Program Admission Requirements
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 Education Counselor.
- Application Deadline: September 15th (fall semester) of the year prior to the planned enrollment year (the following fall semester).
Example: Student submits application to program in the fall semester of 2025 for enrollment in the fall semester of 2026 - All applications are accepted through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS) or through the UCA OTD Direct Application which can be accessed here. Detailed instructions for application to our program through OTCAS can be found here.
Those applicants not applying through Freshman Admission, and those who seek to apply early in the final year of undergraduate coursework may apply to the program through Early Assurance Admission. Early Assurance Admission allows students to secure a spot in our competitive program and plan for enrollment in the following academic year. Those who were not able to maintain performance standards and criteria for Freshman Admission, may apply for Early Assurance Admission.
Each cohort will have a maximum of 48 students per year, and if that threshold is met in the Early Assurance application cycle, the admissions cycle for that year will be closed.
To be eligible for Early Assurance Admission 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.
- Complete all occupational therapy prerequisite course work, with a grade of C or better, by the end of the fall semester in which the applicant is applying. The OT program application deadline is (September 15th of each year). Occupational therapy prerequisite course work 10 years or older will not be accepted.
Submit OTCAS or Direct Application by September 15th of Application Year
- Submit GRE revised General Test (August 2011) and GRE Analytical Writing scores to OTCAS. OTCAS GRE code 7416 or complete UCA OTD Direct Application here.
- Complete the online application through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) by September 15th of the year of planned enrollment. Applications open in OTCAS or direct application 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 will count if accepted by the undergraduate degree awarding institution.
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.
Program Prerequisite Requirements
*ACTS is the Arkansas Course Transfer System. It applies to transfer of some lower division undergraduate courses.
To check the check transfer credit for courses taken at institutions in Arkansas other than UCA, applicants can access the transfer credit database here: Arkansas Course Transfer System.
When on the ACTS site, click the blue button labeled “Arkansas Course Transfer System for Students” (see image below), and enter the institution attended in “Transfer from institution” and enter University of Central Arkansas in the “Transfer to institution” field.
