Get the answers you’re looking for about the IU OTD program
Have questions about the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) at Indiana University? Browse the FAQs to find answers to common questions.
General
Yes. We offer individual tours of the occupational therapy facilities. Contact hprofadv@iu.edu to arrange a building tour.
We enroll 36–40 new students per year.
Students begin in the summer term. Typically, the first day is the second or third Monday in May.
The OTD program is 36 months. Students begin in May and graduate three years later in May.
Yes, you may work. However, flexibility in your work schedule is important as your school work must take priority. Some students find that they need to decrease their work schedules, especially during their first semester when they are taking Gross Anatomy.
Admissions
No. The OTD admissions committee does not give preference to any applicant type.
The IU OTD admissions committee accepts an undergraduate degree in any major from a regionally accredited institution. Completion of the prerequisite courses is also required. The most common undergraduate majors are health and exercise sciences, kinesiology, and psychology.
Applicants are not eligible to apply if they do not meet our minimum requirements, which include a 3.2 cumulative GPA and a 3.2 math and science prerequisite GPA. We do not give special consideration to the last 60 credit hours. All college coursework is factored into the cumulative GPA.
Strive to do your best while in your undergraduate program. Have a clear and concise personal statement and references who would highly recommend you for the program such as faculty members or occupational therapists. Spend time trying to observe and understand the field of occupational therapy.
The number of students invited to interview changes each cycle. The interview will include a program overview presentation, a tour of IU Indianapolis and our facilities, and an interview with faculty.
You are welcome to request feedback by contacting shhsinfo@iu.edu.
Prerequisite coursework
Yes. The OTD admissions committee accepts coursework from any regionally accredited institution.
Yes. Online courses and labs are accepted for prerequisite requirements.
Yes. Students can retake up to 15-credit hours of prerequisite coursework. The higher grade will be used to compute the prerequisite GPA, but all grades will be used to calculate the cumulative GPA.
As an applicant, you can only have one outstanding prerequisite at the time you submit your application. A prerequisite course is considered outstanding if it is incomplete and ungraded. The outstanding prerequisite can be completed in either the fall or spring semester. It will need to be completed by the time the program begins in May.
No. Transfer credit is not accepted. As a potential student, you should be aware that all courses in the program curriculum are required. There is not an option for the curriculum to be accelerated.
Financial aid and tuition
At this time, we also have an admission-based scholarship for incoming students. The recipient and dollar amount are determined by the admissions committee and awarded to an incoming student. There is no application for this scholarship. For students looking for financial aid, we encourage you to fill out the FAFSA. Most students utilize federal student loans.
No graduate assistantships are available for the IU OTD program.