Apply to Occupational Therapy School – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

Applications

There are three general steps to the occupational therapy school application process. See the tabs below to view the three steps, an application checklist, and more information on financial aid resources.

Application Process Application Checklist Financial Aid Tracker Templates

Application Process

There are three general steps in applying to occupational therapy schools: the primary application, the secondary application, and the interview.

1. Primary applications

Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS)
Opens in mid-July
- We strongly recommend reading the instructions before beginning
Includes background information, coursework, a personal statement (7500 characters), and references.
- Prompt: “Explain why you selected OT as a career and how an OT degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals."
Once the application is complete, OTCAS forwards it to whichever schools the student has designated
Application fee is $159 for the first school and $69 for each additional school
- OTCAS Fee Assistance Program: offered at the start of each cycle on a first-come, first-served basis. Fee waivers for first program designation.
For schools with rolling admission, submit the primary application as early as possible.
Schools that use OTCAS

2. Secondary applications or supplementary forms are specific to individual schools; occupational therapy schools send these to applicants only after they have received the OTCAS application. Both frequently request additional information, essays, letters of recommendation, and/or fees. Some schools screen applicants before the applications or forms are sent out.

Note: Most occupational therapy schools participate in OTCAS. Students interested in applying to other schools must complete each of their prospective schools’ individual applications. For these schools, the application process consists only of steps 2 and 3.

3. Interviews: After reviewing the primary and secondary applications (or supplementary forms), occupational therapy schools invite promising applicants to interview. Applicants are responsible for all costs incurred while interviewing, including airfare, lodging, ground transportation, professional attire, and meals.

Interview Information
Sample Interview Questions
Health Professional School Interview Room Reservation Request: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many health professional schools are conducting their interviews online. Applicants can submit a reservation request for a private space with wifi access on-campus.

For Hawaiʻi Residents Only: Apply to the Hawaiʻi WICHE Professional School Exchange Program. PSEP enables residents from WICHE participating states affordable access to enroll in out of state professional healthcare programs, at participating WICHE institutions, when those programs are not available at a public institution in their home state. Applications open on August 1.

Background Check: Prior to official acceptance, schools usually conduct a background check on accepted students. Thus, please ensure that the applicant conducts themself professionally at all times. A record of misconduct may result in the residence of acceptance by schools.

Re-applicants: Many applicants may not be admitted to the professional school that they desire on their first try. However, if and when they choose to re-apply, there are many things to consider before re-submitting another application the following cycle.

Tips:

The more the applicants know about the school, the better their chances of being accepted.
Contact individual schools’ admissions offices to find out how they handle:
- Advanced Placement (AP) credits
- International Baccalaureate (IB) credits
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits
- Military credits
- Courses taken at a community college
- Non-US coursework
- Courses taken for credit/no credit instead of a grade
- Residency issues
- Time limits on prerequisite science courses

Please note that if any courses are retaken because occupational therapy schools may not accept Advanced Placement (AP), online, or community college credit, the student's financial aid and/or scholarship status may be affected.

Application Checklist

Financial Aid

Financial Planning is a crucial step in applying to occupational therapy schools. It is important for students to create a plan and make decisions in their educational expenses. Students are highly encouraged to budget their finances before, during, and after occupational therapy school.

Financial Planning Information

TRIO Mānoa Student Support Services (SSS): is a resource for first-generation college students and students with high-financial need. TRIO Mānoa is an academic advising office specialized in helping students succeed. Services offered include one-on-one advising, a computer lab, free printing, study room spaces, educational workshops, exclusive events, and a summer scholarship for accepted students.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid:

All applicants are encouraged to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Must apply the year prior to matriculation even if the applicant do not know if you were accepted into graduate or professional school yet.
Applicant may be considered for grants, work study, and loans to help fund the cost of undergraduate, graduate and professional school education.
Opens on October 1st.
Provides funding on a rolling basis (first come, first serve).

Hawaiʻi WICHE Professional School Exchange Program: Hawai`i residents are eligible to participate in the Professional School Exchange Program (PSEP), a service of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). PSEP enables qualified residents from WICHE participating states affordable access to enroll in selected out-of-state professional healthcare programs at participating WICHE institutions when such programs are not available at a public institution in their home state.

Many Hawai‘i residents must attend professional schools out-of-state to obtain the necessary education and training needed for professional healthcare positions. Therefore, the State of Hawai`i, through WICHE PSEP, helps subsidize the tuition costs for qualifying Hawai‘i residents to attend a participating WICHE PSEP program. In return, WICHE PSEP students are required to return to work in the State after completing their program of study. PSEP selected students pay reduced levels of tuition at the WICHE participating institution. The home state pays a negotiated “support fee” designed to cover a portion of the cost of the students’ education; this fee is paid directly to the enrolling program’s institution. No payments are made directly to students. Students enrolled at public institutions generally pay the resident tuition rate, however, students may be required to pay the unmet non-resident tuition differential if the WICHE PSEP support fee does not cover the entire non-resident tuition differential. Students enrolled at private institutions pay the balance of the full private tuition minus the WICHE PSEP support fee.

Support is available to a limited number of Hawai‘i residents studying dentistry and enrolling at participating WICHE PSEP schools.

List of Participating Schools

Note: To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must apply one full year in advance of matriculation, generally in the summer of their application year.

Western Regional Graduate Program: Hawai`i residents are eligible to participate in the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), a service of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). WRGP enables qualified residents from WICHE participating states affordable access to enroll in selected out-of-state master’s, graduate certificate, and PhD programs at participating WICHE institutions. WRGP selected students pay the resident tuition rate at the WICHE participating institution. No payments are made directly to students.

To be considered for the WRGP resident tuition rate, apply directly to the department or graduate studies department of the institution where the applicant wants to enroll, and identify themself as a WICHE WRGP applicant. WRGP students must fulfill the usual admission requirements and deadlines of the department and institution concerned. Contact each school of interested for more information.

List of Participating Schools

Funding Opportunities for Entrance Exam

GRE Fee Reduction Program

Military Financial Aid

Tracker Templates

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