Admission Requirements

External applicants apply by April 15 through OTCAS. Internal applicants (SHU students) apply through SHU application by September 15 for 3+2 students (following sophomore year) and September 15 for 4+2 students (following junior year).

  • Completion of graduate application
  • Successful completion of baccalaureate degree
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher
    • No individual prerequisite course grade below C
    • Grades from only two repeated prerequisite courses will be considered
  • Science prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher (General Biology with lab; Human Anatomy & Physiology I with lab and Human Anatomy & Physiology II with lab).
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation (one from an academic source and one from employer or volunteer supervisor)
  • Essay/personal statement stating why you are pursuing a degree in occupational therapy
  • Relevant shadowing or volunteer experience in the occupational therapy field to ensure that a candidate understands the difference facets of the profession
    • No minimum amount of hours are required
    • No formal documentation is required
  • Successful interview with the Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee

International Students

Additional documents are required for international students. Refer to our International Admissions Application Instructions for more information.

Prerequisite Course Requirements

  • General/Introductory Biology with lab  | 4 CR
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab | 8 CR
  • Psychology course | 3 CR
  • Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology | 3 CR
  • Life Span Development or Developmental Psychology (Must include the study of the entire life-span, from birth to old age) | 3 to 9 CR
  • Sociology/Anthropology/Social Psychology | 3 CR
  • Statistics/Psychological Statistics/Biostatistics (Must include descriptive statistics, probability, confidence intervals, correlation and hypothesis testing) | 3 CR

Grades from no more than two repeated prerequisite courses will be considered.

Prerequisite courses in Statistics and Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with lab must have been completed within the past ten years.

The following prerequisites must be completed at the time of application: Psychology, Statistics, two of the three prerequisite sciences (Biology with Lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab or Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab).

The Occupational Therapy program requires all prerequisite labs be in person. An exception will be made for online labs that were completed between the spring 2020 and summer 2021 academic semesters only.

Advanced Placement Courses

High school level advanced placement courses do not meet prerequisite courses. Only courses with a grade that appears on an accredited college or university ‌transcript will be considered to meet the prerequisite requirements. Work or experiential learning will not meet prerequisite requirements.

Application Deadlines for Fall Enrollment

  • September 15: Sacred Heart University students following sophomore year for 3+2 students OR following junior year for 4+2 students
  • April 15: External applicants applying through OTCAS

Sacred Heart University Students Applying

All SHU students apply by September 15 following the sophomore year for 3+2 students and following the junior year for 4+2 students.

Students who were admitted into the graduate Occupational Therapy program as freshmen must meet all of the program’s admission standards as a condition for keeping their seat and enrolling in the graduate Occupational Therapy program. Students admitted into the program as a freshman who do not meet all admission criteria will forfeit their seat and admission status in the Occupational Therapy program and will be ineligible for continued enrollment into the graduate Occupational Therapy program.

Sacred Heart University students who were not directly admitted into the graduate Occupational Therapy program as freshmen may apply competitively to the program. Applicants must meet all the program’s admission standards at the time of application.

Sacred Heart University students accepted into the Occupational Therapy program as freshmen, who meet the graduate admission criteria, and complete the online application by the September 15 deadline, do not require an interview. An interview is required for Sacred Heart University students applying competitively upon invitation.

External Students Applying Through OTCAS

Students external to Sacred Heart University must apply by April 15.

Students external to Sacred Heart University must apply to the graduate Occupational Therapy program by April 15 using the OTCAS application. Applicants should apply ahead of the April 15 deadline to allow for verification of their materials by OTCAS in time for the April 15 application deadline. 

More Information

For further information regarding admission requirements for US Citizens, contact:

Lea DiStasio
Director of Graduate Admissions & Recruitment
203-371-7884
distasiol2@sacredheart.edu

Schedule an Appointment

For further information regarding admission requirements for International Students, contact:

Edith Goutier
Director of International Admissions
+1-475-450-5714
goutiere@sacredheart.edu