Step 2: Obtain Additional Education
If your degree was equivalent to bachelor’s degree in the United States, then you will need to enroll in a higher education program. This will need to be either a master’s or a doctoral degree in occupational therapy.
There are 4 types of OT programs available in the United States:
1. Entry level master’s degree
2. Entry level doctoral degree
3. Post-professional master’s degree
3. Post-professional doctoral degree
Entry level means you are starting from the beginning, and you are re-taking your OT degree. These programs are usually face to face and occur on campus.
Post-professional degrees enable you to bridge your degree into a higher degree in OT.
Only the schools that offer a bridge program accept students who hold a bachelor’s degree from overseas to enroll in a post-professional degree if they have an active OT license.
Note: If you have a post-professional degree from outside the United States, it may or may not be recognized by the OTED. For example, if you have a bachelor’s of OT and a master’s of education, this means you will have to re-take a master’s or doctorate degree in occupational therapy to be eligible for the OTED.
It is important to know that earning a post-professional master's/doctoral degree in occupational therapy in the United States does NOT guarantee OTED approval. OTED approvals are based on the educational comparability review of your combined education.
Check the schools below and contact the one that you are interested in to find out more about the admission requirements.
Alabama
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Phone: (205) 934-3568
Fax: (205) 996-0991
Website: http://www.uab.edu/shp/ot/occupational-therapy-doctorate
California
Loma Linda University
Location: Loma Linda, California
Phone: (909) 558-4628
Fax: (909) 558-0239
Website: http://www.llu.edu/otd
University of Southern California
Location: Los Angeles, California
Phone: (323) 442-2850
Fax: (323) 442-1540
Website: http://chan.usc.edu
Colorado
Colorado State University
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Phone: (970) 491-6253
Fax: (970) 491-6290
Website: http://www.ot.chhs.colostate.edu/
Connecticut
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut
Phone: (877) 403-4277
Website: online.qu.edu
District of Columbia
George Washington University
Location: Washington, DC
Phone: (202) 994-2144
Website: http://bulletin.gwu.edu/medicine-health-sciences/graduate-programs/advanced-practice-clinical-doctorate-occupational-therapy/
Howard University
Location: Washington, DC 20059
Phone: (202) 806-7617
Website: https://cnahs.howard.edu/programs/occupational-therapy/post-professional-doctor-occupational-therapy-otd-online
Florida
Gannon University
Location: Erie, Florida
Phone: (814) 871-7463
Fax: (814) 871-7759
Website: http://www.gannon.edu/Academic-Offerings/Health-Professions-and-Sciences/Graduate/Post-Professional-Occupational-Therapy-Doctorate
Nova Southeastern University
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Phone: (954) 262-1265
Fax: (954) 262-2290
Website: www.nova.edu/ot
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Phone: (352) 273-6085
Fax: (352) 273-6109
Website: http://rehabsci.phhp.ufl.edu/
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Location: St. Augustine, Florida
Phone: (800) 241-1027 or (904) 826-0084
Fax: (904) 827-0069
Website: http://www.usa.edu/
Georgia
Brenau University
Gainesville, Georgia
Phone: (678) 707-5000
Fax: (678) 707-5015
Website: www.brenau.edu/healthsciences/occupationaltherapy/otd/
Idaho
Idaho State University
Location: Pocatello, Idaho
Phone: (208) 282-3992
Fax: (208) 282-4645
Website: https://www.isu.edu/rehabsciences/departments-and-programs/phd/
Illinois
Governors State University
University Parkway, Illinois
Phone: (708) 534-7290
Fax: (708) 534-1647
Website: https://www.govst.edu/DOT/
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Phone: (312) 996-3513
Fax: (312) 413-0256
Website: http://www.ahs.uic.edu/ot
Indiana
Indiana University
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Phone: (317) 274-8004 (OTD office)
Fax: (317) 274-2150
Website: https://www.iu.edu/degrees/iupui/otd-in-occupational-therapy/2272/index.html
University of Indianapolis
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Phone: (317) 788-2409
Website: https://www.uindy.edu/health-sciences/interprofessional-health-and-aging-studies/dhs
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana
Phone: (800) 821-7685
Website: www.valpo.edu/college-of-nursing-and-health-professions/occupational-therapy/
Kansas
University of Kansas Medical Center
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Phone: (913) 588-7195
Fax: (913) 588-4568
Website: https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-health-professions/academics/departments/occupational-therapy-education.html
Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky University
Location: Richmond, Kentucky
Phone: (859) 622-3300
Fax: (859) 622-1601
Website: www.onlineoccupationaltherapyprograms.eku.edu
Spalding University
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Phone: (502) 585-9911
Fax: (502) 588-7196
Website: https://spalding.edu/doctor-occupational-therapy/post-professional-otd/
University of Kentucky
Location: Lexington, Kentucky
Phone: (859) 218-0860
Fax: (859) 323-6003
Wesbite: https://www.uky.edu/chs/rehabilitation-sciences-phd-program
Maryland
Towson University
Location: Towson, Maryland
Phone: (410) 704-2762
Fax: (410) 704-2322
Website: https://www.towson.edu/chp/departments/occutherapy/programs/ppotd/
Massachusetts
American International College
Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
Phone: (413) 205-3320
Fax: (413) 654-1430
Website: www.aic.edu/school-of-health-sciencies/program/occupational-therapy/
Bay Path University
Longmeadow, Maryland
Phone: (413) 565-1332
Fax: (413) 565-1250
Website: www.baypath.edu/academics/graduate-programs/occupational-therapy-doctorate/
Boston University
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Phone: (617) 353-7516
Fax: (617) 353-2926
Website: http://www.bu.edu/sargent/academics/departments-programs/occupational-therapy/ppotd/
MGH Institute of Health Professions
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Phone: (617) 643-7153
Website: http://www.mghihp.edu/ppotd
Tufts University
Location: Medford, Massachusetts
Phone: (617) 627-5720
Fax: (617) 627-6259
Website: http://ase.tufts.edu/occupationaltherapy
Michigan
Andrews University
Location: Berrien Springs, Michigan
Phone: 269-471-6033
Fax: 269-471-2866
Website: https://www.andrews.edu/grad/programs/chhs/dscot.html
Grand Valley State University
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Phone: (616) 331-5900
Website: www.gvsu.edu/grad/drot/
Minnesota
St. Catherine University
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Phone: (651) 690-8767
Fax: (651) 690-4599
Website: www.stkate.edu/otd
University of Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612) 626-3966
Fax: (612) 625-7192
Website: https://www.alliedhealth.umn.edu/ot
Missouri
Saint Louis University
Location: St. Louis, MO
Phone: (314) 977-8580
Fax: (314) 977-8514
Website: https://catalog.slu.edu/colleges-schools/health-sciences/occupational-science-therapy/occupational-therapy-program/
Washington University
Location: St. Louis, MO
Phone: (314) 286-1600
Fax: (314) 286-1601
Website: www.ot.wustl.edu/
Nebraska
Creighton University
Location: Omaha, NE
Phone: (402) 280-2700
Fax: (402) 280-5692
Website:https://www.creighton.edu/academics/programs/post-professional-doctor-occupational-therapy
Nebraska Methodist College
Location: Omaha, NE
Phone: (402) 354-6869
Fax: (402) 354-7001
Website: http://www.methodistcollege.edu
Nevada
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Phone: (702) 895-1624
Fax: (702) 895-1356
Website: https://www.unlv.edu/degree/pp-otd
New Jersey
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Location: Madison, NJ
Phone: 973-443-8905
Website: https://online.fdu.edu/online-degrees/post-professional-occupational-therapy-doctorate/
New York
Binghamton University
Location: Johnson City, NY
Phone: (607) 777-4759
Web site: https://www.binghamton.edu/decker/occupational-therapy/
Columbia University
Location: New York, NY
Phone: (212) 305-5267
Fax: (212) 305-4569
Website: http://www.columbiaOT.org/
New York University
Location: New York, NY
Phone: (212) 998-5825
Fax: (212) 995-4044
Website: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/ot/
University at Buffalo, State University of New York
Location: Buffalo, NY
Phone: (716) 829-3141
Fax: (716) 829-3217
Website: http://publichealth.buffalo.edu/rehabilitation-science/education/rehabilitation-science-phd.html
North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Phone: (919) 843-4463
Fax: (919) 966-9007
Website: http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/ocsci/
Ohio
The Ohio State University
Location: Columbus, OH
Phone: (614) 292-5824
Fax: (614) 292-0210
Website: www.gradadmissions.osu.edu
Shawnee State University
Location: Portsmouth, OH
Phone: (740) 351-3083
Fax: (740)351-3554
Website: https://online.shawnee.edu/online-degrees/post-professional-occupational-therapy-doctorate-otd/
Pennsylvania
Chatham University
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Phone: (800) 837-1290
Fax: (412) 365-1609
Website: www.chatham.edu/otd
Gannon University
Location: Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 871-7463
Fax: (814) 871-7759
Website: http://www.gannon.edu/Academic-Offerings/Health-Professions-and-Sciences/Graduate/Post-Professional-Occupational-Therapy-Doctorate
Misericordia University
Location: Dallas, PA
Phone: (570) 674-6399
Fax: (570) 674-3052
Website: http://www.misericordia.edu/page.cfm?p=1258
Salus University
Location: Elkins Park, PA 19027
Phone: (215) 780-1400
Fax: (215) 780-1336
Website: www.salus.edu/occupational-therapy
Temple University
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Phone: (215) 707-4875
Fax: (215) 707-7656
Website: http://cph.temple.edu/rs/academics-rehabilitation-sciences/occupational-therapy
Thomas Jefferson University
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Phone: (215) 503-8011
Fax: (215) 503-2950
Website: https://www.jefferson.edu/academics/colleges-schools-institutes/rehabilitation-sciences/departments/occupational-therapy/degrees-programs/post-professional.html
University of Pittsburgh
Location: Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 383-6620
Fax: (412) 383-6613
Website: www.shrs.pitt.edu/OT/
Rhode Island
New England Institute of Technology
Location: East Greenwich, RI 02818
Phone: (401) 739-5000
Fax: (401) 884-4650
Website: https://www.neit.edu/Programs/Online-and-Hybrid-Degree-Programs/Post-Professional-Doctorate-of-Occupational-Therapy
South Carolina
Medical University of South Carolina
Location: Charleston, SC
Phone: (843) 792-1671
Website: https://chp.musc.edu/academics/occupational-therapy/otd-pp
South Dakota
University of South Dakota
Location: Vermillion, SD
Phone: (877) 269-6837
Website: http://www.usd.edu/health-sciences/occupational-therapy
Texas
Baylor University
Location: Waco, TX
Phone: (254) 710-4630
Website: www.baylor.edu/otd/
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Location: Lubbock, TX
Phone: (806) 743-3220
Fax: (806) 743-2189
Website: www.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/post-professional-doctor-of-occupational-therapy/default.aspx
Texas Woman's University
Location: Denton, TX 76204-5648
Phone: (940) 898-2801
Website: www.twu.edu/ot
U.S. Army-Baylor University
Location: Fort Sam Houston, TX
Phone: (210) 808-2240
Fax: (210) 808-2235
Website: www.baylor.edu/graduate/dscot
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Location: Galveston, TX 77555-1142
Phone: (409) 772-3060
Fax (409) 747-1615
Website: www.shp.utmb.edu/ot
Utah
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
Location: Provo, UT 84606-7312
Phone: (801) 375-5125 or (866) 780-4107
Fax: (801) 375-2125
Website: https://rm.edu/academics/doctor-of-occupational-therapy/
University of Utah
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Phone: (801) 585-9135
Fax: (801) 585-1001
Website: http://www.health.utah.edu/occupational-therapy/index.php
Virginia
Mary Baldwin University
Location: Fishersville, VA 22939
Phone: (540) 255-8102
Fax: (540) 887-4329
Website:https://go.marybaldwin.edu/health_sciences/post-professional-otd/
Marymount University
Location: Arlington, VA
Phone: (406) 936-0140
Website: https://marymount.rehabessentials.com/
Radford University Carilion
Location: Roanoke, VA
Phone: (540) 831-5431
Fax: (540) 831-6061
Website: https://www.radford.edu/content/wchs/home.html
Shenandoah University
Location: Winchester, VA
Phone: (540) 678-4313
Fax: (540) 665-5564
Web site:www.su.edu/occupational-therapy/post-professional-occupational-therapy-doctorate/
Virginia Commonwealth University
Location: Richmond, VA 23298-0008
Phone: (804) 828-2289
Fax: (804) 828-0782
Website: www.sahp.vcu.edu/occu/
Washington
University of Puget Sound
Location: Tacoma, WA
Phone: (253) 879-3522
Fax: (253) 879-2933
Website: https://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/school-occupational-therapy
University of Washington
Location: Seattle, WA
Phone: (206) 598-5338
Fax: (206) 685-3244
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/rehab/phd/index.html
Wisconsin
Mount Mary University
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Phone: (414) 930-3059
Wesbite: https://mtmary.edu/majors-programs/graduate/occupational-therapy/post-professional.html
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Location: Madison, WI
Phone: (608) 262-8730
Fax: (608) 262-1656
Website: http://kinesiology.education.wisc.edu/ot/about
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Phone: (414) 229-4713
Website (Masters Degree): https://uwm.edu/healthsciences/academics/ms-occupational-therapy/
Website (Doctorate Degree): https://uwm.edu/healthsciences/academics/dr-occupational-therapy/