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Admissions

Students who hold Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least at 3.0 on a 4.0 scale may apply to the OTD program permitting the prerequisite courses are completed prior to beginning the graduate level coursework. Students will not be required to submit GRE scores for the upcoming 2024 term. GPAs will be calculated by OTCAS. All undergraduate and graduate course work is included in cumulative grade point average calculations.

Completion of required prerequisites with a GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. No more than two (2) prerequisites may remain outstanding by deadline of November 10, 2023, with verified enrollment in outstanding coursework. In addition, any outstanding prerequisite must be completed prior to matriculation into the program.

Prerequisite coursework requirements:

• Human Anatomy with lab required
• Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology
• Human Physiology (with lab preferred)
• Life Span/Human Growth and Development
• Statistics  (must include inferential)
• Introductory Psychology
• Introductory Sociology or Introductory Anthropology
• Medical Terminology
• Introductory Physics OR Physical Science/Biomechanics/Kinesiology

All prerequisite courses must be a minimum of 3 credit hours with the exception of Medical Terminology, which is a minimum 1 credit hour. Coursework must be completed with a grade of ‘C’ or higher. All science courses must be at a level for science majors and should include a lab. 

Retaking Prerequisite Courses: Students are approved to retake up to 15 credit hours of prerequisite courses. The higher letter grade will be used to calculate the prerequisite GPA. Cumulative GPA will include all prerequisite courses completed.

These courses are available at the undergraduate level at ̽»¨×å and are outlined in detail within the program flyer. 

Additional application requirements

In addition to the prerequisite coursework, applicants must also complete a minimum of 30 hours of observation with an occupational therapist. The 30 hour total must be completed in two (2) different settings (hospital, school system, home health, clinic, etc.). Use the JU OTD observation form to document your work. Students in the program must complete all Level II fieldwork and experiential requirements within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. 

International Applicants must meet all ̽»¨×å International Student Admission Criteria as outlined in the JU Catalog, including English Proficiency including TOEFL (minimum score of 650 for paper, 280 for computer, and 114 if Internet based) or IELTS requirement of 8.0 if the applicant's primary language is not English.

The admissions process for the OTD program includes the use of a rubric. The rubric categories include a cumulative grade point average (CGPA), prerequisite coursework grade point average (GPA), and an in-person interview consisting of a faculty member and practitioner pair. The review committee consists of full-time OTD faculty members, all of whom are doctorally prepared with decades of experience within the occupational therapy field.

Title IX: ̽»¨×å does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or age in its programs and activities. The following person(s) has/have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Allana Forte, Director Human Resources    904-256-7025
Kristie S. Gover, Ed.D., Chief Student Affairs Officer/Title IX Coordinator   904-256-706

How to Apply

̽»¨×å requires applicants to submit an application through the OTCAS portal. Applicants do not need to complete a separate JU application. Applications are accepted beginning July 21, 2023 through April 15, 2024, with a priority deadline of November 10, 2023. Applications received by the priority deadline will have an interview decision released by mid-November and scheduled for December 2, 2023. Priority admission offers will be released in early December. Applications received after the priority deadline will be scheduled fr interviews and receive admissions decisions later in the Spring. The top 75 applicants will be offered an opportunity to interview determined at the time of application deadline based on overall cumulative GPA and prerequisite GPA. The final admission ranking will incorporate an interview score and applicants will be re-ranked with offers for admission extended to the top 28 applicants.

Application Opens: July 21, 2023

Priority Deadline: November 10, 2023, with interview date scheduled for Saturday, December 2, 2023

Second Round Deadline: January 1, 2024 with interview date scheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024*

Final Deadline: March 1, 2024 with interview date scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2024*

*Depending on the number of applicants, a rolling interview schedule may be implemented (by appointment).

A career as an Occupational Therapist involves working with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, and ability levels, as well as handling confidential information. In an effort to ensure that the profession is made up of individuals of integrity, those applying for certification as an OT must answer questions regarding their criminal background. A history of offenses may impact your ability to become certified in the future.  Additionally, as a student, offenses may also inhibit your ability to complete the necessary practicum hours to graduate. All students accepted into ̽»¨×å’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program must successfully complete an unencumbered background check and drug screening. Offenses listed on a background check may result in your offer of acceptance being revoked. 

For questions regarding pre-requisite equivalencies, please complete the Pre-Requisite Course Completion Form and send the completed document to twhite19@ju.edu.

Class profiles

View the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) admission profile for the class of 2021.

View the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) admission profile for the class of 2022.