Admissions

You must complete at minimum a four-year undergraduate degree, or its academic equivalent in any discipline from an academic institution recognized by the University of Alberta (ie, BA, BSc, BCom, BEd, BPE, BFA, etc).

You may apply before their degree is complete. However, the degree requirements must be completed and official grades appear on a transcript by June 30 of the admission year in order to be eligible for admission.

Note: Diploma and/or certificate programs are not accepted and courses are not included in GPA calculations.

The minimum GPA for any graduate program at the University of Alberta is a 3.0 on the 4 point scale (75% or grade of B) on the most recent 60 credits (20 courses) of study, including Spring/Summer terms, exchange programs, etc.

Admission to our program is extremely competitive. Applicants should present at least a 3.4 GPA (80%, B+) average on the most recent 60 credits (20 courses) of coursework to be considered for admission.

Note: Meeting the competitive admission GPA in a particular year does NOT guarantee admission

More Information

Regarding GPA calculation, courses included/excluded from the GPA calculation, and cut off GPA scores for the last two admission cycles.

FAQ's

You must complete an approved Statistics and Human Anatomy, minimum 3 credit course within 10 years of the term in which you are applying.

Prerequisite courses that are older than 10 years will NOT be accepted.

Statistics

As a minimum, the course needs to cover:

• Quantitative data collection
• Descriptive statistics
• Probability distributions
• Sampling distributions and the central limit theorem
• Interval estimation and hypothesis testing
• Introduce types of analysis such as
  • Correlations and regression analysis
  • Goodness of fit
  • Contingency tables
  • Analyses of variance

An "Intro Stat" or other general quantitative stats course that covers the topics above may fulfill this requirement.

Approved Statistics Courses (PDF)

Human Anatomy

As a minimum, the course needs to cover the gross and microscopic anatomy of the tissues, organs and organ systems of the entire human body, with emphasis on the relationships, interactions and functions of major structures. Most "Intro to Human Anatomy" courses fulfill this requirement. Physiology courses do NOT fulfill the requirement.

If the course is 6 credit Human Anatomy/ Physiology at least 3 credits needs to be pure anatomy.

Approved Human Anatomy Courses (PDF)

Online Prerequisite Courses at U of A

The department of Physical Therapy at the University of Alberta offers an online Anatomy course PTHER 350 and Statistics PTHER 352 course that meet the Occupational Therapy department's prerequisite requirements.

Note: PTHER 351 does NOT meet our Anatomy requirements.

Online Prerequisite Courses

Prerequisite Approval

If the prerequisite course(s) you've taken don't appear on the lists provided, they must be approved by the department BEFORE the application deadline of January 31. This applies to both International and domestic applicants.

To have a course approved send the course name/number, institution name and course outline/syllabus to mscot@ualberta.ca.

Note: Course outlines/syllabus must be submitted, calendar descriptions of courses are NOT accepted.

NOTE: The department of OT can not assist in registration of prerequisite courses. Please contact the university registrar or department that offers the courses directly for registration assistance.

Applying Before Prerequisite is Completed

You may apply to the program without completing one or both of the prerequisite courses. You must:

1. Upload your transcript into your application before January 31 showing you're enrolled in a approved course(s).
2. Email an official copy of the transcript(s) to mscot@ualberta.ca by June 30 showing that you have successfully completed the course(s).
3. If you don't email official transcripts with final grades to the department by June 30 your application will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission.

• The Department Checklist form is in the online application system under the header Documents.
• This form provides in-depth information to help you complete the online application
• All applicants are required to download and read this form as soon as they create an online application
• You must complete this form and upload it into your online application under any one of the four department check items by the January 31 deadline
• Applications that are missing this form will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission

Note: You're not able to access the Department Checklist form after you have submitted and paid for your application. It's imperative to downloaded before the application is submitted.

You must upload a CV, or Resume to your online application by the January 31 application deadline. Applications that are missing a CV, or Resume will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission.

Note: You may format and/or organize their CV, or Resume as you see fit.

Transcript Requirements

Transcripts must meet the requirements listed on the Application Requirements for Academic Documents.

You must provide one set of official transcripts in PDF format from each University, college, technical institute, etc, ever attended or are currently attending. This includes:

• Transfer
• Exchange
• Graduate level
• Part-time
• Distance programs
• General interest courses
• Spring/summer sessions, even if you may or may not have received transfer credit at another institution

You must list each institution separately under the education section of your application, then scan and upload transcripts (front and back pages) to your application by the January 31 deadline.

You must upload all admission documents including transcripts in to your application by the January 31 deadline.

• The department will not upload any admission documents into the application on behalf of a applicant
• Transcripts that are faxed, mailed or emailed to the department by you or your University will not be accepted
• Upon admission to the program, you'll be provided information as to when, and how to submit official sealed transcripts (if required)
• Failure to list and provide complete transcripts from all institutions you attended on the application may be considered an intentional omission and will lead to the cancellation of your application for admission, or withdrawal of your offer of admission
• Transcripts can't be older than one year from the date of applications
  • It's important that you request transcripts before the deadline
• Photos of documents are not acceptable

Requesting Transcripts

• You can request PDF transcripts from your Post Secondary institution be sent to you by email
  • Upload these transcripts to your application
  • Uploaded PDF transcripts can not be password protected
• If PDF transcripts are not available from your university you may request sealed transcripts be mailed to you
  • Once you receive your paper transcripts you may break the seal and open the envelopes
  • Scan the transcripts (front and back pages) into a PDF file and upload it to your application

Apply During Fall Term

You may begin your application while taking fall term courses.

• Upload an official transcript showing all fall term grades to the online application system by the January 31 deadline
• If transcripts showing all fall term grades are not uploaded to the application system by the January 31 application deadline the application will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission
• Instructions on applying with outstanding grades can be found in the Department Checklist document that applicants must download from the application system

Apply During Winter Term

If at the time of application you are registered in any winter term courses (prerequisites included), or will not convocate by the January 31 application deadline.

• Upload an official transcript(s) in PDF format to the online application system indicating registration in the winter term course(s) by January 31
• Email a final transcript(s) PDF to mscot@ualberta.ca by June 30.  Transcripts must show all final course grades, state that degree requirements have been met, and show the date of convocation
• If the course(s), degree, and convocation are not completed, or transcripts are not received by email by June 30 the application will be considered incomplete and not reviewed for admission

NOTE: If you have not convocated at the time of applying the Degree certificate field can be left blank on the application.

Applicants No Longer Attending Post-secondary Institutions

Upload all transcripts in PDF format as soon as possible after starting an application.

University of Alberta Past/Present Students

• Submit one unofficial (from BearTracks), or official U of A transcript in PDF
• Transcripts from all other-post secondary institutions ever attended must also be submitted even though you may have received transfer credit at the U of A

Referee Requirements 

**This requirement has been waived for the 2024 admission cycle**

This requirement has been waived for the 2024 admission cycle and will be removed for 2025 admissions.

To be fair to all applicants any reference letters that are submitted will NOT be reviewed.

You must complete a situational judgements exam offered by CASPer testing. CASPer testing is external to the University of Alberta, and testing results are sent directly to the department from CASPer.

Applicants with incomplete or missing CASPer scores will not be considered for admission.

Book Online

Any questions regarding the CASPer exam must be directed to CASPer directly.

Casper Snapshot

Acuity Insights has released Casper Snapshot, an extension of the Casper Test to help aid in the admissions process. Although our program will NOT be requiring applicants to complete Snapshot for this admissions cycle, you may wish to do its one-time completion, as it would provide the Admissions Committee with more information in their decision making as well as other programs you are applying to may require it. 

Statement of Interest

• The statement of interest is part of the Admission Selection Questionnaire which is completed using a Google form.
• This form can be accessed by downloading the Department Checklist document from the GSMS application system under the Documents tab.

Prerequisites

• International applicants must ensure their prerequisite statistics and human anatomy courses, are acceptable to fulfill the requirements before the application deadline of January 31
• You must email official course outlines/syllabus to mscot@ualberta.ca before the January 31st application deadline for review
• Official course outlines must include
  • Institutions name
  • Course name
  • Marking scheme
  • Credit or hour requirement
  • A description of the topics covered
• If this requirement is not met courses can't be reviewed

Degree equivalences

Since degrees vary greatly from institutions and countries, the University of Alberta will examine course content to establish equivalences to a University of Alberta baccalaureate degree.

Although you may present the minimum academic and prerequisite course requirements to be considered for admission, all applicants must well exceed the minimum requirements to be considered for admission. A competitive application doesn't guarantee admission into the program.

Minimum Academic Requirements

Documents Requirements 

• Official transcripts, or marksheets in both the original language and an official, English translation from each institution attended
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the Application Requirements for Academic Documents 
• Official copy of degree certificate and English translation is required if the degree awarded does not appear on the official transcript
• Original English language test scoresheet (TOEFL, TSE, IELTS) is required
• Course outline/syllabus of both the statistics and human anatomy courses that will be used to fulfill the prerequisite course requirements must be submitted prior to the January 31 deadline to ensure that requirements are fulfilled
• World Education Services (WES) evaluations are NOT accepted

English Language Proficiency Requirement

English is the primary language of instruction at the University of Alberta and all applicants must be very proficient in written and spoken English. Our Occupational Therapy courses are very comprehensive and therefore you need to have a very good command of the English language. Students MUST be fluent English-language speakers to be able to successfully complete fieldwork placements.

English Language Proficiency Exams

If you completed your degree in a country or University listed on the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Exemptions list you will not have to provide a English Language test.

Applicants with degrees/qualifications in a language other than English, or from a country where English is not the primary language may need to demonstrate English Language Proficiency through one of the following exams. These scores are the minimum requirement to apply, successful applicants present much higher, competitive scores.

As per the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Graduate Manual, a test of English Language must have been completed in the last two years. Test that are older than two years will not be accepted.

• TOEFL
  • Minimum overall score of 100
  • Minimum score of 25 on each of the individual skill areas
• IELTS
  • (Academic) minimum overall band score of 7.5
  • With at least 7.0 on each band
• PTE
  • (Academic) overall minimum score of 61
  • Minimum band score of 60