Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) - Occupational Therapy

Application Process

Applicants must submit their application online through the OT Centralized Application Service - (OTCAS).

Application Fee

The application fee is $169 and is non-refundable.

Application Deadline

Term	Deadline
Fall	March 31st
Spring	Not Offered
Summer	Not Offered

Note: We strongly encourage our applicants to apply early to guarantee timely processing of their admission for the applied term. Applying early also helps ensure you can register as soon as registration opens.

Admission Requirements

Graduate School Minimum Requirements:

To be eligible for admission to master’s programs, individuals must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

GPA Requirements:

Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale from the bachelor’s degree granting institution/university (OR) If the overall GPA is below 2.75, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) for the final 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate and/or graduate courses.
There is no GPA requirement for applicants with a master’s or a doctoral degree who are applying for another master’s program.

Note: Individual programs may have a higher GPA and several other requirements and prerequisites that must be satisfied for full admission.

Additional Program Requirements:

Admission to the MOT degree program is based on the completion of a set of requirements that are reviewed and evaluated by the university and the department admission committee. The application process includes the following:

All students are strongly encouraged to review admission eligibility with an advisor before applying.
If-necessary - Successful completion of required university placement examinations and courses in English, mathematics, and reading.
Students applying to the MOT program must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) within the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate and/or graduate courses.
A limited number of applicants with a GPA of 2.90-2.99 may be granted conditional admission. Conditional admission status is removed when the student achieves a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
Completion of prerequisite courses (anthropology or sociology, statistics, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, medical terminology, human anatomy, and human physiology) with a grade of C or better before beginning professional course work. The anatomy and physiology courses must be taken within 7 years of admission to the program. A minimum of 3.0 in the above prerequisite courses is required for consideration of the application.
Prerequisite courses required for admission may be repeated only once to improve a grade.
Proof of a minimum of 40 hours of human service experience that demonstrates human service skills. Experience should be documented in OTCAS under Observation Hours. This experience is not limited to the field of occupational therapy. This experience can include but is not limited to work, personal, and/or community service experience.
A typed essay addressing why you selected occupational therapy as a career and how this degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. This essay should be submitted through OTCAS.
Three professional and/or academic recommendations through the OTCAS portal. A typed essay addressing why you selected occupational therapy as a career and how this degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals.
Interview with the members of the Occupational Therapy admission committee. Applicants who are not accepted into the program can meet with an advisor to discuss options to strengthen their academic profile and prepare for re-application.

Application Deadline: March 31 (Deadline may be extended to May 1 if slots are available)

(Check OTCAS application portal for Deadlines) - https://otcas.cas.myliaison.com/applicant-ux/#/login

Students may enroll into the entry-level MOT program full time or part-time track in the fall semester. Pre-OT students have the option to enroll full-time in the combined BHS/MOT program after all prerequisite coursework is completed, and GPA requirements are met. Class size is limited, and admission is competitive. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, a waiting list may be created. Applicants placed on the waiting list will be notified of their status and of their rank on this list. If slots become available, applicants on the waiting list will be admitted in rank order. Applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the year, and students can obtain early acceptance.

Admission by Advanced Standing

Graduates who complete a Bachelor of Health Science/Pre-Occupational Therapy (Pre-OT) degree from CSU prior to their intended enrollment in the graduate program may apply for advanced standing in the MOT program.

Students granted advanced standing may apply up to 32 undergraduate credit hours of foundational OT coursework toward their degree requirements.

Required Documents

Domestic Applicants	International Applicants
Resume	Resume
Upload Personal Essay (in the OTCAS application portal).	Upload Personal Essay (in the online application portal).
Provide three letters of reference/evaluations (required through OTCAS). Note: Applicants are required to request reference/evaluations by entering your recommender’s First Name, Last Name, and Email Address in the OTCAS application portal. An email will be sent to your recommender with a link to complete the recommendation. Please reach out to your recommender to ensure they submit the letter through the link they receive. Applicants cannot upload recommendation letters directly.	Provide three letters of reference/evaluations (required through OTCAS). Note: Applicants are required to request reference/evaluations by entering your recommender’s First Name, Last Name, and Email Address in the OTCAS application portal. An email will be sent to your recommender with a link to complete the recommendation. Please reach out to your recommender to ensure they submit the letter through the link they receive. Applicants cannot upload recommendation letters directly.
Official Transcripts from all higher education institutions/colleges/universities attended. [Undergraduate & Graduate] The official transcript must be ordered (through Parchment or Student Clearing House) in the OTCAS application portal and be sent directly to OTCAS. Domestic applicants who have attended/earned credits from outside the USA. A course-by-course evaluation of all foreign educational credentials (transcripts) is required. This evaluation must be ordered through the OTCAS application portal and sent directly to OTCAS by one of the approved professional evaluation service agencies. Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE). World Educational Service (WES).	Foreign Credentials Scholaro GPA and Degree Report Applicants are required to submit a Scholaro's GPA and Degree report through the dedicated custom link for Chicago State University here.
Program Specific Requirement: Required Prerequisite Courses (26 semester credit hours) Introduction to Sociology or a course equivalent to the following CSU courses: Social Problems, Race & Ethnicity, Diversity in the US. (or) Introduction to Anthropology may be substituted for Introduction to Sociology. Developmental/Life Span Psychology (must include infancy to older adulthood development) Abnormal Psychology Statistics Medical Terminology Introduction to OT (Can include introductory courses that focus specifically on occupational therapy from schools with OT or OTA program) One of the following combinations of science courses: Human Anatomy and Human Physiology (OR) A&P I and A&P II (must be the same series) Additional info - Prerequisites The Anatomy and Physiology courses must be completed within 10 years prior to admission into the professional program. Students are allowed to take prerequisite courses to improve their GPA; however, they may not repeat any Occupational Therapy (OT) prerequisites more than twice in order to achieve a passing grade. Conditional admission may be granted to students who are completing prerequisite courses; however, at least one science course must be finished by the time of application. Applicants who are still enrolled in prerequisite courses when they apply must provide a plan demonstrating that at least 6 out of the 8 required prerequisites will be completed by May 31, 2026. Additionally, students may not have more than two outstanding prerequisites after this date. Proof of completion for all prerequisites must be submitted before beginning OT courses.	Program Specific Requirement: Required Prerequisite Courses (26 semester credit hours) Introduction to Sociology or a course equivalent to the following CSU courses: Social Problems, Race & Ethnicity, Diversity in the US. (or) Introduction to Anthropology may be substituted for Introduction to Sociology. Developmental/Life Span Psychology (must include infancy to older adulthood development) Abnormal Psychology Statistics Medical Terminology Introduction to OT (Can include introductory courses that focus specifically on occupational therapy from schools with OT or OTA program) One of the following combinations of science courses: Human Anatomy and Human Physiology (OR) A&P I and A&P II (must be the same series) Additional info - Prerequisites The Anatomy and Physiology courses must be completed within 10 years prior to admission into the professional program. Students are allowed to take prerequisite courses to improve their GPA; however, they may not repeat any Occupational Therapy (OT) prerequisites more than twice in order to achieve a passing grade. Conditional admission may be granted to students who are completing prerequisite courses; however, at least one science course must be finished by the time of application. Applicants who are still enrolled in prerequisite courses when they apply must provide a plan demonstrating that at least 6 out of the 8 required prerequisites will be completed by May 31, 2026. Additionally, students may not have more than two outstanding prerequisites after this date. Proof of completion for all prerequisites must be submitted before beginning OT courses.
End of Requirements for Domestic Applicants.	Proof of English Proficiency (Submit one of the following) TOEFL Official score Report, Minimum total score of 69 is required. IELTS Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 6.0 is required. TOEFL Essential Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 8 is required. Duolingo Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 95 is required. Pearson Official Score Report, Minimum overall score of 51 is required. English Proficiency Waiver Application: Request for waiver of English language. Download: Waiver Form.
End of Requirements for Domestic Applicants.	Bank Statement Account summary (or) Letter from the 'Bank' showing the availability of funds is sufficient. We do not need detailed transactions.
End of Requirements for Domestic Applicants.	Important Note: For International Applicants Within 45 days of first semester enrollment to the classes, applicants must submit a General Credential Evaluation of all foreign educational credentials (transcripts) directly to Chicago State University by any one of the following professional evaluation service agencies: Scholaro. Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE). World Educational Service (WES). Educational Perspective (EP). Note: Not adhering to this requirement may lead to a registration hold for subsequent terms and could potentially result in the cancellation of your university admission.

Contact Information & Hours of Operation

Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at (773) 995-2404 or by email: grad-admissions@csu.edu if you have any questions
Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM CST.
Office Address:

Office of Graduate & Professional Studies,

9501 S. King Dr., ADM 129

Chicago, IL 60628