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How to apply for occupational therapy university courses

Applying for an occupational therapy programme is an exciting time as you are taking the first steps towards becoming a qualified occupational therapist.

Before submitting your application to become an occupational therapy student:

Selecting where you would like to study occupational therapy

Take some time to consider which occupational therapy programme is right for you. Things to consider include the location of the university, the campus facilities and the learning structure of the programme, for example,

  • Does the university deliver some of the programme online? 
  • Is there a part-time route available to facilitate those who have child-care, other caring roles or other needs?
  • Does the university offer the apprenticeship route to occupational therapy (available in England only at present)?
  • Is there an accelerated Masters programme available for people who already have an undergraduate degree in a related subject?
  • Is the campus easy to reach by public transport and to assist you when on placements?
  • What accommodation is available for students?
  • Are there opportunities to undertake placement or some of the learning overseas?
  • Where might the practice placement elements take place?
  • What equality, diversity and inclusion policies does the university have in place?
  • What resources staffing and support does the occupational therapy programme offer?

Think about how you like to learn, and research which occupational therapy programme accommodates that the most. The admissions team at your selected university will be able to give you much more information when you make contact with them, and it’s a good idea to check out the university campus websites too.

Attending open days are also a great opportunity to meet the teaching team and talk to current occupational therapy students at the university.  Nowadays as a result of the COVID pandemic, some of these open days will have been held as online events but should still allow you to ‘meet’ the teaching teams and some fellow student applicants, as well as take a virtual tour of the university.

Also, it is important to check to see if the occupational therapy programme is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.  This means that the programme meets the educational quality standards set by the UK professional body as well as (via delegated authority) the World Federation of Occupational Therapists  and that you could work abroad in most countries of the world with the degree that you attain in the UK.

Obtaining work experience

Most universities also request that for you to be eligible to apply onto an occupational therapy programme, you need to have obtained work experience shadowing an occupational therapist in practice.  It’s the start of a lifelong journey into good practice if you appear to be well prepared at the time of your application, and have a good understanding of what occupational therapy is about. You might consider contacting local hospitals, trusts, charities and your local council where an occupational therapist is based to seek more about their experiences.  

During the aftermath of COVID-19, we realise that it will be difficult to gain access to hospitals and other organisations as a result of the restrictions, however, arranging a telephone or a video call with an occupational therapist and having a list of questions to ask them is a very good alternative.  You might also have been taking part in some sort of volunteering to help out with vulnerable groups or societies (or even befriending an individual) which would be an excellent way of demonstrating your interest in the allied health professions and supporting people to have a better life-quality.

Remember that occupational therapists will be extra- busy just now, so do plan contacts in advance if you can.

Completing your university application

Now that you have selected the university you want to apply to, the next step is completing the application. When applying for an occupational therapy programme, either through UCAS or directly to the universities you have chosen, you will be asked to write a personal statement. Make sure that you spend time on constructing this, a good idea is to brainstorm ideas first so that as you start writing the application you have a clear direction and focus.

Your personal statement is an opportunity to:

  • Show your understanding of the role of an occupational therapist
  • Explain how you have set out to gain a depth of experience, by examples of volunteering work and/or speaking to a range of people who work in different settings
  • Demonstrate how the experience you have gained in preparation would help you to become engaged with your studies from the very start of your course

To help inform your understanding also consider taking a look at the videos we have produced, as these offer useful examples of practice. Have a really good think about why you want to be an occupational therapist and what attracts you to this career.

Demonstrate you have the skills of an occupational therapist

Take the opportunity to highlight to the admissions tutors that you already are beginning to show the skills, attributes and qualities of an occupational therapist. Think about occasions when you have used effective team working skills, empathy and good interpersonal skills and consider how you can draw upon these whilst you are a student occupational therapist. Consider how your own life experience and past studies, if you have already been a student, will support you in a career in occupational therapy.

Finally – the very best of good luck in your application.  If you choose to study occupational therapy, you will never regret it!