Apply for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program
The requirements, deadlines, and process for applying for the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) are outlined below. Review the admissions information before applying. Applications open in July and the deadline to submit your application is October 1.
International applicants must follow the international application process and admission standards of the Office of International Affairs.
Step 1: Review the admissions requirements
To be eligible to apply for the OTD program, you need to meet the following requirements.
Completed all prerequisites with a maximum of one outstanding course at the time of application. All prerequisites must be completed before starting the program.
Completed—or will complete—your undergraduate bachelor's degree before your intended summer start date in the program.
Earned a cumulative grade point average and science/math prerequisite grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, which includes all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
All applicants are encouraged to observe OT practice and acquire shadowing experience, but there are no active requirements due to the ongoing pandemic.
Applicants who previously matriculated into any occupational therapy program in the United States are not eligible for admission into the IU Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.
Step 2: Start your applications
There are two applications you'll have to complete to be considered for the OTD program.
Complete your application via the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). All application materials must be submitted in full and your application must be in “verified” status by the admission deadline. There is an initial program designation is $145 and a $60 fee for each additional program.
The other application is submitted through the IU Centralized Application System (CAS). The program name in IU's CAS is "Occupational Therapy OTD." Using the filters at the top, select IUPUI as the campus, 2023 as the start year, and Indiana University University School of Health & Human Sciences for school. Submit your application, along with the $70 application fee. Applications are not reviewed until the application fee is paid.
OTCAS applications must be submitted by October 1 for admission into the OTD program the following summer.
All supporting documents, including the prerequisite course completion form and the declaration of intent to complete degree requirements—if you haven't yet completed your bachelor’s degree—must be submitted through OTCAS by the application deadline.
Do not provide GRE scores or your OTCAS application will not be reviewed.
Record all prerequisite coursework on the prerequisite course completion form. Download the form, enter your information, then submit as a document upload in OTCAS.
You will submit all your official academic transcript(s) through OTCAS. (Transcripts should not be uploaded through the IU CAS.)
A personal statement should support your application and be submitted through OTCAS.
Shadowing hours are recommended; however, due to the ongoing pandemic, there will be no minimum number of shadowing hours required. Use this observation form to detail any observation hours you'd like to submit with your application. Upload the form to OTCAS by the application deadline.
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