Admission Criteria

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Admission Requirements

Cuyahoga Community College’s OTAT program uses a rolling admission process, which means there is no application deadline. Students become eligible to apply once they meet all program-specific admission requirements. Applications are typically reviewed once per month. Enrollment in the OTAT program is limited to 22 students. New cohorts begin each fall term.

Admission requirements are listed below. Failure to submit all required documentation will exclude the applicant from consideration.

Admission Criteria

1. High school diploma or GED and/or previous college coursework with a minimum 2.50 GPA.

2. Completed Tri-C application (new students only). Do this before submitting your transcripts.

3. Submit transcripts from past colleges for evaluation in order to determine transfer credits:

Cuyahoga Community College
Office of the Registrar
P.O. Box 5966
Cleveland, OH 44101

High school transcripts are highly encouraged. Applicants without a high school diploma may provide documentation of GED completion.

Your application will not be considered complete until all external transcripts have been evaluated.  

4. Earn a C or better in the following courses:

• BIO-2331 Anatomy and Physiology I
• MA-1010 Introduction to Medical Terminology 
• ENG-1010 College Composition I or ENG-101H Honors College Composition I

You may only repeat a core course once to improve your grade. A W counts as an attempt.

5. Documented exposure to Occupational Therapy

In order to meet this requirement, a prospective student can obtain 16 hours shadowing an OT Practitioner or complete OTAT 1300 Occupational Therapy Principles.

• The program strongly recommends that a prospective student complete 16 hours of shadowing of an OT practitioner. Paid experience as a rehab or OT aide will also be accepted. Shadowing experience hours should be documented using the job shadow/volunteer experience form below.
• If a student opts to meet the requirement via enrolling in OTAT 1300 Occupational Therapy Principles, the course must be completed with a grade of B or higher.
• Some students opt to complete both shadowing and OTAT 1300 prior to admission.

Please note: OTAT 1300 Occupational Therapy Principles is a required course for the OTAT program, even if shadowing is completed.  If OTAT 1300 is not taken prior to admission, it must be taken no later than the student's first semester in the program.

• Students must receive a grade of B or higher in this course, regardless of when it is completed. If a student does not receive a grade of B or higher, OTAT 1300 may be repeated only once. A W counts as an attempt.

Applicants will be notified via email of their acceptance into the program. They will receive an email with a link to accept the offer of admission. Students must then acknowledge their intent to enter the program in order to hold their spot. 

Other Information

• Pass/No Pass grade options may not be used for prerequisite requirements.
• Program admission is premised on a complete and accurate initial application to the College, including, if applicable, proof of English Language Proficiency Requirements.
  • Students must successfully complete English as Second Language (ESL) courses if deemed necessary by the College at the time of enrollment. Admission is conditioned upon achieving the necessary GPA, English language proficiency requirements and specific prerequisite courses. Students must also meet program-specific accreditation or licensing requirements as evidenced in the program handbook.
• A criminal background check is required for program admission. Learn more here.
• Felony convictions may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure. Applicants for national certification must provide additional documentation if they have been convicted of a felony or have a history of chemical/substance abuse. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) offers an early determination review for individuals who have been charged with or convicted of a felony. Visit nbcot.org or email info@nbcot.org for more information.

• Tri-C’s OTAT program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at:
  c/o Accreditation Department
  6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 200
  North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
  301-652-6611

• Graduates are prepared to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, located at:
         One Bank Street, Suite 300
         Gaithersburg, MD 20878
         301-990-7979

• Those who successfully complete the NBCOT certification exam will become Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA). Most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on results of the NBCOT exam. In addition to passing the NBCOT exam, most states, including Ohio, require applicants to pass a state law and jurisprudence exam before practicing as an OTA. In Ohio, occupational therapy licensure is regulated by the OT section of the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Athletic Trainers Board, located at:
         77 S. High St., 16th Fl.
         Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108
         614-466-3774
  There is considerable cost associated with the required certification/licensure credentials (approximately $655 at the time of this publication).

For more information about the Tri-C program, please contact Heather Foos, Program Director, at 216-987-4055 or heather.foos@tri-c.edu.

Listed below some occupational therapy and other health-related sites you may find of interest.

SITES

• American Occupational Therapy Association Homepage
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy