After You Apply

Accreditation

Our entry-level OTD degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

UIC will learn ACOTE’s decision regarding accreditation of the entry-level-OTD in December 2024, in advance of the graduation of the first entry-level OTD cohort in May 2025.

 

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You’ve applied and submitted your application. Now what?

Attend a Program Preview Session

We encourage applicants to learn more about our department and the entry-level OTD program. Our Program Preview session schedule will be posted in November 2024. Please see below for what each Program Preview session will entail.

  • An opportunity to sit on a course (optional).
  • 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.

 

Application status

Log into your OTCAS application at any time for an application checklist to ensure that your items are correct and complete.

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

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.

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Questions?

We’re here to help. If you have questions about what to do next, contact Maria Larson.

You can contact Maria Larson at: