Applying

OTCAS Guide (2026–2027 Cycle)

By Deepam Pawar, OT · Updated October 9, 2026 · Sources: Liaison OTCAS Applicant Help Center; program websites

OTCAS is the centralized application most OT programs use. The 2026–2027 cycle opened July 16, 2026 and closes July 7, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET. It costs $172 for the first program and $71 for each additional one.

2026–2027 OTCAS key dates

Milestone	Date
Cycle opens	July 16, 2026
Cycle closes: last day to create an account, submit, request evaluations, order Professional Transcript Entry	July 7, 2027, 11:59 PM ET
Last day transcripts and official test scores are matched	July 9, 2027, 5 PM ET
Last day evaluators can submit evaluations	July 9, 2027, 11:59 PM ET
Last day to approve Professional Transcript Entry	July 12, 2027, 11:59 PM ET
Last day to re-submit an Undelivered application	July 13, 2027, 11:59 PM ET
Last day you can be verified; all processing ends	July 13, 2027, 5 PM ET

Source: OTCAS Application Cycle Dates and OTCAS Application Fees, checked October 9, 2026. Program deadlines are usually much earlier than the cycle close.

What applying costs

Programs	OTCAS fees
1	$172
3	$314
5	$456
8	$669
10	$811

Some programs charge an additional supplemental fee. A limited number of fee waivers (covering the first program only) are available first-come, first-served.

A simple OTCAS timeline

Spring–summer before: finish prerequisites, collect observation hours, ask for recommendation letters.
When the cycle opens (July 16, 2026): create your account, enter coursework and order transcripts.
4–6 weeks before each program deadline: submit, so OTCAS can verify your application in time.
After submitting: complete any supplemental application or fee, and prepare for interviews.

Programs that use OTCAS (225)

Confirmed on each program’s website. Programs not listed may still use OTCAS; check the program page.

Alabama (3)

Faulkner University Entry-level OTD
Tuskegee University Entry-level master's
University of South Alabama Entry-level OTD

Arizona (4)

A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences Entry-level master's
A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences Entry-level OTD
Midwestern University-Glendale Campus Entry-level master's
Northern Arizona University Entry-level OTD

Arkansas (2)

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Entry-level OTD
University of Central Arkansas Entry-level OTD

California (15)

California State University, Dominguez Hills Entry-level master's
California State University, Dominguez Hills Entry-level OTD
Dominican University of California Entry-level OTD
Keck Graduate Institute Entry-level OTD
Loma Linda University Health Entry-level OTD
Point Loma Nazarene University Entry-level master's
Samuel Merritt University Entry-level master's
Samuel Merritt University Entry-level OTD
San Jose State University Entry-level master's
San Jose State University Entry-level OTD
Stanbridge University Entry-level master's
Stanbridge University-Riverside Entry-level master's
University of the Pacific-Sacramento Campus Entry-level OTD
West Coast University-Los Angeles Entry-level master's
West Coast University-Los Angeles Entry-level OTD

Colorado (2)

Colorado Mesa University Entry-level master's
Colorado State University Entry-level OTD

Connecticut (4)

Quinnipiac University Entry-level master's
Sacred Heart University Entry-level master's
University of Hartford Entry-level master's
University of New Haven Entry-level OTD

Delaware (1)

Delaware State University Entry-level master's

District of Columbia (1)

George Washington University Entry-level OTD

Florida (8)

AdventHealth University Entry-level master's
Barry University Entry-level master's
Florida Gulf Coast University Entry-level master's
Gannon University-Florida Campus Entry-level OTD
Jacksonville University Entry-level OTD
Nova Southeastern University-Ft. Lauderdale Entry-level OTD
Nova Southeastern University-Tampa Bay Regional Campus Entry-level OTD
University of Florida Entry-level OTD

Georgia (1)

Mercer University Entry-level OTD

Idaho (1)

Idaho State University Entry-level master's

Illinois (8)

DePaul University Entry-level master's
Elmhurst University Entry-level master's
Governors State University Entry-level master's
Midwestern University-Downers Grove Campus Entry-level OTD
Roosevelt University Entry-level master's
Rush University Entry-level OTD
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Entry-level OTD
University of Illinois Chicago Entry-level OTD

Indiana (11)

Hanover College Entry-level OTD
Huntington University Entry-level master's
Huntington University Entry-level OTD
Indiana University Entry-level OTD
Indiana University South Bend Entry-level master's
Indiana Wesleyan University Entry-level OTD
Marian University Entry-level master's
Marian University Entry-level OTD
Trine University-Fort Wayne Entry-level OTD
University of Indianapolis Entry-level master's
University of Indianapolis Entry-level OTD

Iowa (3)

Allen College Entry-level OTD
Drake University Entry-level OTD
St. Ambrose University Entry-level OTD

Kansas (2)

University of Kansas Medical Center Entry-level OTD
University of Saint Mary-Leavenworth Entry-level OTD

Kentucky (2)

Murray State University-Paducah Regional Campus Entry-level master's
Northern Kentucky University Entry-level OTD

Louisiana (1)

Louisiana State University Health Shreveport Entry-level OTD

Maine (3)

Husson University Entry-level master's
U. of New England (OTD) Entry-level OTD
University of New England Entry-level master's

Maryland (2)

McDaniel College Entry-level master's
Notre Dame of Maryland University Entry-level OTD

Massachusetts (8)

American International College Entry-level master's
Bay Path University-East Longmeadow Campus Entry-level master's
Boston University, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College) Entry-level OTD
Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions Entry-level OTD
Springfield College Entry-level master's
Springfield College Entry-level OTD
Tufts University Entry-level OTD
Western New England University Entry-level OTD

Michigan (6)

Concordia University Ann Arbor Entry-level OTD
Davenport University Entry-level master's
Grand Valley State University Entry-level master's
Wayne State University Entry-level OTD
Western Michigan University Entry-level OTD
Western Michigan University-Grand Rapids Campus Entry-level OTD

Minnesota (3)

College of St. Scholastica Entry-level master's
St. Catherine University Entry-level OTD
The College of St. Scholastica Entry-level OTD

Missouri (7)

Maryville University Entry-level master's
Missouri State University Entry-level master's
Missouri State University Entry-level OTD
St. Louis University Entry-level master's
University of Missouri Entry-level OTD
Washington University Entry-level master's
Washington University Entry-level OTD

Nebraska (2)

Nebraska Methodist College Entry-level master's
University of Nebraska Medical Center Entry-level OTD

Nevada (1)

University of Nevada-Las Vegas Entry-level OTD

New Jersey (7)

Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus Entry-level OTD
Kean University Entry-level master's
Kean University Entry-level OTD
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Entry-level OTD
Seton Hall University Entry-level master's
Seton Hall University Entry-level OTD
Stockton University Entry-level master's

New Mexico (1)

University of New Mexico Entry-level master's

New York (20)

Binghamton University, State University of New York-Johnson City Campus Entry-level OTD
Clarkson University Entry-level master's
Clarkson University Entry-level OTD
Dominican University New York Entry-level master's
Hofstra University Entry-level master's
Iona University Entry-level master's
Le Moyne College Entry-level master's
Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus Entry-level master's
New York Institute of Technology Entry-level master's
New York University Entry-level OTD
Pace University-Westchester Campus Entry-level master's
Roberts Wesleyan University Entry-level OTD
Rochester Institute of Technology Entry-level OTD
St. Bonaventure University Entry-level master's
Touro University Entry-level master's
Touro University Entry-level OTD
Touro University-Manhattan Entry-level OTD
Touro University, Manhattan Entry-level master's
Utica University Entry-level master's
Utica University Entry-level OTD

North Carolina (8)

Duke University School of Medicine Entry-level OTD
East Carolina University Entry-level master's
East Carolina University Entry-level OTD
Lenoir-Rhyne University Entry-level master's
Methodist University Entry-level OTD
Pfeiffer University-Albemarle Campus Entry-level master's
Wingate University Entry-level OTD
Winston-Salem State University Entry-level master's

North Dakota (3)

University of Mary Entry-level master's
University of Mary-Bismarck Entry-level OTD
University of North Dakota Entry-level OTD

Ohio (12)

Cleveland State University Entry-level OTD
Kettering College Entry-level OTD
Ohio State University Entry-level OTD
Shawnee State University Entry-level master's
University of Cincinnati Entry-level OTD
University of Findlay Entry-level master's
University of Findlay Entry-level OTD
University of Toledo Entry-level OTD
Walsh University Entry-level master's
Walsh University Entry-level OTD
Wilmington College Entry-level master's
Xavier University Entry-level OTD

Oklahoma (1)

Northeastern State University-Muskogee Campus Entry-level master's

Oregon (2)

George Fox University Entry-level OTD
Pacific University Entry-level OTD

Pennsylvania (19)

Alvernia University Entry-level master's
Carlow University Entry-level master's
Cedar Crest College Entry-level OTD
Chatham University Entry-level OTD
Drexel University Entry-level master's
Duquesne University Entry-level master's
Duquesne University Entry-level OTD
Gannon University Entry-level master's
Gwynedd Mercy University Entry-level master's
Messiah University Entry-level master's
Moravian University Entry-level master's
Saint Joseph's University Entry-level master's
Saint Joseph's University Entry-level OTD
Seton Hill University Entry-level OTD
Slippery Rock University Entry-level OTD
Temple University Entry-level OTD
University of Pittsburgh Entry-level OTD
Widener University Entry-level OTD
Wilson College Entry-level OTD

South Carolina (1)

Presbyterian College Entry-level OTD

Tennessee (9)

Belmont University Entry-level master's
Belmont University Entry-level OTD
East Tennessee State University Entry-level OTD
Milligan University Entry-level master's
Tennessee State University Entry-level master's
Tennessee Wesleyan University-Downtown Knoxville Site Entry-level master's
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Entry-level OTD
University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Memphis Entry-level master's
University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Memphis Entry-level OTD

Texas (12)

Abilene Christian University Entry-level master's
Abilene Christian University Entry-level OTD
Baylor University Entry-level OTD
Tarleton State University Entry-level OTD
The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center Entry-level OTD
U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence/Baylor University Entry-level OTD
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Entry-level master's
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Entry-level OTD
University of Texas at El Paso Entry-level OTD
University of Texas Medical Branch Entry-level OTD
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Entry-level OTD
University of the Incarnate Word Entry-level OTD

Utah (3)

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Entry-level master's
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Entry-level OTD
Utah Tech University Entry-level OTD

Vermont (1)

University of Vermont Entry-level OTD

Virginia (7)

Emory and Henry University-Marion Campus Entry-level OTD
James Madison University Entry-level master's
Mary Baldwin University Entry-level OTD
Radford University Entry-level master's
Shenandoah University Entry-level master's
Shenandoah University-Loudoun Entry-level master's
Virginia Commonwealth University Entry-level OTD

Washington (6)

Eastern Washington University Entry-level OTD
Eastern Washington University (OTM) Entry-level master's
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences Entry-level master's
University of Puget Sound Entry-level master's
University of Puget Sound Entry-level OTD
Whitworth University Entry-level OTD

West Virginia (3)

University of Charleston-Charleston Entry-level master's
West Virginia University Entry-level master's
West Virginia University Entry-level OTD

Wisconsin (8)

Carroll University Entry-level master's
Concordia University Wisconsin Entry-level master's
Marquette University Entry-level OTD
Mount Mary University Entry-level master's
Mount Mary University Entry-level OTD
University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse Entry-level master's
University of Wisconsin-Madison Entry-level OTD
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Entry-level master's

Wyoming (1)

University of North Dakota at Casper College Entry-level OTD

Frequently asked questions

When does OTCAS open for 2026–2027?

The 2026–2027 OTCAS cycle opened on July 16, 2026 and closes July 7, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET. Individual programs set earlier deadlines, often in the fall, so check each program.

How much does OTCAS cost?

$172 for the first program and $71 for each additional program. Applying to 5 programs costs $456. Some programs add a supplemental fee, and limited fee waivers are available first-come, first-served.

Do all OT programs use OTCAS?

No. Many do, but some use their own application or both. We confirmed OTCAS use on the websites of 225 programs (listed below). OTA programs use a separate service (OTACAS) or the college’s own application.

What goes in the OTCAS personal statement?

OTCAS sets the prompt each cycle. Most strong statements explain why occupational therapy (not just healthcare), what you learned from observation or work experience, and why you fit the profession, in clear, specific stories.

When should I submit?

Early. Many programs review on a rolling basis and give priority to applications verified by OTCAS before their priority deadline; verification itself can take a few weeks.