Application Process

The College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation actively seeks individuals with an undergraduate degree and diverse life experiences who desire to become occupational therapists.

To be considered, an applicant must:

• Submit a properly completed application to the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). Detailed instructions regarding the completion of the application and the essay are provided on the OTCAS website.
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (or currently attending) directly to OTCAS. Transcripts marked "Issued to Student" will not be accepted.
• Complete a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, prior to enrollment. It is highly recommended that an applicant has a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students with less than a 3.0 GPA should consult the Admissions Office prior to applying.
• Complete admissions prerequisites at the college level with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
• In order to submit the OTCAS application, please identify three letter evaluators. A minimum of one letter of evaluation is required for admission into the Salus MSOT program. This letter must come from a person with authority (i.e. licensed Occupational Therapist, teaching faculty or work supervisor) regarding your work, professionalism and/or assessing your qualifications for graduate education, ability to complete graduate work and qualifications for a professional scholarly career. Three letters of evaluation are encouraged.
• Acquire a minimum of 8 hours of observation with a licensed occupational therapist(s); 30 hours total are strongly recommended. Observation in both pediatric and adult settings is encouraged (may be volunteer and/or employment). Observation hours may be accrued virtually.
• Optional: Submit Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score results.
  • If you choose, you may submit GRE results directly to OTCAS (Designated Institution code is 1999). 
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• Candidates from an affiliated institution applying to the 4+2 BS/MSOT program, please review any additional requirements and deadlines.
• International Students, please review any additional requirements below.
• All credentials submitted on behalf of an applicant become a part of that applicant’s file with the University and cannot be returned.
• Students will be required to meet University compliance requirements upon matriculation.

Prerequisites

The required course work listed below must be completed at the college level with a grade of 'C' or better. An applicant need not have completed all prerequisites prior to filing an application, but must be able to complete all outstanding prerequisites prior to enrollment.

Credit by examination (such as AP credits) is permitted for any prerequisites needed to apply for the occupational therapy program except for the Anatomy and Physiology requirements. Anatomy and Physiology course work is required to be completed in-person; if in-person is unattainable, please contact Admissions for further review. No credit is given for experiential learning.

A total of at least 18 semester credits are required in the following areas:

• **Anatomy and Physiology 1 with lab (or Anatomy with lab)
• **Anatomy and Physiology 2 with lab (or Physiology with lab)
• Statistics (Psychology- or Sociology-based course recommended)
• Abnormal Psychology
• Development or Lifespan Psychology
• Sociology (or Anthropology/Cultural Anthropology)

**Anatomy and Physiology course work completed within an Exercise Science or Kinesiology department will also be accepted. Similar course work may be reviewed on a case by case basis for an approved substitution.

Prerequisite credits completed ten or more years prior to the anticipated entrance date will be reviewed for approval on an individual basis.

International Transcripts

For applicants who have attended foreign and French-Canadian schools, please provide the Office of Admissions with the following information:

• A course-by-course credential review from an NACES recognized agency (such as World Education Services), which evidences all post-secondary studies completed. Please consult agency’s web site for requirements to complete the evaluation.
• An official evaluation may be sent from the agency directly to OTCAS.
  • Instructions for submitting a foreign credential evaluation.

English Language Proficiency

Fluency in written and spoken English is essential for success in a Salus University academic program as well as to help ensure patient/client/student safety and/or effective communication with members of a healthcare or education team.

Official results from the TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS or DuoLingo examination are required of all non-native English speakers. One of these approved exams must be taken within two years prior to the start date of the entering class to which an applicant seeks admission.

While we recommend that applicants submit TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS or DuoLingo, exceptions will be considered for foreign applicants who meet one of the following criteria*:

1. successfully completed a degree or diploma held from an accredited, post-secondary institution where the coursework was entirely in English, and provide evidence that it was conducted in English; or
2. successfully completed, and provide evidence of, an approved English language learner’s program

*Note: All exemption materials and other appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and subject to the admission committee’s final discretion. Should any exceptions not be accepted toward the English language requirement, the Office of Admissions will inform the applicant of an alternative to fulfill it.

The Admissions Committee has established policies that include the selection of applicants best qualified to serve the public and the profession in the years to come. Many factors are considered in selecting students for our program, including:

• academic performance
• motivation
• extracurricular activities and interests
• related and unrelated work experience
• personal achievements
• essays
• letters of evaluation
• communication skills, including a demonstrated command of the English language, both written and oral

When evaluating academic performance, the applicant’s overall grade point average, the grade point average of the last 60 hours of academic coursework, performance in prerequisite courses, number of college credits completed and degree status are taken into consideration.

Interview Process

Individuals successfully meeting the required admissions selection criteria may receive an invitation to interview, which provides further insight into the applicant’s character and motivation, and allows an applicant the opportunity to interview one-on-one with a faculty member and meet with an Admissions staff member to discuss his or her application. The applicant is given the option to tour our campus with students/admissions staff.

The interview should be conducted in a two-tier process. The first consisting of an interview conducted by a CHER faculty member, preferably from the Occupational Therapy Department. The faculty will follow a standard interview questionnaire which includes questions to assess the applicant's apparent motivation, career awareness, personal characteristics and communication skills. During the interview, the faculty will not have access to the candidate's file, thus minimizing potential bias and allowing the interviewer to holistically assess the candidate. The faculty interviewer will submit an individual interview summary report to the Admissions Committee.

The second tier of the interview process includes an "Admissions File Review" with a member of the admissions staff. The admission staff member will have the candidate's file and will discuss items which will assist the Admissions Committee in reaching a final decision. The purpose of the Admissions File Review is to verify that admissions requirements have been met, review any questions related directly to the application as well as provide the committee with additional insight to the candidate’s personal characteristics and communication skills. It also provides the candidate with the ability to discuss any questions or concerns about the faculty interview and/or the admissions process. The admissions staff person will submit a written summary of the file review to the Admissions Committee.

After the interview, the applicant file is presented to the Admissions Committee and a decision is rendered. The applicant will be notified of this decision by the Office of Admissions within two to three weeks after the interview.

Notification of Acceptance and Matriculation Fee

An applicant may be notified of his or her acceptance as early as October, prior to the desired year of enrollment. Upon receipt of acceptance, an applicant is required to pay a $1,000 matriculation fee to the University prior to the start of classes, payable as follows:

• Return the matriculation form along with a $250 deposit within 14 days of the date of the acceptance letter.
• The balance of $750 for the matriculation fee is due April 1.
• If accepted after April 1, the offer of acceptance will detail payment requirements.
• All monies received above are non-refundable and will be applied toward first term fees.

Students will be required to meet University compliance requirements upon matriculation.

Advanced Standing or Transfer Credit

As per the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation policy, credit by transfer may be accepted for any course within the curriculum when it is determined that the transfer course is substantially equivalent to that offered by the College and OT program. This equivalency will be determined by the course instructor and the program director. Only courses in which the student receives a grade of ‘B’ or above will be considered for transfer. The maximum number of semester hour credits a student may earn by transfer is six (6) semester hour credits. No credit is given for experiential learning.

Deferment of Admission

An accepted student with an unforeseen, extenuating circumstance prohibiting them from matriculating may request a deferment of admission in writing. The request must be directed to both the Dean of Student Affairs and the OT Program Director, and made via the Office of Admissions.

For deferment consideration, the following is required:

• A deferment request submitted in writing by May 15, before the August start of the academic year. Please note, submission of a deferral request by the deadline does not guarantee approval.
• Official documentation verifying the extenuating circumstance.
• All non-refundable deposit fees and the matriculation supplement must be received (as directed in the University’s official Letter of Acceptance.)

If deferment is approved:

• Admission will be extended to August matriculation of the next academic year.
• A deferment will not extend beyond one admission cycle.
• The student must contact the Office of Admissions, in writing, by April 1st of the deferred admission calendar year regarding his/her intention to resume enrollment.
• The student will be required to meet with a member of the Admissions Committee prior to matriculation.

If a deferral request is denied:

• A student has the option to withdraw acceptance from the Program, or reapply through OTCAS for future admission.

For questions regarding this policy, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@salus.edu.

Policies and Procedures

Enrolled students who withdraw or are dismissed from the University will be responsible for the payment of tuition in accordance with the institutional refund schedule.

• University Policies
• Refund Policy

Technology Requirements

The Occupational Therapy Program has requested that students utilize laptop computers that meet certain technical capabilities for use throughout the duration of the program. These devices are required to ensure each student’s ability to access educational websites/databases/software during the didactic and clinical year. For example, students will need laptops for testing, to access evidence-based websites, Blackboard for course access, e-books and designated course materials during the didactic and clinical year. Students are responsible for the maintenance of their personal computers.

Details on specific Computer Requirements (PDF).