [ Question’s to address or reflect on] section (see above).

Concluding sentence(s): wrap everything in this story up, optionally include a transition sentence.

Concluding Paragraph

Opening sentence: restate why you will be a successful OT.

Supporting sentences: start wrapping things up. Big picture. If applying to a specific program, consider answering why this program (e.g. does its mission statement appeal to you?).

Final sentence: end strong stating that you want to be an OT. Mention because it is in your long-term goals.  Consider ending everything with the words “occupational therapist” (identity), e.g. “…be a successful occupational therapist” OR “occupational therapy”, e.g. “… to pursue a career in occupational therapy”.

Here are some examples. All identifying information and some facts were fabricated for example sake.

After graduation, I did a lot of soul searching in terms of the career I wanted to pursue. Did I want to appease my parents and pursue [career]? Should we expand [business name] and take it to the next level? I knew I wanted a career that could help people in my day-to-day, but none of those paths fulfilled that desire. After my [family member] injured her arm and was unable to return to work or help out around the house, I saw her frustration and loss of dignity. Our family took a significant financial toll. When my [family member] finally saw an occupational therapist, I motivated her to do the exercises from her care plan and she eventually regained upper arm function. My [family member’s] perseverance inspired me to become an occupational therapist to help people develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living, working, and leading active lifestyles .

• This excerpt, although really did happen, sounds cliche with phrases like soul searching, take it to the next level.
• While the reflection part and figuring out what to do may seem important, it can be shortened to and still get the message across.
• Using the family member is a good example especially since it related to a story with an occupational therapist.
• The last two sentences highlight that I know what OT is (and why I want to become one) but can be cleaned up.

I was inspired by a personal experience with an occupational therapist when my [family member] suffered a rotator cuff tear and was unable to perform her activities of daily living . My [family member] became discouraged and did not do the recommended home exercises , but I saw the value in them and helped my [family member] complete them daily to recover. I learned the value of occupational therapy and how important it is to take a holistic approach by involving caregivers .

• Mentioning ADL’s shows I know what OT’s do.
• Shows my direct involvement with OT intervention.
• Shows my understanding of OT’s holistic approach.
• Words like “value” are strong. The word caregiver is often used in OT documentation.

I was hired as a EMT at [employer] in [city] for a small business that reminded me of our own [business name]. My role as a EMT at [employer] involved caring and treating for the sick and injured that involved tasks such as CPR or patient comfort and advocacy. As an EMT I again found that I was a valuable asset to the company having known how to speak some Spanish. Patients and staff members challenged me and tested my patience. My contact with patients out in the field was a unique experience that exposed me to the reality of what a healthcare profession involved. Due to the physical demands of the job and the high stress environment, many EMTs “burned out” and quit. I admit that I have thought about quitting, but I found the interactions with my patients far more rewarding and continued to work close to two years as an EMT. Working closely with these patients taught me to be sensitive to each person and their unique experiences. As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills to adapt the environment to my patients in order to safely transfer care, as well as educate patients on how to minimize hazards and prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassured me that I was pursuing the right career in helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals.

• How would you improve this example?
• Lots of specifics can be taken out like employer name, city.
• Role as EMT is well-known, better to include more significant things such as experience, outcome, or relevance to OT.
• Being bilingual is nice, but more for a resume than a personal statement as it does not add to the story.
• Leave out specific thought process of thinking about quitting (weaknesses). Perseverance was also already shared in a previous example – talk about another quality instead, e.g. stress management, working with diverse population, fast-paced environment, patient education as an EMT and how it translates to OT.
• Reflect on how one story can share multiple strengths you have not mentioned so far in previous examples.
• The example does not translate or relate back to OT in a clear manner, but alludes to the qualities of one. This can be written to be more obvious because EMT and OT have very similar qualities that are needed to be good practitioners.

As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills with my patients in order to safely transfer care and educate patients on how to prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassures me that I am pursuing the right career by helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals .

Much shorter, to the point, and use of effective words that highlight what OT’s also do – educate, doing it safely, prevention of disease and injury, and meeting client’s goals.

FAQ and Self-Doubt

Addressing negative self-talk and negative beliefs about yourself.

“This is my 100th time applying…”

Maybe it will be your 101st that you get in. You see this all the time with graduates taking the board exam who fail X number of times. Don’t give up!

“I was never good at writing.”

Writing takes practice. I never liked writing in grade school. Now I enjoy writing about OT. So use your resources, e.g. spell-check, someone to proof-read, reading other examples. You CAN do it.

“My experience is not that special.”

Not everyone did CPR on their patient, observed a miraculous rehab recovery, etc. It’s what you make of the moments, how you interpret it, become inspired by it, how it changes you, and make you want to be an OT. It’s all from YOUR perspective. You can take 2 people who watch the same movie. One person could be moved by it and the other not be interested, right?

“The more I read this, the more I feel like it is not good enough.”

Take a break, put it down, and come back to it. Have someone else read it and get their opinion. Sometimes, we get stuck in our own thoughts and they can trick us and lead us down a negative path of thinking.

“I have the opposite problem, I have too much to write about and not enough room.”

You can probably take our your younger experiences. Leave the “resume” stuff out. Try to pick the most “OT” related or healthcare moments. If you do not have these examples to draw from, choose ones that fit the characteristics of a good OT. Each example should not be a repeated theme of another and highlight something profound.

“Now I am not so sure what OT’s do anymore, after writing all this.”

Go on BLS.gov for OT’s, listen to OT podcasts (to become inspired), watch some YouTubers on OT.

“I am having doubts about OT vs. (other profession)”

Avoid reading forums, facebook groups, Reddit for OT. These are often skewed towards OTs who may be burned out (which could happen for any other profession on social media). Dig deep into why you wanted to be an OT in the first place! If still in doubt, maybe you should observe some more, talk to some more OT’s and listen to some OT podcasts (because they are positive about the profession usually). I would avoid YouTube as many who are burned out could make videos.

“No one can proofread my personal statement.”

Try writing workshops, a school or public library, or similar resources. A simple google search could help and you won’t necessarily need to pay. Avoid suspicious websites and  uploading  your work to avoid others from plagiarizing you. Use people or resources that you trust.

“This is my 100th draft, it’s not perfect yet”

Deadlines will often help with this. Don’t let them catch you off guard. Consider going back and making an outline and seeing if you covered everything you want to talk about. A timer may help. Get the approval of at least 2 readers to give you support for how awesome your personal statement is.

“I don’t know where to start in writing”

That’s okay, start writing about a story or experience you have in mind and build around it. Start in the middle as intros and conclusions can be very difficult to begin writing.

• Read some other examples online, but don’t stress about it. If possible, have someone who may have been accepted to a graduate program send you theirs. You can use it as a template or for inspiration to the types of stores, tone, conclusion paragraph used, etc.
• Set a timer (e.g. Pomodoro method) so you won’t stress out and remind yourself to take breaks, move-on, just get something out and fix it later. Exact grammar, spelling, and other “writing” can be fixed later – focus on content.
• Get into a habit of writing, set a schedule …or do it randomly, no-schedule (whatever works for you ). Maybe it’s writing every other day in the morning, after a nap, after playing video games, after a meal, after walking your dog, or whatever sets you up for success.
• Have at least 2 people read (and edit) your personal statement. Don’t take it personally and not all suggestions are necessarily correct.
• In the earlier stages of writing, if deciding between two stories or segments in your writing, consider having two drafts and see which one your proof-readers prefer.
• Read your personal statement out loud, spaced out, e.g. 1 week later (when it is no longer fresh and you forgot some of what you wrote). Make edits as needed.
• Candidates come from all walks of life, have different personalities (e.g. type-A vs. B), extroverted vs. introverted, outspoken vs. quiet – so some of these tips (or your editor suggestions) may not appeal to you or seem unnatural, etc. This can be your strength. Follow your gut. It’s not like OT schools are only looking for outspoken, extroverted candidates. It’s how you use those qualities to better the world with OT. This is what makes you unique, special, and distinguished. Highlight those features!
• Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, manage your stress, breathe.

Thank you for reading this long guide. I wish you the best in your journey to becoming an occupational therapist (or whatever career). See you all in the field!

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The minimum entrance requirement for occupational therapy programs vary depending on the school. Programs that only award a master or doctoral degree require a bachelor degree and specific science and non-science courses for admission. Programs that award a combined bachelor and master degree require specific science and non-science courses for admission. Some of the occupational therapy schools also require that prerequisites completed at institutions other than their own be submitted for approval PRIOR to applying. Applicants may also have to complete the General Record Examination (GRE) as a prerequisite for admission as well.

Most occupational therapy programs also require documented occupational therapy shadowing hours and/or volunteer experience with specific populations for admission. Competitive applicants will also have substantial health related and non-health related experiences.

Applicants seeking admission to an occupational therapy program should contact the programs that interest them for detailed information on specific prerequisites and admission requirements.

Application Information

Centralized Application Service : OTCAS - Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service

Cost : $125 to apply to one OT program. Each additional school is $45.

When to apply : Students will apply in the summer of the year preceding their planned matriculation. OTCAS opens in July.

Resources : OTCAS Application Instructions

Courses and Transcripts: The courses you have taken will need to be self-reported and you will also need to have official transcripts sent to the application service.

Most centralized applications will have a form to print off that will need to be attached to your transcript. You will be asked to enter information, grades and credits for every course that you have enrolled in at any U.S., U.S. Territorial, or Canadian post-secondary institution. Transcripts should be sent from the registrar’s office of all US and/or Canadian Schools attended.

You may order a transcript from the MSU registrar’s office from the registrar’s web site, https://reg.msu.edu/ . There is no charge for sending transcripts. If you are taking courses during the spring semester, it is advised you wait until your spring semester grades are posted to your record as professional schools will want to see those grades.

Entrance Exam

Graduate record examination (gre).

The GRE is required for admission to Occupational Therapy programs. Please see our GRE page for more information on this exam.

Recommendation Letters

OTCAS allows up to 5 recommendation letters. A minimum of 3 letters are required.

While you must pay careful attention to the guidelines of each school that requests your letters, we suggest you identify the following people to request letters of evaluation from:

• Two science faculty who taught you in a class
• One non-science faculty
• One individual working in the profession you wish to pursue (example: an osteopathic physician, dentist, physical therapist, pharmacist, etc)
• One or two additional individuals who know you well from a work, volunteer or research experience

Personal Statement

The personal statement is a very limited in length essay that is used as a device to get a better understanding of the applicant.It is a very important element that should be prepared well in advance to the application and should be edited thoroughly by many different people, such as but not limited to, the writing center, friends and family.

Length: 7,500 character limit for OTCAS participating schools.

Prompt : Your Personal Essay should address why you selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals.

What to include:

• Why you selected this field of health care
• What motivates you to learn more about health care
• Pertinent information about you not included elsewhere in the application
• Special hardships or experiences that have influenced your educational pursuits
• Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record not explained in the application.
• Writing personal statements
• The Writing Center at MSU
• OTCAS personal statement guide

Work/Activities

This section gives applicants an opportunity to expand on their experiences. All of your work in leadership, clinical experiences, community service, research, publications, awards and honors are detailed in a single section.

OTCAS requests that applicants enter their experiences among the following categories:

• Employment: Paid work done outside of the OT field
• Extracurricular Activities: Sports, clubs, and other activities offered through a college or university
• Healthcare Experience - Paid and unpaid work in the health or a health-related field where you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care
• Internships and Clinical Experience
• Research: Research projects completed outside of the classroom
• Teaching Experience
• Volunteer: Volunteer work completed outside of healthcare.
• Leadership Experience

Observation Hours

A separate category in the OTCAS application is listed for Observation Hours. OT schools often request shadowing experience, including a minimum for observation hours. Students are encouraged to check with individual OT schools for shadowing requirements.

After submitting the primary application, and secondary applications if required, students may receive an offer to interview. Not all OT programs require an interview as part of the application process, but for the ones that do, they have indicated an interest in selecting you. Remember, you are not only preparing to answer their questions, you are preparing to ask your own. While they determine whether you are the right fit for the program, you need to determine if the program is the right fit for you.

Schools use personal interviews with applicants to assess qualities such as maturity, interpersonal skills, and ability to articulate strengths and weaknesses. Be prepared to discuss why you wish to pursue a career in physician assistant and the experiences that have motivated you.

• Interview Tips
• InterviewStream - Free mock interview software

OTCAS Application Cycle Dates

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Review the important application cycle dates below. In some instances, the individual program's deadline may differ from the application's cycle dates. To view a program's deadline date, click Add Program and review the information under Deadline . You can submit your application up until 11:59 PM ET on the deadline date.

While the cycle close date is the final date you can submit your OTCAS application, OTCAS has additional final application processing dates for managing your application. Note the dates and submission times below.

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• Clinical Education Centers
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How to Apply

To apply to Boston University’s Entry-Level OTD program, please submit an application through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). All credentials and application materials are processed through OTCAS (not Boston University), except for official TOEFL scores (if applicable). To begin, follow these steps:

• Review our application requirements below
• Familiarize yourself with the instructions in the OTCAS Applicant Help Center
• Begin your OTCAS application

For assistance with application-related questions, contact OTCAS customer service by email at [email protected] , by phone at 617-612-2860, or via online chat . For all other questions about the Entry-Level OTD program, please contact us directly at [email protected] .

Application Deadline

The 2023-2024 OTCAS application cycle is open. The priority deadline for this program is September 15, and our final deadline is December 15, 2023. 

Application Requirements

In addition to submitting an online application through OTCAS, the following items are required to be considered for admission to the Entry-Level OTD program:

Official Transcripts

Applicants should send all official transcripts directly to OTCAS (not Boston University) by following these instructions . We strongly encourage you to submit all transcripts in advance of the application deadline, as OTCAS requires several weeks to verify transcripts.

We require a formal course-by-course evaluation of all foreign transcripts by a third-party verification organization such as World Education Services (WES) . Foreign transcript evaluations should be sent directly to OTCAS (not Boston University) by following these instructions .

All students admitted to the Entry-Level OTD program must complete a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution prior to matriculation. The program does not require a particular undergraduate major, and we encourage applicants with a diversity of backgrounds. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in undergraduate coursework is required. Prerequisite courses taken after completion of a baccalaureate degree are not counted toward the GPA.

Standardized Test Scores

GRE scores are  not required  to apply to the program. Any GRE scores received by the program will not be considered by the admissions committee.

For international students whose first language is not English, official TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic scores are required unless you have completed a baccalaureate degree at an institution where the primary language of instruction is English. TOEFL iBT scores should be submitted electronically through ETS to BU using the institutional code 3087 . IELTS Academic scores should be requested from IELTS to be released to Boston University Graduate Programs .

The TOEFL iBT minimum score for this program is 90, and the minimum IELTS Academic score is 6.5.

Letters of Recommendation

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. We recommend the following guidelines for letters of recommendation. However, it is most important that persons providing recommendations know you well so that they can provide specific examples of your strengths and accomplishments.

• One letter should be from a person who can address your intellectual and academic abilities.
• One letter should be from a supervisor in professional or other work capacity who can address work performance, service commitment, or other areas of your background that may be pertinent.
• The third letter may be from any category.

Letters of recommendation must be submitted through OTCAS by following these instructions .

OTCAS requires all applicants to submit a personal statement that addresses the following prompt:

• Explain why you selected occupational therapy as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals.

In addition, Boston University requires applicants to submit two (2) short-answer essays . Each essay should be limited to 2500 characters and submitted through the OTCAS application when prompted. The essay questions are provided below:

• The Boston University entry-level OTD program prepares students to become leaders in occupational therapy and agents of change to promote best practice. Being an agent of change can take many forms. Describe a time in your life when you were an agent of change within a community, group or family unit. Reflect on what you learned about yourself from this experience.
• The Boston University entry-level OTD program strives to prepare emerging clinicians who demonstrate critical consciousness and advocate for access, diversity, inclusion, equity, belongingness, pluralism, and social justice. Reflect on what this statement means to you given your unique life experiences.

Prerequisite Coursework

The following coursework at the college level must be completed prior to matriculation. A minimum grade of “B-“ is required (however, please review our new pass/fail policy for Spring 2020 grades at the bottom of this section). Please note the following:

• At the time of application, prerequisites may be in progress or pending (e.g., planning to take in the summer), but must be completed before starting the OTD program in September. In these cases, applicants would be accepted conditionally to Boston University.
• All courses must be completed within seven years of matriculation into the OTD program (otherwise, include a letter explaining how you have kept up-to-date on course materials).
• Courses taken to fulfill prerequisites may be taken at any accredited university or college (including community colleges and accredited online programs) and must have a minimum of 3 credit hours .

If you have any questions on whether a course you have taken (or plan to take) will fulfill a particular requirement, we encourage you to contact the Boston University OT Office in writing at [email protected] and include an email attachment of the course description from the appropriate college catalog (please allow at least two business weeks for decision). If a preapproval or waiver is granted by the Entry-level OTD Admissions Committee, be sure to keep written confirmation for your records.

All transcripts for prerequisites that you have taken or are currently taking should be sent directly to OTCAS. Any questions related to the submission of transcripts should be directed to OTCAS at [email protected] or 617-612-2860. Please be sure to also complete the required Boston University Program Materials section as listed on OTCAS.

• Note: When anatomy and physiology are taken as a combined survey course, a full complete sequence of two semesters (A&P I and II) must be taken to fulfill the two distinct Human Anatomy and Human Physiology prerequisites.
• Human Anatomy should be completed by the end of the Spring semester prior to matriculation into the OTD program (so that accepted students are prepared to complete the Gross Human Anatomy prereq in the summer).
• Human Physiology : One course (lab section optional).
• After students have formally accepted admission into the Boston University OTD program, detailed information about course requirements and how to enroll for the special BU Gross Human Anatomy online course will be sent to students in late-May.
• The online Gross Human Anatomy course will open on June 1. Students may work at their own pace, though the final module exam must be completed by the first week of August.
• There is no tuition charge for this online course. Students will be asked to purchase textbooks (required) and anatomical models (recommended).
• Statistics : One course, to include descriptive and inferential statistics, correlation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and introduction to regression analysis. A course in research design is also acceptable if it covers the relevant statistics.
• Abnormal Psychology : One course. Courses titled Psychopathology or Psychology of Deviance may also be acceptable.
• Developmental Psychology : One course. Courses titled Lifespan Development, Child Development, or Child Psychology may also be acceptable. Content on child development must be included in the course, and the course must address theories of development.

Pass/Fail Policy for Spring 2020 grades : Given the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that many colleges/universities moved to a pass/fail or credit/no credit system of grading for Spring 2020. Please know that we will accept prerequisite coursework taken and completed during Spring 2020 in which a student received a “pass” or “credit” grade designation. We will not accept coursework for Spring 2020 coursework graded “fail” or “no credit.”

Recommended Observation Hours

Boston University highly recommends that applicants understand the depth and breadth of Occupational Therapy. Applicants can arrange an observation by contacting the Department of Occupational Therapy at a local facility.

We recommend observation experiences in at least two different service delivery settings (e.g., school, early intervention program, skilled nursing facility, community health center). Although health care experiences are not part of the official admissions criteria, and we do not seek a minimum number of hours, they do provide a basis for choosing to pursue occupational therapy. Letters of verification are not required.

A select number of highly qualified candidates are invited to participate in an interview conducted via the Kira Talent platform. Our Kira Talent interview is done in an asynchronous format, so you can complete your interview on your own schedule. Early Decision interviewees will be notified via email in November, and Regular Decision interviewees will be notified in February.

NOTE : All applicants should familiarize themselves with this additional information:

• Technical Standards and Technology Competency
• For more information regarding state licensing requirements, please visit the State Authorization & Distance Education website .

BIPOC Student Experiences

Learn about the lived experiences of BIPOC students from BU’s OTD program . They share the highlights and challenges of studying at a predominantly white institution and identify strategies and perspectives on the next steps towards diversity, equity and inclusion, and more.

We also you to visit the pages for the Newbury Center for First Generation Students and Office of Diversity and Inclusion , and learn more about Associate Professor Simone Gill, the Graduate Affairs Faculty Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion.

Education at USC Chan

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Continuing Education

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Additional Resources

Entry-level doctorate (otd) of occupational therapy admissions.

The Chan Division has initiated the process to transition the Entry-Level Master’s to an accredited Entry-Level Doctoral (OTD) program. This process requires review and approval by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®). USC Chan’s Entry-Level OTD degree program has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE, which indicates that the division’s resource allocation and plan for developing its proposed program appear to demonstrate the ability to meet ACOTE Standards. Please review the Entry-Level OTD program frequently asked questions for additional information. Our website will provide the latest updates throughout the transition process as they become available.

Holistic Admission Criteria

Holistic review evaluates applicants based on cognitive and non-cognitive traits, which ensures that more than one factor contributes to admission decisions. The four criteria included in USC Chan’s holistic review are:

Personal Statement

OTCAS Statements

Letters of Recommendation

How to Apply

Your application for USC’s Entry-Level OTD program must be completed through OTCAS , and must include the program-specific requirements for the University of Southern California.

To apply for Early Action , your application must be completed and Verified by OTCAS prior to November 1 . We recommend that you submit your application at least three weeks prior to this deadline, as transcripts and other application materials may take three weeks or more to be processed by OTCAS. All materials must be received in order for your application to be reviewed. Please plan accordingly.

If you apply by the Early Action deadline, you will receive your admission decision prior to the end of the year. In addition, your application must be Verified by the Early Action deadline for your Research Student Worker or Vision Scholarship award application to be considered.

Applications that are Verified after November 1 will be reviewed for Regular Decision on a rolling basis. Division Tuition Scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis and awarded upon admission.

Application Requirements

Prerequisites

Within seven years of planned enrollment, complete six prerequisite courses with a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher. Prerequisite courses may be in progress at the time of application (see details below).

• Medical Terminology may be completed as a certificate course or taken for 1-2 semester units, or for pass/no pass.
• All courses must be completed with a letter grade of “C” or higher ; pass/no pass or AP credit are not accepted. (If you completed a prerequisite course in 2020, spring 2021, or summer 2021, pass/no pass grades are accepted.)
• Courses may be completed at any accredited community college, college or university.
• Virtual 3D interaction dissection software/prosection
• Animal dissection
• At-home cadaveric dissection
• All prerequisites may be completed online .
• If your prerequisites do not meet these criteria, or you would like to verify a course, please submit a prerequisite inquiry .

Prerequisite Courses

Anatomy with Laboratory

Approved courses should cover all body systems. Anatomy course key topics are:

• Body orientation
• Axial skeleton (skull, bones, head, and trunk): spine, sternum, ribs
• Nervous system: brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves and special senses
• Lower Extremity: bones and joints, muscles, vessels, and nerves
• Cardiovascular system
• Lymphatic system
• Upper Extremity: bones & joints, muscles, vessels & nerves
• Endocrine system
• Reproductive system
• Urinary system
• Muscles of head, neck, thorax, and abdomen
• Respiratory system
• Digestive system
• Cadaver lab preferred

If Anatomy and Physiology are combined, you must take either: 1) one combined Anatomy and Physiology course with laboratory worth 6-8 semester or 10 quarter units; or 2) two sequential semesters of combined Anatomy and Physiology taken at the same school, totaling 6-8 semester units with a laboratory each semester.

Course options

• Take it at USC . The Anatomy with Laboratory prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 260 or HBIO 301L .
• View possible external course options for the Anatomy with Laboratory prerequisite.

Approved courses should cover all body systems. Physiology course key topics are:

• Cell & membrane physiology
• Membrane excitability
• Nervous system organization (autonomic nervous system, motor control)
• Muscle: skeletal, cardiac, smooth
• Cardiac excitation and cardiac mechanics
• Bone & skin
• Blood, vasculature, and cardiovascular regulation
• Lung mechanics, gas exchange, respiratory regulation
• Renal filtration, reabsorption, and secretion
• Acid-base balance & buffering systems
• Gastrointestinal system: principles of signaling and digestive pathways
• Endocrine system overview
• Exercise and energy production
• Take it at USC . The Physiology prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 261 or HBIO 420L or BISC 307L .
• View possible external course options for the Physiology prerequisite.

Abnormal Psychology

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to have an understanding of recognized psychological disorders. Students should also understand what the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is, and be able to use the DSM to access information on psychological disorders. The class must cover issues affecting all ages .

• Take it at USC . The Abnormal Psychology prerequisite is met by USC course PSYC 360 .
• View possible external course options for the Abnormal Psychology prerequisite.

Sociology / Cultural Anthropology

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to understand the causes and consequences of a wide range of complex phenomena, including how individual and collective human action shapes and is shaped by economic organizations, political institutions, and social and cultural settings broadly understood. These phenomena include the role of gender, sexuality, race, class and other aspects of identity across time and settings in the United States and the world.

Note: Examples of accepted courses include: Introduction to Sociology, Cultural Anthropology, Social Science, Social Analysis, Social Institutions and Systems.

Social Psychology, Social Problems and Sociology of Deviant Behavior, Biological / Evolutionary Anthropology, cannot be substituted for Sociology / Cultural Anthropology.

• Take it at USC . The Sociology / Cultural Anthropology prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 250 or SOC 200 or ANTH 201 .
• View possible external course options for the Sociology / Cultural Anthropology prerequisite.

Medical Terminology

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to familiarize themselves with the language of medicine, including word structure (word roots, suffixes, prefixes), in order to analyze unfamiliar medical terminology and medical abbreviations used in documentation and billing.

This course may be completed as a certificate course or taken for 1-2 semester units, or for pass/no pass. If Medical Terminology was taken as a certificate course, please email the Admissions Team with your certificate of completion. Because there is no mechanism on the OTCAS application to submit proof of completion for a certificate course, once the admissions team receives your email with the certificate of completion, this prerequisite will be marked as complete on your application.

• Take it at USC . The Medical Terminology prerequisite is met by USC course OT 200 .
• View possible external course options for the Medical Terminology prerequisite.

Developmental Psychology / Human Development

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to have an understanding of typical human development throughout the lifespan , including developmental milestones and normal developmental processes related to psychology and the physical aging process.

• Take it at USC . The Developmental Psychology / Human Development prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 251 or EDUC 589 , or PSYC 336 with PSYC 337 .
• View possible external course options for the Developmental Psychology / Human Development prerequisite.

Submit a personal statement through the USC program-specific questions section of OTCAS, in response to the following prompt (max. 3,000 characters, including spaces):

We understand that people are exposed to occupational therapy and develop their passion for the profession in different ways. Exposure to occupational therapy could result from personal research, life circumstances, or related educational, job or volunteer experiences.

In order to demonstrate your commitment to the profession of occupational therapy, please address these two central questions in your essay:

• Describe past experiences that have influenced your interests and goals specific to occupational therapy.
• Reflect on why you are choosing to enter the occupational therapy profession.

Note: The Admissions Team will focus on the personal statement written to this prompt, and not on the general OTCAS personal statement that is sent to all programs. You are welcome to use the same statement for both, however please ensure you are tailoring your response to the USC prompt.

You are also required to submit responses to two short-answer essays through the USC program-specific questions section of OTCAS:

• Describe a time when you became aware of an implicit or unconscious bias you had about someone (or someone had about you) and reflect on how you responded to it. (max. 1000 characters, including spaces)
• How will the experience you described in response to question #1 impact your goals as an occupational therapy professional in one or more of the following areas: justice, equity, diversity, and/or inclusion? (max. 1000 characters, including spaces)

Submit three letters of recommendation (evaluations) from professors, therapists, and/or other professionals familiar with your capabilities and achievements. These individuals should know you well and be able to attest to your skills and abilities as they specifically relate to becoming an occupational therapist. Recommendations (evaluations) should be submitted electronically through OTCAS. Please be thoughtful when selecting individuals to write your letters of recommendation as these letters are scored as a component of your holistic admission review.

Note: The Admissions Team will read only the first three letters of recommendation. The letters of recommendation will be uploaded in the order you input your evaluators into OTCAS. We do, however, advise that you request four letters of recommendation, in the event that one of your evaluators is unable to submit your letter for any reason.

Your GPA from your baccalaureate degree, which must be obtained from an accredited college or university, will be one component of the holistic admissions process. If you completed a graduate degree, we will consider your graduate GPA instead of your undergraduate GPA. There is no minimum GPA required; however, students entering with a GPA less than 3.0 are required to achieve a GPA of 3.0 or above in the first semester in the program.

Note: If you have a question about your specific situation, please contact our Admissions Team .

Transcripts

OTCAS must have all official transcripts for completed courses before they will verify an application.

Attn: Admissions Team USC Occupational Therapy 1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133 Los Angeles, CA 90089

Foreign Institutions If you have a degree from a foreign institution , or if you spent two or more semesters/academic terms studying at a foreign institution, you must send your transcripts to both OTCAS and USC Graduate Admissions. See the USC Office of Graduate Admissions for transcript submission information . The USC Office of Graduate Admission provides admission requirement details by country. Please visit their website to determine which documents (such as transcripts and diplomas) are needed by USC, based on home country. When your verified application is evaluated, please note that additional documents may be requested as needed. If you are admitted to the program, you may also be required to verify your degree via the International Education Research Foundation (IERF) . It is not necessary to submit a USC Application for Graduate Admission.

Note that we will review your application for admission even if USC Graduate Admissions has not yet received your foreign transcripts.

English Proficiency

If your degree was earned in a non-English speaking country and you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, you must submit scores from an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Please note that even if you are from an English-speaking country, you may still need to submit scores. Scores should be submitted to USC directly prior to the admission deadline for which you are being considered. We require that you have verification of the following scores within two years of the date you submit your application:

• A computer based TOEFL (iBT) score of 100 with no less than 20 on each sub-score; or
• A computer based IELTS of 7 with no less than 6 on each band score.
• A computer based PTE of 68 or above with 53 or above on each band.

If your native language is English and/or you have:

• a bachelor’s degree completed in its entirety from a country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language; or
• a completed master’s or doctoral degree from a country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language

you are exempted from this examination. See the USC Office of Graduate Admission for more information about English-language requirements .

If you have questions about program requirements for the TOEFL/IELTS, please contact our Admissions Team .

Other Requirements

Other Supporting Documents

Make sure to complete the other program-specific questions for USC that are required through OTCAS.

We recommended that you upload a résumé or CV through OTCAS with your application.

Background Checks

The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy does not require background checks, drug testing or fingerprinting for admission into the entry-level OTD program. However, an increasing number of health care facilities require USC students to provide this and other information in order to participate in clinical rotations at their sites. The successful completion of clinical rotations is required for the OTD degree at USC and is a prerequisite for being able to sit for the NBCOT® (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy®) exam to practice as an occupational therapist. A felony conviction may affect your ability to sit for the NBCOT® certification examination or attain state licensure.

For additional information, please contact our Admissions Team .

Health Clearances

If you are admitted to the entry-level OTD program, you will be required to complete certain health clearances prior to enrolling in the program. These health clearances are required in order to participate in clinical rotations, which are a requirement for the OTD degree. Please see USC Fieldwork Prerequisites for an overview of the prerequisites for these clinical rotations and enrollment in the program.

Please also refer to the USC Student Health Center for the health clearance requirements for students enrolled in the professional program.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Please see information on how to apply for scholarships and financial aid .

Note: The application deadline for Research Student Worker and Vision Scholarship awards is November 1 . Division Tuition Scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis and awarded upon admission.

Please view our Frequently Asked Questions for more helpful information.

If you have additional questions, there are a number of ways in which you can contact us for more information.

Program Brochure If you complete our form to request program information , we will be happy to provide access to a brochure about our programs.

Information Sessions We also provide information sessions , both in-person and virtual, for prospective students interested in our degree programs.

Admissions Team The USC Chan Admissions Team will be delighted to answer any questions you may have and further explore your interest in our program.

General Inquiries For general inquiries, you can also call us at +1 (323) 442-2850 , or (866) 385-4250 (toll free within the US).

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ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program ( cost of attendance ) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). The USC entry-level OTD degree program ( cost of attendance ) has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE. View our program’s ACOTE standards public data . ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org . Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance .