GVSU Occupational Therapy program uses OTCAS.  All application materials must be verified within the OTCAS system by January 17, 2023.  All required application materials will remain the same as from the previous cycle.  Please go to the OTCAS website to submit your application.

A candidate will be able to select one program (Traditional or Hybrid) as their first choice each year; candidates may also opt to include the other program as their second choice for admission
consideration. The MSOT Program Maximum capacity for the Traditional program is 40 and for the Hybrid program is 22. 

Candidates must complete all prerequisite courses and earn a bachelor's degree prior to entering the program. There will be no waivers or exceptions to this policy.
NOTE: Students application must include FINAL SUMMER SEMESTER grades.  It is the student’s responsibility to submit the official transcript(s) of any coursework completed in the fall semester by the January 17th deadline.

Completed applications must be VERIFIED BY OTCAS no later than the January 17th deadline for both the Traditional and Hybrid program. A supplemental application must also be completed to the GVSU Admissions Office . NOTE: It can take OTCAS several weeks to verify applications. Unverified OTCAS applications are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.   

How do you know if your application is VERFIED? – refer to ‘Check Status’ at top right corner of your OTCAS to confirm the status of your application. Definitions of Application Statuses. Your OTCAS must be VERIFIED by January 17, 2023.

How do you add fall grades to your verified application? If you plan to include your fall grades, aim to have your OTCAS application VERIFIED before the fall semester ends. To add your fall transcript to your application follow these Academic Update instructions.

International student applicants should be able to communicate effectively in English and submit the following materials:

a) Original or certified original transcripts.

b) Written TOEFL score minimum of 550. The minimum IELTS score of 6.5.

c) Official transcript credential evaluation (e.g., WES, ECE)

For a printable checklist of the admissions requirements for this program, please click here. 

Admissions 

PHASE I

1. Read the Candidate Information page and the GVSU Department of Occupational Science and Therapy technical standards to ensure they are capable of meeting the requirements of the program prior to applying. 
2. Review the Admissions Policy 
3. Complete the Graduate School application via the OTCAS portal.
4. Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended through the Summer semester to OTCAS.  Students are responsible for sending official transcripts at the end of each semester for proof of completion of prerequisites and if admitted to the program, to demonstrate progress towards or the completion of a bachelor’s degree.
5. Submit three electronic evaluations within your OTCAS application – Evaluations can be submitted, in any combination, by a professor, an employer, or an OTR if applicants have volunteered/observed in a clinical setting.  Due to the difficulty in gaining clinical hours and experience under an OT, applicants for these admission cycles can utilize any combination of recommenders- three professors, a professor and 2 employers, 2 employers and an OT, etc. 

6. Complete and upload the Prerequisite GPA Calculation Form to OTCAS. If you need assistance with prerequisite transfer credits, please email [email protected] 

• At least 9 credit hours of prerequisites must be completed at the time of application. The elective and the statistics course are not included in this requirement. Each individual prerequisite course must be completed with a grade of C or better. GPA scores for the prerequisite courses, and for the last 60 hours of course credit, must both be at or above 3.0.
• For those candidates with advanced placement (AP) courses, our program will only accept the prerequisite STA 215 equivalent. No other AP courses are allowed when calculating the prerequisite GPA.
• A plan for completion of prerequisites, that are not fulfilled at the time of application, must also be included in the Prerequisite GPA Calculation form.

7.  Complete and upload the Achievement Profile Form to OTCAS.  (Examples for form – see here)

8.  For this application cycle (Fall 2023 admission), observation hours have been waived.  In lieu of completing the Documentation of Hours Form, please complete these shadowing modules via this link: https://rise.articulate.com/share/oqbmWqPTs5TB36aI5R7DUMblwykJiY_Y#/  Password:  LucasQU  Once completed, take a screen shot of the completed page and upload into OTCAS.

If you do have observation hours you may still complete and upload Documentation of Observation Hours Form  to the "supporting information" section of OTCAS.  Click "Supporting Information", then click "Documents" to attach the form(s).

• OTCAS limits the number of forms that can be submitted to five.  Because you will use the "supporting information" section for other OT schools, we suggest scanning all of your observation hours forms as one document before you attach it to your application.  This will free up available attachments for other schools. 

After the application deadline, the OT Admissions Committee will meet to review all completed applications. The top 80 for the Traditional program and the top 40 for the Hybrid program will be invited for Phase II of the application process.

 

PHASE II - refer to Admissions Process for detailed description 

• An interview and an onsite writing sample.
• The candidates are ranked on a total score basis.
• Traditional Program: The top 40 candidates (minus early admits from Grand Valley State University, Central Michigan University, University of Michigan, and Hope College) are sent a letter offering them seats in the program. Candidates are asked to provide a written reply within a two week deadline. The balance of candidates over 40 are considered alternates for admission and are ranked according to total score. Each alternate candidate is offered admission one for one in rank order if any of the original 40 candidates declines admission.
• Hybrid Program: The top 22 candidates (minus early admits from Grand Valley State University, Central Michigan University, University of Michigan, and Hope College) are sent a letter offering them seats in the Program. They are asked to provide a written reply within a two week deadline. The balance of candidates over 22 are considered alternates for admission and are ranked according to total score. Each alternate candidate is offered admission one for one in rank order if any of the original 22 candidates declines admission.
• Candidates who are not selected are informed once each cohort is filled and are welcome to request a meeting with a member of the OT Admissions Committee to discuss their application. This advising session is recorded and placed in the candidate’s program file for future reference.
• Candidates who are not selected may reapply the following year.

Transferring Credits from another institution:

GVSU's OST Department does not accept any Occupational Therapy specific course to be transferred into its Master's of Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program.  The two non-OT courses in the MSOT curriculum, PA 535 & STA 610, can be taken in advance at GVSU, or their equivalent can be transferred in from another institution.  An advanced discussion with OST admissions committee is required so that the candidate is pre-approved for these credits.  Please contact GVSU's OST department at [email protected] or call 616-331-5500 for further information.