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Program Admission Requirements

All applicants are required to complete the online application through AOTA’s centralized application system for occupational therapy educational programs, OTCAS, by January 15th of the year of planned enrollment. Applications open in OTCAS on July 15th of each application year.

To be considered for admission, candidates must complete a baccalaureate degree and meet the specific prerequisite requirements of the UCA Department of Occupational Therapy. Students may pursue the bachelor’s degree in any chosen field of study at UCA or from a USDE-recognized regionally accredited college or university. Moreover, completion of 25 hours of prerequisite course work is required. Prerequisite courses may be completed at UCA or at another regionally accredited college or university. Prerequisite courses taken elsewhere must be approved in advance by the Occupational Therapy Program Advisor.  Application Checklist

*Due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, the University of Central Arkansas Occupational Therapy Department has suspended the requirement for observation hours as part of our application process for admission to the program for the 2027 cohort (admitted fall 2024). All applicants will receive full credit for this component of the application process.

Program Advising Staff

To speak with a departmental staff person for more information or to answer questions about your current program application, please contact:


Alex Norris, Education Counselor
Email: anorris@uca.edu
Phone: (501) 450-5567

Application Process

For more information on the UCA OTCAS application process, please click the link below:

OTCAS Application Instructional Sheet

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Entry Level) program has strict admission requirements and enrollment limitations. Acceptance is by specific application and competitive admission only. A new class begins each fall semester. Two options exist for admission to the program:

Freshman Admission

Declaration of Intent: Intent to pursue the option for Freshman Admission must be completed with the Department of Occupational Therapy Program Advisor by November 1 of the freshman year.

Students who begin study at UCA as a freshman will be admitted into the occupational therapy program if they meet and maintain specific performance standards and criteria. Actual enrollment in the occupational therapy program will occur after completion of the baccalaureate degree if performance standards and criteria are maintained.

To maintain Freshman Admission status, the applicant must:

  • Take all coursework at UCA.
  • Attend three SPOT (Students for Pre-Occupational Therapy) meetings each year (12 total meetings in 4 years).
  • Maintain at least a 3.7 cumulative GPA every semester and a 3.5 GPA for all occupational therapy prerequisite course work.
  • Submit GRE revised General Test (August 2011) scores OTCAS. OTCAS GRE code 7416; score at least 150 on Verbal, 150 on Quantitative, and 4 on Analytical Writing sections.
  • Complete a minimum of 20 hours volunteer/observation experience under the supervision of one licensed occupational therapist (supervision by an OTA will not be accepted); the therapist must submit a performance rating from this experience. Click here for the Volunteer/Observation form.
  • Complete all prerequisite course work by the end of the fall semester prior to the spring graduate OT program application deadline (January 15 of each year). Occupational therapy prerequisite coursework 10 years or older will not be accepted.
  • Complete the online application through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) by January 15th of the year of planned enrollment.
  • Complete a baccalaureate degree at UCA by May of the year of planned enrollment.

NOTE: No interview is required of applicants entering the graduate OT program under Freshman Admission. Contact the UCA Occupational Therapy Program Advisor for more details regarding Freshman Admission.


Regular Admission

Application Deadline: January 15th of the year of planned enrollment.

Those applicants not using the Freshman Admission or those who were not able to maintain performance standards and criteria for Freshman Admission will follow requirements for Regular Admission.

To be eligible for Regular Admission, by the application deadline, the applicant must:

  • Possess a cumulative GPA of 2.75 minimum based on a 4.0 scale or possess at least a 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of course work on a 4.0 scale.
  • Submit GRE revised General Test (August 2011) and GRE Analytical Writing scores to OTCAS. OTCAS GRE code 7416.
  • Complete a minimum of 20 hours volunteer/observation experience under the supervision of one licensed occupational therapist (supervision by an OTA will not be accepted); the therapist must submit a performance rating from this experience. Click here for the Volunteer/Observation form.
  • Complete all occupational therapy prerequisite course work, with a grade of C or better, by the end of the fall semester prior to the spring graduate OT program application deadline (January 15 of each year). Occupational therapy prerequisite course work 10 years or older will not be accepted.
  • Complete the online application through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) by January 15th of the year of planned enrollment. Applications open in OTCAS by July 15th each year.
  • Complete a baccalaureate degree by May of the year of planned enrollment.
  • For questions regarding credit for AP courses and CLEP exam courses, see “FAQ’s for OTD” posted at the bottom of this page.

NOTE: All college work must be submitted regardless of when completed or the nature of the course work. Work experience is not calculated into the satisfaction of admission requirements.

Prerequisite Course Work

*ACTS is the Arkansas Course Transfer System. It applies to transfer of some lower division undergraduate courses.

Departmental Admission Procedure and Selection Process

All applications of candidates who meet qualifications for Regular Admission are reviewed by the OT Admission Committee. Applicants are ranked according to a formula based on overall GPA and GRE scores; top-ranked candidates are invited to a mandatory interview scheduled in March. The interview is used to assess such factors as the ability to present oneself professionally, ability to use verbal and nonverbal communication appropriately, and to express knowledge about the profession of occupational therapy. Final ranking of candidates is based on the interview, GRE scores, volunteer/observation experience, and GPA. The top 48 applicants invited to enter the program are notified in late April. Individuals may be chosen from the alternate list to replace applicants who decline their appointment at any time, up to the date of enrollment.

Applicants who believe that they have been treated differently from other candidates in admissions decisions are to contact the Occupational Therapy Chairperson of the Department of Occupational Therapy for information about the appeals process. All appeals must begin at the department level.

Miscellaneous Important Documents and Links

Updated 05.09.2022