Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Department of Occupational Therapy

Application Materials

The following materials should be included with your application. Please contact Jill Rocca if you have any questions about the application process for any of our programs.

Entry-Level Doctoral Program

Tufts entry-level doctoral program occupational therapy is designed for students who have received a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a discipline other than OT. Our curriculum prepares you for the national certification exam and practice as an OT. The following materials should be included with your application. Please contact Jill Rocca if you have any questions about the application process.

  1. Official Transcripts: you may upload unofficial copies of your transcripts when applying. Official copies must be submitted if accepted.
  2. Prerequisites: all completed within 5 years post degree or 5 years prior to matriculation. Must receive a B- or above.
  3. Three letters of reference: appraising candidates potential for occupational therapy. At least one should be an academic reference. Only two letters are required for current Tufts students continuing directly on to graduate school.
  4. Shadowing/Volunteer hours: the number of shadowing hours vary based on your own personal exposure to OT. We highly recommend shadowing in more than one area of practice and with more than one population (for example: mental health setting and acute care or adults and pediatrics). Hours can be documented directly on resume.
  5. GRE Scores: GRE General Test scores are not required for applicants who have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution by time of enrollment. GRE scores are required for applicants who received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. 
  6. Resume or CV: Updated resume or CV. You can document your observation hours directly on your resume/CV.
  7. Personal Statement: Please use the OTCAS Personal Statement Prompt
  8. Kira Assessment: Starting in 2023, all applicants will complete virtual asynchronous interviews using the Kira Assessment platform. This will be linked directly from your application. 
  9. Certificate of Hepatitis B: upon enrollment, you must provide documentation of your Hep B certificate.

Deadline for all Entry-Level Doctoral applications is October 15th.

Post-Professional Master's Program

  1. Official Transcripts: you may upload unofficial copies of your transcripts when applying. Official copies must be submitted if accepted.
    *Foreign Transcripts: Applicants who did not receive an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States are required to have their degree transcript translated into English, and it is strongly recommended that they also receive an evaluation by World Education Services (WES) or an equivalent service.
    This credential evaluation must document minimum equivalency of a U.S. baccalaureate and/or a U.S. masters degree or higher. When requesting a transcript evaluation, please request a "course-by-course" evaluation with grades.
  2. Prerequisites: all completed within 5 years post degree or 5 years prior to matriculation. Must receive a B- or above.
    Three letters of reference: appraising candidates potential for occupational therapy. At least one should be an academic reference. Only two letters are required for current Tufts students continuing directly on to graduate school.
  3. GRE Scores: GRE General Test scores are not required for applicants who have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution by time of enrollment. GRE scores are required for applicants who received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. 
  4. Resume or CV: Updated resume or CV.
  5. TOEFL/IELTS Scores: If your bachelor’s degree was earned in a non-English speaking country and you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, scores are needed from an official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
  6. An Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 100 with no less than 20 on each sub-score; or
  7. An IELTS of 6.5 with no less than 6 on each band score.
  8. Kira Assessment: Starting in 2023, all applicants will complete virtual asynchronous interviews using the Kira Assessment platform. This will be linked directly from your application. 
  9. Personal Statement: Please give your reasons for deciding to do graduate work in the field you have chosen. We are particularly concerned that you cover these points (3 page maximum, double-spaced):
    • What previous experiences and commitments have brought you to consider applying for graduate training?
    • What are your chief objectives in applying now?
    • How do you think this Tufts program will help you in the pursuit of your objectives and vocation?
  10. Certificate of Hepatitis B: upon enrollment, you must send documentation of your Hep B certificate directly to our department. You may send to:
    Bette Owen
    Department of Occupational Therapy
    574 Boston Ave.
    Medford, MA 02155

Application Deadlines:
January 15th-all applicants eligible
October 15th-domestic students only

Post-Professional Doctoral Program

  1. A personal statement (see guidelines below).
  2. An official transcript of all post-secondary education showing successful completion of an ACOTE or WFOT approved occupational therapy bachelor's or master's degree program. Foreign Transcripts: Applicants who did not receive an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States are required to have their degree transcript translated into English, and it is strongly recommended that they also receive an evaluation by World Education Services (WES) or an equivalent service.
  3. An official transcript showing current enrollment in or completion of a master's degree program.
  4. Satisfactory completion (B- or better) of prerequisite courses in Introductory Statistics and a graduate-level Research Methods course.
  5. A curriculum vitae
  6. Three letters of reference appraising the candidate's potential for study in the OTD program.*
  7. GRE Scores: GRE General Test scores are not required for applicants who have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution by time of enrollment. GRE scores are required for applicants who received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. 
  8. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS for international students whose native language is not English. The minimal TOEFL for the Department of Occupational Therapy is 100 iBT and the minimal IELTS is 6.5
  9. Certificate of Hepatitis B Vaccination
  10. Note: NBCOT credentialing before entry in the OTD is strongly recommended. Those not credentialed in occupational therapy at entry will be given provisional acceptance into the OTD Program and NBCOT credentialing must be achieved by the end of the first semester of the program. It is expected that all applicants are licensed or eligible for licensing in the United States.
  11. For Tufts Department of Occupational Therapy master's degree alumni and current students or in 2nd semester (post-professional program): Only two letters of reference appraising the candidate's potential for study in the OTD program are required. GRE scores are not required for current or former Tufts students.

Guidelines for Personal Statement (limit 4 pages double-spaced)

  1. What are your plans for graduate study as related to your future career as a leader in occupational therapy? Please address your specialty focus.
  2. The Leadership Project is an important part of the OTD program (see description for 286 Leadership Project Planning). Please indicate your current ideas about your project.
  3. In what ways do your academic background and recent professional experience point to your potential for success as a doctoral student and as a leader in occupational therapy? Please give specific examples of relevant coursework and/or experience.
  4. Is there any further information we should consider in assessing your candidacy?

Deadline for Post-Professional Doctoral applications is January 15th for Fall start and October 15th for Spring start.

Certificate Programs

The following materials should be included with your application. Please contact Jill Rocca if you have any questions about the application process.

  1. One letter of reference appraising the candidate's potential for study in occupational therapy.
  2. Official transcripts of all post-secondary education.
  3. A personal statement