After You Apply
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has granted UIC’s entry-level OTD program Preaccreditation Status and conducted an initial on-site evaluation in September 2024. UIC’s E-OTD program must be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). UIC will learn ACOTE’s decision regarding accreditation of the entry-level-OTD program in December 2024, in advance of the graduation of the first entry-level OTD cohort in May 2025. ACOTE is located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. Its telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-2682 and its web site is www.acoteonline.org.
You’ve applied and submitted your application. Now what?
Attend a Program Preview Session Heading link
We encourage applicants to learn more about our department and the entry-level OTD program and will be hosting Program Preview sessions for Fall 2025 applicants on the following dates and formats:
- Thursday, December 19, 2024; 12:30-3:30 PM CST – In-Person
- Thursday, January 16, 2025; 4:00-7:40 PM CST – Virtual
- Monday, February 17, 2025; 4:00-7:00 PM CST – In-Person
- Tuesday, March 18, 2025; 5:00-7:40 PM CST – Virtual
In-person sessions are held in the Applied Health Science Building (1919 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, 3rd Floor.)
Virtual sessions are held via Zoom. We recommend downloading the Zoom app before the session begins.
Attendees must be applying for the Fall 2025 application cycle.
Please see below for what each Program Preview session will entail.
- A presentation with the Curriculum Director and the Outreach and Enrollment Coordinator, reviewing information about the department, entry-level OTD program, and financial considerations. There will be online materials for you to review before the program preview session so we can highlight key aspects and have time for your questions.
- A student panel with our student liaison and current students (no faculty allowed!)
- A small group breakout session with current students and faculty.
- Tour of the department and nearby campus buildings. A virtual tour will be shared for online attendees.
Application status Heading link
Log into your OTCAS application at any time for an application checklist to ensure that your items are correct and complete.
Check your application status
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Departmental review
Admission is selective and competitive. Completion of requirements does not guarantee admission. The admissions committee considers many factors, including:
- work, volunteer, observation, extracurricular, leadership, and research experiences
- community service
- overall GPA for baccalaureate and graduate coursework
- GPA for required prerequisites completed by the time of application (including fall courses)
- OTCAS- and UIC-specific personal statements
- letters of recommendation
- answers to UIC-specific questions regarding international experiences, language fluency, presentations, and recommended supplemental statement regarding prerequisite grades below a B-minus (if applicable)
- other relevant experience and expertise
- TOEFL scores (for applicants whose native language is not English)
- applicant’s potential to make unique contributions to their class and the profession
After a decision has been made Heading link
You will be notified of the admission decision via email by March 15. Strong applicants may be notified as early as December.
You will also receive an official letter from the Office of Admissions. OTCAS will be updated throughout the application cycle, December through March 15.
If you’ve been admitted
Congratulations! Access the Department of Occupational Therapy Admitted Student Checklist for the next steps.
International students: see the Office of International Services application checklist.
If you must defer admission
Admitted students can ask to defer their enrollment for a maximum of one year by contacting the department.
If you’ve been waitlisted
Applicants who were slightly below the admission point cut-off are placed on a ranked alternate list to be contacted if positions become available, probably after April 1. In late spring, you will be updated on the number of alternates who have been admitted. Contact us if you are considering another offer and need to know your status.
If you’ve been denied
Admission to the UIC OT program is competitive. Unfortunately, we’re unable to respond to individual questions about the reasons an application was denied. We hope the information provided in your letter will help you understand the rationale for our decision.
Questions? Heading link
Questions?
We’re here to help. If you have questions about what to do next, contact Maria Larson-Juat.
You can contact Maria Larson-Juat at:
Email mlarso1@uic.edu
Phone 312.413.0124
Address 1919 W. Taylor St.
317A AHSB, MC 811
Chicago, IL 60612