Admissions
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Apply Now(link is external and opens in a new window)
Applications may be submitted by any licensed occupational therapist who has earned a master's degree from a college or university that is accredited by a United States Department of Education Regional Accreditation Agency. If you are completing your entry-level master's degree from a properly accredited OT program, you may also apply. If accepted into the OTD program, you must earn your NBCOT certification along with your state license by the end of your first semester of study in our program.
Our application is available via Qualtrics and includes the following items:
- A resume/CV
- One essay, four to five pages in length, double spaced.
- Three completed reference forms, submitted electronically to otadmissions@cumc.columbia(link sends e-mail) by your referees.
- Unofficial transcript(s) from all colleges and universities from which you have received a degree. Official transcripts will be required after admission is granted.
- Upon submission of the application online, contact the Admissions Office (see information below) to schedule a required interview. The review of your application will not commence until this step has been completed.
Applicants who have earned their MS degree in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University within 10 years of this application, or who are currently completing their MS degree in OT from Columbia do not need to submit references or transcripts in order to apply.
If you are an international student whose native language is not English and your post-secondary schooling was not completed in English (undergraduate or graduate), you will need to take and submit your results from either the TOEFL or the ITELTS. For the TOEFL, we require a minimum iBT score of 100. For the IELTS, we require a minimum score of 8.
The online application and additional materials will be considered on a rolling basis. Please note: your application will not be reviewed until it is complete. It is in your best interest to submit all materials as early as possible.
For inquiries about the Post-Professional OTD program, contact otadmissions@cumc.columbia.edu(link sends e-mail).