Admission & Application

middlesex college

Admission

It is expected that applicants have researched the profession of occupational therapy in order to make an informed career choice. Exposure to the profession of occupational therapy through paid or volunteer work, observational visits or job shadowing in various health care settings is strongly recommended.

Essential Skills and Attributes

Prior to applying, all applicants should read the Essential Skills and Attributes Required for Study of Occupational Therapy document for skills and abilities expected of candidates in Occupational Therapy entry-to-practice programs.

Dates and Deadlines

  • Applications are accepted via ORPAS beginning October 12, 2023
  • The last day to submit an ORPAS application is January 5, 2024
  • Last CASPer test date accepted is January 25, 2024
  • Offers of admission are sent out:
    • In May for domestic applicants
    • In March for international applicants

Admission Requirements

  • Applicants must hold a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited university or postsecondary degree-granting institution
    • Applicants in the final year of their bachelor's degree must provide proof of degree completion (ie. degree conferral) by June 30
  • Minimum subGPA of 3.4 (on the ORPAS 4.0 scale)
    • Meeting the minimum subGPA does not guarantee admission
    • Average subGPA for the most recent entering class was 3.76
  • Show evidence of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL - 105 IBT with a minimum 23 on the speaking component and no other section below 20
    • IELTS - minimum score of 7.5 out of 9 for each band

Components of a complete application include:

  1. An ORPAS application
  2. Official transcripts from each postsecondary institution attended
  3. Response to question in the “Personal Submissions” section of the application
    1. Applicants will be required to provide a response to one question (500 word / 3500 character limit)
  4. Completed Casper test with a competitive score
  5. Other supporting documentation, as required
    1. Copy of Permanent Resident card, if applicable
    2. English Language Proficiency test scores, if applicable
  6. Application fee payment

NOTE: References are not required for application to this program.

Application Evaluation

In evaluating applications, the Admissions Committee considers the overall academic background and the Casper score. Applicants are ranked based on their Casper test score and their subGPA. The top-ranked applicants are considered for admission. The School of Occupational Therapy does not conduct interviews.

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be submitted directly to ORPAS from all postsecondary institutions attended. This includes transcripts for course work that is currently in progress, taken on Letter of Permission, taken for transfer credit or on an exchange.

International transcripts: For transcripts outside of Canada and the United States, applicants must submit:

  • 1 official transcript sent from the institution directly to ORPAS
  • 1 certified English translation, if the transcript is not in English
  • World Education Services (WES) evaluation of the transcript
    • NOTE: A WES evaluation is not required for courses taken on exchange
  • If possible, a legend from the university explaining the grading scale

Casper Test

All applicants are required to complete a Casper test.

Casper is an online test that assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program and will complement the other tools that we use for applicant screening.

NOTE: Applicants must add Western’s School of Occupational Therapy to their Casper distribution list in order for their scores to be sent directly to us from the testing organization.

For the 2024 application, the last Casper test date that will be accepted is on January 25, 2024. Visit Casper for all available test dates.

Applicants must use the same name and email address on the Casper as they do on their ORPAS application.

Failing to enter correct and identical information may mean we are unable to match an applicant's CASPer results with their ORPAS application. In this case, we will consider an application incomplete and the application will be disqualified from further consideration.

We will not consider applicants with incomplete or missing CASPer scores.


Note
: Duet is not required for application to this program.

English Language Proficiency

Applicants whose first language is not English must show evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language by satisfactory achievement within the last two years in one of the following:

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

  • The minimum acceptable score is 105, with a minimum of 23 on the speaking component and no other section below 20
  • TOEFL scores must be sent directly to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Western University using TOEFL ID 0984
  • In addition, a copy of the TOEFL test score must be uploaded to the ORPAS application

The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic)

  • The minimum acceptable score is 7.5 out of 9 for each band
  • You must upload a copy of your IELTS test score to your ORPAS application

Applicants whose first language is not English may be exempt from providing proof of English language proficiency if they have studied full-time for at least four years at a university where English is the medium of instruction in a country where English is the official language. This does not apply to English preparatory programs. NOTE: For applicants who are applying during their fourth year of undergraduate studies, four years will be counted as of June 30th of the application year.

If, after admission, a student shows an inadequate command of spoken or written English, they must improve their proficiency to the satisfaction of the School of Occupational Therapy. Students may be asked to withdraw from the program if their command of English interferes with their ability to provide quality professional services.

Application Considerations

International Applicants

  • Four spots are reserved for international applicants with a competitive sub-GPA (average sub-GPA for the most recent entering class was 3.76)
  • Internationally trained occupational therapists are not eligible to apply

Indigenous Applicants

  • Five spots are reserved for Indigenous students who are Canadian citizens and have completed a four-year undergraduate degree
  • We will consider Indigenous applicants on a case-by-case basis. To be successful in the program, we strongly recommend that applicants have a minimum sub-GPA of 3.0.
  • To be considered for the spots reserved for Indigenous applicants, you must indicate your Indigenous status and upload appropriate documentation as part of your ORPAS application. You may also be contacted by the university’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives if additional information is required.

Special Consideration Requests

Applicants seeking special consideration for extenuating circumstances that may have affected their application, may submit a Request for Special Consideration form (available upon request) to the MScOT Admission Committee for review. All requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Supporting documentation (medical, personal, academic, etc.) must accompany the form. Requests for special consideration must be submitted by the application deadline. Send an email to askot@uwo.ca for more information and to receive a copy of the Request for Special Consideration form.

Permanent Residents of Canada

  • Permanent residents of Canada are required to provide proof of Permanent Resident status in their application

Exchange Programs

  • ORPAS does not use marks from International Exchange courses (outside of North America) in the calculation of sub-GPA; however, Western will re-calculate an applicant's sub-GPA to include marks from these courses

Relevant Experience

  • It is expected that applicants have researched the profession of occupational therapy in order to make an informed career choice. Exposure to the profession of occupational therapy through paid or volunteer work, observational visits or job shadowing in various health care settings is strongly recommended.

Additional Considerations

  • We will not consider applicants who are currently registered in another Canadian Occupational Therapy Program
  • We will not consider applicants if they have been required to withdraw from a professional rehabilitation sciences program
  • Applicants must be cognizant that the MScOT Program is an intense program, offered on a full-time basis only
    • The application must support a student’s ability to keep up with a full-time workload
  • Admission decisions made by the School of Occupational Therapy are final and not subject to appeal

Calculation of Sub-GPA

Calculation of an applicant's sub-GPA will be completed based on their most recent 20 half courses (equivalent to 10 full courses or 60 credit hours) of university level academic study completed by December 31 of the application year.

Such calculations will also include grades of the following courses:

  • Summer
  • Part-time
  • Intersession
  • Graduate
  • Distance studies
  • Exchange Program
  • Courses taken beyond the four-year undergraduate degree
  • Failed university courses

If an applicant is currently enrolled in the fourth year of an undergraduate (baccalaureate) program, this calculation will start with final fall grades (completed December 31) and will move back in chronological order based on the order of courses listed on the transcript. Where grades must be extracted from a duration/year to achieve the equivalent of 20 half courses, the average of that duration/year (e.g., an applicant's second year) will be used.

Western does not include marks from the following types of courses in the calculation of applicants’ sub-GPA:

  • Skill/activity (e.g., sports performance, music performance, arts performance)
  • Bachelor of Education
  • College certificate or diploma program
  • Certificate or diploma program (except for graduate diplomas)
  • Non-convertible grades (e.g., pass/fail)
  • Internship/Placement/Co-op courses

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisite course requirements for admission into the MScOT program. However, it is suggested that applicants have taken some undergraduate science courses (i.e., anatomy, biology, human physiology).

Fieldwork Requirements

In addition to the academic criteria required for applicants to be accepted to the program, once admitted to the program, students must also meet/maintain various medical/non-medical requirements in order to participate in fieldwork placements.

Visit the Fieldwork & Placements page for more details.

Fees and Tuition

Fees and tuition for the MScOT program are established by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Deposit: Applicants who accept an offer of admission to the MScOT Program, must pay a $500 non-refundable tuition deposit to hold their spot in the class. The tuition deposit is applied to the fall term tuition upon registration.

Application

Apply Now

Applications to the MScOT program are coordinated by Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs (ORPAS) and are handled online. The online application includes the submission of official transcripts and a personal submission. Admission decisions made by the School of Occupational Therapy are final and not subject to appeal.