Occupational Therapy Degrees

Occupational therapy admissions and fieldwork

A short orientation. The program page and the school are the authority on current requirements.

  • Prerequisites and prior degree

    Entry-level master’s and doctoral programs normally require a prior bachelor’s degree plus prerequisite courses; OTA programs usually start at the associate level. Requirements differ by program and are shown on each program page when the school publishes them.

  • GPA and tests

    Many programs publish a minimum GPA. Some require the GRE; others do not. We record what the program says and leave it blank when it does not say.

  • Observation hours

    Some programs ask for documented observation or volunteer hours with an occupational therapy practitioner. The number and the rules differ by school.

  • Application route

    Many entry-level OT programs use OTCAS, the centralized application service, but not all do. We mark OTCAS only when the program says so. Others take applications directly.

  • Deadlines and intakes

    Deadlines are shown with their year as published. Dates change every cycle, so confirm on the school’s page.

  • Fieldwork

    Entry-level OT and OTA programs include supervised fieldwork. Online or hybrid coursework does not remove in-person fieldwork. Whether the school arranges placements, or you must find them, and where they take place, are program-specific; we never promise local placements.

  • Post-professional and research programs

    These ask for an existing OT or OTA qualification or license, or for a research proposal and a faculty match. Entry-level accreditation rules do not apply to them in the same way.

Browse all programs, compare up to four on the compare page, and read how accreditation, certification and licensure relate. Admission to a program does not guarantee certification eligibility or a license.