Admissions FAQs
Q: Is the admissions deadline a rolling deadline?
We offer an early decision option. Applications submitted by September 15 will be considered for the first round of interviews in December. The deadline for the regular decision option is December 14 for admission interviews in February.
Q: What is the timeline for interviews and application decisions?
To be considered for early decision, candidates must submit their application materials by September 15th. In mid-November, the most competitive candidates from the early decision application cohort will be invited to participate in an interview hosted on the Kira Talent platform. Kira Talent interviews are done in an asynchronous format, so you can complete your interview on your own schedule. Admissions decisions will be made before the semester winter break. To be considered for regular decision, candidates must submit their application materials by December 7th. In mid-January, the most competitive candidates from the regular decision application cohort will be invited to participate in an interview. Admissions decisions will be made by mid-March.
Q: Is a bachelor’s degree required for admissions?
Yes, a bachelor’s degree in any field besides occupational therapy is required.
Q: May I still have prerequisite courses in progress at the time of application?
Yes, you may still have prerequisite courses in progress when you apply, but all courses must be completed prior to the program start in Fall/September.
Q: How do I verify that a course I took fulfills a prerequisite?
If you are unsure whether a course fulfills a particular requirement, you can email ot@bu.edu with the course title and course description from the institution where you took the course. Additional information, such as course syllabi, may be requested. The Entry-level OTD Admissions Committee will then review the course and provide a decision via email within two weeks. If a pre-approval or waiver is granted by the Entry-level OTD Admissions Committee, please keep written confirmation for your records. Due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we are unfortunately unable to review full transcripts for prerequisite courses.
Q: May I take the prerequisite courses at a community college or online?
Yes, community college and online course credit from an accredited institution are acceptable.
Q: What are the GRE requirements?
GRE scores are not required for admission to the Entry-Level OTD program. Any GRE scores received by the program will not be considered by the admissions committee.
Q: What is the minimum GPA for the program?
The minimum GPA for acceptance into the program is a 3.0.
Q: Where can I find information on tuition and financial aid?
Please visit the entry-level OTD Tuition and BU Sargent Graduate Financial Aid webpages for more information. Sargent’s Assistant Director of Graduate Financial Aid Janet Turner can assist you in exploring additional financing options.
Q: How can I schedule a visit with the Entry-level OTD program?
We highly recommend attending one of our Information Sessions, which you can find on the Admissions Events & Webinars page. If you are unable to attend an info session, feel free to reach out to the department at ot@bu.edu to schedule a tour.
Q: Do you accept transfer students or credits?
Unfortunately, we do not accept transfer students into the program or transfer credits.
Learn More
- Faculty: review a list of our OT faculty and their expertise.
- Tour: please download a Tour of Boston University Sargent College highlighting rooms of special interest to Occupational Therapy.
- Email a Student: current OT students work in the Goode OT Resource Room during the academic year and serve as our Admissions Ambassadors, answering questions about the Boston University curriculum, OT student experience, student life, and living in Boston. If you are unable to attend an Entry-Level OTD Information Session, students may be able to arrange a visit and meet with you. Email questions to OTinfo@bu.edu (available Sept to April).
- Tuition and Financial Aid: please visit the entry-level OTD Tuition and BU Sargent Graduate Financial Aid pages for more information. Sargent’s Assistant Director of Graduate Financial Aid Jasmine Samuels can assist you in exploring additional financing options.
- Summer hours for the Boston University OT Office: If you plan to visit Boston University in the summer, please contact the OT Office (OT@bu.edu) to make an appointment.