FAQs

What was the final admission GPA in the last 2 years?

The first round admission GPA cutoff for 2022 and 2023 was 3.7. The final admission GPA each year varies depending on the number of applications we receive and the quality of the applicant pool, but seems to be increasing slightly each year. Applicants should only apply if they present a GPA of at least 3.4 (80%; B+) in their last 2 years of study. Also note that meeting the competitive admission GPA in a particular year does NOT guarantee admission - all aspects of the application are reviewed to ensure a proper fit with the program and the OT profession.

How will Winter 2020 grades impact my GPA calculation?
  • For information about how Winter 2020 grades and credits will effect GPA calculations please consult the official U of A policy.
  • If prerequisite courses, i.e., approved human anatomy and statistics courses, were taken in Winter 2020 a grade of credit will be accepted as a passing grade to meet the prerequisite course requirement.
Are there any prerequisites?

Yes, you need to complete the following prerequisite courses within 10 years of the date of application:

  • Statistics (3 credits/one term) General introductory course covering basic statistical concepts.
  • Human Anatomy (min. 3 credits/one term) General introductory course covering basic human anatomy.

At minimum applicants need to have achieved a passing grade in each course to meet the requirements.

Prerequisite grades are only included in the 60 credit GPA calculation if they fall in the most recent 60 credits.

I am not sure that a particular course is a match for your statistics and/or anatomy prerequisite. How can I find out?

Send an email with the course name/number, outline/syllabus and name of university/college to mscot@ualberta.ca

Course outlines/syllabus must be submitted, calendar descriptions of courses are not accepted.

How long is the program?
The program is approximately 26 months long and involves approximately 30 courses and 28 weeks of clinical placement. Academic and clinical courses are held throughout the calendar year.
How is my GPA calculated?

To determine the GPA we count back chronologically starting from the most recent, applicable 60 credits completed by January 1st of the admission year until we hit 60 credits. Courses taken in Spring/Summer terms, exchange programs and graduate programs are counted in the GPA. When counting back if the last semester credits total more than 60 all credits will be used in the calculation. We do not pick and choose which courses to use or average the semester to equal 60 credits.

Certificate-level and Diploma-level courses, activity courses in phys. ed, studio/performance courses in fine arts, practicum courses, pass/fail courses and seminar/research/thesis courses are not included in the calculation of the admission GPA. Repeated courses, or courses of repeated content of previously passed or failed courses are not included in the calculation. If applying with any courses listed as in progress after January 1st (winter term) of the year of admission they will not be calculated in the GPA calculation.

If taking course(s) outside of a degree (ie, special student, open studies) the course(s) must transfer to the U of A at a 200 level or higher. 100 level U of A or transfer credit courses will NOT be counted in GPA calculations if taken outside of a degree. Courses taken within Alberta can be checked using the Alberta Transfer guide.

How many students are accepted each year?
Admission is limited to 145 students annually. 25 of those spaces are reserved for Saskatchewan residents. 32 of those spaces are at our Calgary satellite program. 16 of those spaces are at our Augustana satellite program. 97 spaces are at our Edmonton campus.
How many applications are submitted each year?

We receive close to 600 applications each year.

If I fulfill the minimum requirements and GPA cutoff, what are my chances of admission?
Fulfilling the minimum criteria and GPA cut off only guarantees consideration for admission.  All applicants meeting the application requirements are considered based upon GPA, a history of academic success and strong supporting documents. Successful applicants tend to significantly exceed the admission criteria both quantitatively and qualitatively. Applicants should only apply if they present a GPA of at least 3.4.
Is any volunteer or work experience required?

No work or volunteer experience is required, though it may strengthen your application.

When is the application form deadline?
The application deadline is January 31 11:59 pm MST of the admission year. The application database closes automatically after this date and no applications, or admission documents can be submitted. Applications missing any admission documents will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission.
How do I submit my application?

To be able to submit an application, applicants are required to enter their personal information, complete educational history and upload transcripts.

All other supporting documents (CV, updated transcripts, department checklist, English language tests) can continue to be uploaded into the application AFTER it has been submitted up to the January 31st application deadline.

To submit an application applicants must sign a declaration stating that all information provided is true. Once this declaration is signed and the application is submitted applicants can not make any changes to their personal information, or educational history. This information must be correctly entered BEFORE the application is submitted. Failure to list, and provide transcripts for all academic institutions ever attended may be considered an intentional omission and will lead to the cancellation of your application for admission, or withdrawal of your offer of admission. See the Application Requirements for Academic Documents webpage for additional document information.

For instructions regarding applying while still completing a degree, or taking courses see the Transcripts heading on the Admissions webpage. Applicants can also consult the Department Checklist document that is available for download from the Documents section of the online application.

Once an applicant has signed the declaration, paid the application fee and hit submit their application has officially been submitted to the department. It is then the student's responsibility to ensure all supporting documents have been uploaded to their application. To submit documents after the application has been completed applicants must log into the application system under Submitted Applications. If applicants do not log in under Submitted Applications they will not be able to upload documents, see their Application ID or Student ID number.

Where do I upload my Statement of Interest, Resume/CV, and Department Checklist

The CV/Resume and the Department Checklist can be uploaded to any one of the 4 Department Check spots on the application. Two spots will remain blank as CASPer results are sent directly to the department.  Applicants will not upload any documents related to the CASPer exam.

The Statement of Interest is completed as part of the Admissions Selection Questionnaire which is completed using a Google form. This form is NOT uploaded to the GSMS application system.

My application shows several action required items. What do I do?

After submitting an application applicants may see several required action items. These items will most likely pertain to the following application items:

  • Transcript/Marksheet English Translation
  • Degree Certificate Original Language
  • Degree Certificate English Translation

If an applicant completed their degree at a North American University, their degree completion and/or date of confirmation is stated on their transcript, and the mode of instruction was English, or they have not convocate at the time of application they will not be required to upload any of the documents referenced above. These fields can remain blank.

If an applicant completed their degree outside of North America, or in a language other than English they will be required to provide all documents listed.

Applicants will also have two required action item in the Department Check section. Applicants are required to upload their CV and Department Checklist document to any one of the four spots listed. Two spots will remain empty. CASPer results are sent directly to the department, and the Statement of Interest is completed using a google form and is NOT uploaded to the application system.

For a complete list of all required documents consult the Admissions section of our website, or see the FAQ section header "What documents are required by the January 31st deadline?"

How do I complete the Statement of Interest?

The Statement of Interest is part of the Admission Selection Questionnaire/ASRQ which is a mandatory Google questionnaire that all applicants are required to fill out as part of the admission process. 

A link to the Admission Selection Questionnaire/ASRQ can be found in the Department Checklist document that should be downloaded from the GSMS application system as soon as the application is created from the Documents tab.

Once the Admissions Selection Questionnaire/ASRQ is submitted the answers are recorded and applicants do not need to upload anything to the GSMS application system. Applicants that do not complete the Admission Selection Questionnaire/ASRQ will have their application considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission.

What documents are required by the January 31st deadline?

Applicants CV, Statement of Purpose, Department Checklist, Transcripts, if applicable test of English language must be uploaded to the online application by January 31st. No hard copies of documents are accepted.

Applicants must also complete the CASPer exam BEFORE the January 31st application deadline. For CASPer information see the FAQ heading "Where can I find more information about the CASPer testing application requirement?"

The January 31 application/document deadline is firm with no exceptions.  Applications missing any required documents will not be reviewed for admission.

Is there an application fee, and if so, how do I pay it?

Yes, there is a nonrefundable application fee of $135. You must pay it by credit card just prior to the final submission of your online application form.

The department does not have access to a application or any supporting documents until the applicant has paid the $135 fee and submitted their application. Once a application is paid for and submitted applicants have until the January 31 deadline to upload all supporting documents.

What if my first language is not English?

Applicants with degrees/qualifications in a language other than English may need to demonstrate English Language Proficiency through one of the following exam scores:

  • TOEFL: a minimum overall score of 90, with a minimum score of 21 on each of the individual skill areas
  • MELAB: minimum score of 85, with a minimum band score of 80, and a minimum score of 3 on the speaking component
  • IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 on each band
  • CAEL: overall minimum score of 70, with at least 60 on each subtest
  • PTE (Academic): overall minimum score of 61, and a minimum band score of 60

ELP test scores that are more than 2 years old at the time of application will not be accepted.

Do international (visa) students pay more tuition fees?

A differential fee of 100% of all instructional fees is assessed to students who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

When should I apply?

The online application system opens from November 1 until January 31, 11:59 pm MST.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to start their application early, and to thoroughly read all application information on our website and the department checklist document BEFORE starting their application. Applicants who start their application close to the January 31st deadline may not have time to complete the CASPer exam, obtain appropriate transcripts, have prerequisite courses approved, or have any questions or technical issues answered/resolved by the due date. All emails sent to the department/ through GSMS, will only be responded to during normal business hours.

The admission requirements and deadlines are firm with NO exceptions. We will not grant extensions because applicants started or submitted their applications without sufficient time to complete all requirements by the due date. To be fair to all applicants any applications missing required documents will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission.

Is there a residency requirement?
Yes, preference will be given to Alberta residents. A minimum of 15% of seats will be offered to out-of-province or foreign applicants. 25 spaces are reserved for residents of Saskatchewan.
What are the tuition fees?

Total U of A tuition and non-instructional program cost for domestic students is approximately $30,145.71. Total tuition costs for international students are approximately $57,045.60 (this does not include non-instructional fees). 

** Estimated fees do not include textbooks, living expenses, etc.

For more information about U of A graduate fees see the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research website.

Why is the admission GPA weighed so heavily in the admission review?

Our program is academically challenging and very intensive and we want to ensure success in our program. Work experience, etc. are certainly reviewed to ensure an applicant's proper fit with the program, but a strong history of academic success is very important.

I applied but my GPA was not competitive. What should I do?

Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply in subsequent years once they have completed more coursework. Any courses taken after a degree has been granted must be 200-level (second year) or higher in order to be counted in the GPA. Graduate course work may also be used. Courses taken through Athabasca University must transfer to the University of Alberta as a 200-level course or higher in order to be used in the admission GPA after a degree has been completed. Please use the Alberta Transfer Guide for assistance.

Unsuccessful applicants may also want to consider registering in an after-degree program or another course-based Master's program. That way, if unsuccessful in gaining admission in subsequent years, the applicant will be on their way to obtaining another credential rather than simply a random collection of coursework.

The following courses are not included in the GPA calculation. Activity courses in phys. ed, studio/performance courses in fine arts, practicum courses, pass/fail courses and seminar/research/thesis courses are not included in the calculation of the admission GPA. Repeated courses of previously passed or failed courses are not included in the calculation. If applying with any courses listed as in progress after January 1st (winter term) of the year of admission they will not be calculated in the GPA calculation.

The OT program is considered a Professional Program. What does that mean?

The program is an intensive, graduate level program requiring independent thinking and initiative. Although it is a course-based program, occasionally some learning opportunities and course-related content are offered outside of the traditional classroom setting. Students are expected to be available and attend all portions of the program which can include seminars or lectures by guest speakers, site visits, etc. even during evenings and weekends. Applicants, particularly those with families or part-time jobs should keep this in mind when considering the program.

I applied with what I thought was a competitive application, but was refused...

With over 600 applicants and only 130 available seats, admission into our program is very competitive. We receive several hundred very competitive applications each year and it is unfortunate that we have to ultimately refuse so many of them.

Due to the volume of applications and the comprehensive, academically challenging nature of the OT program, all applicants meeting the application requirements are first ranked based upon the admission GPA. We then review the entire application and select applicants who present a history of academic success and strong supporting documents.

However, while an applicant may demonstrate a competitive GPA, meeting the admission GPA in a particular year does NOT guarantee admission. All aspects of the application are reviewed to ensure a proper fit with the program and the OT profession.

Successful applicants present applications with extremely strong supporting documents that demonstrate a thorough working knowledge of the profession and a compelling desire to be an Occupational Therapist based on their personal, academic and/or professional backgrounds.

Due to the very competitive nature of admission it is strongly recommended that serious applicants apply to more than one OT school in Canada.

Are interviews part of the admission process?

The Occupational Therapy program does not conduct applicant interviews.

What transcripts are acceptable and how do I upload them?

Applicants are required to upload one transcript (front and back page) from each university, college, technical school, etc. ever attended or are currently attending. Applicants need to request a official transcript from all universities/colleges ever attended in any capacity and either have the transcript sent to you by mail, or request the university to provide you with a PDF. Applicants may open official mailed transcripts from their University and scan them into a PDF. Applicants will then upload this document to their application. All transcripts must be uploaded into a application by the January 31st deadline.

Transcripts should NOT be emailed, mailed or faxed to the department. We will not accept these transcripts or upload them to applications on behalf of a applicant. Transcripts uploaded to the application can not be password protected.  Password protected transcripts will be rejected and the application will be considered incomplete.

If you have started a application and do not have your final official transcripts you may upload unofficial transcripts so you can submit your application. These transcripts MUST be replaced with final transcripts that show all grades, all registration, and that meet the requirements listed on the Application Requirements for Academic Documents webpage.  These transcripts must be uploaded to the application by the January 31st application deadline.  Applications missing transcripts or that have transcripts that do not meet our requirements will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission.

Scanned transcripts with watermarks are acceptable and can be uploaded to the application system.

When I start an application it says I have 21 days to complete, what does this mean?

From the time an applicant starts an online application they have 21 days to enter all required information, pay the $135 application fee and submit. If the applicant does not meet this deadline their application will be deleted and they will have to start again.

Transcripts must be uploaded to the application system before applicants are able to submit and pay for their application. All other supporting documents DO NOT need to be uploaded to the application before the 21 days limit. Applicants have until the January 31 st deadline to upload all supporting documents. This includes. The Curriculum vitae/Resume,  Updated Transcripts, Department Checklist, and if applicable ELP test scores.

For instructions regarding submitting an application while still completing a degree, or taking courses see the Transcripts heading on the Admissions webpage. Applicants should also consult the Department Checklist document that should be download from the Documents section of the online application.

For details about supporting documents refer to the Application Document Requirements.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all supporting documents are uploaded to the online application by the January 31 deadline. Applications missing any documents will not be considered for admission.

Where can I find more information about the CASPer testing application requirement?

More information about CASPer testing, including information on how to book a test and testing dates, can be found on the Casper website.

As long as an applicant takes the CASPer exam on one of the dates before January 31 listed under U of A Occupational Therapy the applicant will have met our admissions deadline. Test results will be sent directly to the department.  Applicants will not upload anything related to CASPer to their application.

What is my application ID and where do I find it?

Your application ID number is not generated until AFTER you submit and pay for your online application. NOTE: it may take 24-48 hours for this number to appear in the portal.  Once you submit your application, the application ID number that starts with 17xxxxxx or 18xxxxxx and will be displayed in your Applicant portal.

To be able to apply, applicants must complete the personal information section, list all academic institutions ever attended, and upload transcripts. All other supporting documents (CV, department checklist and updated transcripts) can be uploaded AFTER the application is submitted, but must be uploaded by the January 31st deadline.

I submitted my application but am now having trouble uploading my outstanding documents.

All supporting documents (CV, updated transcripts, department checklist) can continue to be uploaded to a application until the January 31st deadline. Once an applicant has submitted and paid for their application they must now log under the Submitted Applications/GSMS Portal. If a applicant logs in under existing users they will not be able to upload documents.

Resume/CV, and Department Checklist documents should be uploaded in any one of the four Department Check items. Applicants do not need to upload any documents pertaining to the CASPer exam as results are sent directly to the department. Due to this two of the four department check spots will remain blank.

Can I defer my admission?

Students are not able to defer their admission to the following year. In cases of severe medical or significant extenuating circumstances, a deferral may be granted by the Admission Committee. For details, applicants may email mscot@ualberta.ca

How do I choose a campus?

Applicants have the opportunity to rank their campus choice (Edmonton, Calgary, or Augustana) on the Statement of Purpose/ASRQ Google form which is a required document for the online application.

Once the Statement of Purpose/ASRQ form has been submitted applicants can not make changes to their rankings.

How is Alberta residency determined?

To be considered a Alberta resident applicants need to have a valid Alberta drivers licence or ID card.

If offered admission applicants will be required to show proof of Alberta residency.

Is the OT program offered Online?
Due to the hands on nature of the program it is only offered in person, full-time at either our Edmonton, Calgary or Augustana campus.