Application Process

An applicant to the post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree program must be a registered occupational therapist, and have either a.) a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy and a master’s degree in a related field, or b.) a master’s degree in occupational therapy, from an accredited college or university.
 
An applicant to the Advanced Specialty Certificate Programs must have completed, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in an occupational therapy program, or a bachelor's degree in a related profession, from an accredited undergraduate college or university.*

 
*Applicants in the Low Vision Rehabilitation specialty track must have completed a bachelor’s degree in an occupational therapy program from an accredited undergraduate college or university. 

To be considered, an applicant must:

Salus University is now accepting applications through the GradCAS centralized application service. Please follow all instructions as indicated on the application portal. 

• Submit a completed application through GradCAS: If new to the GradCAS application portal, you will need to create a new account. Once your account is created:
  • Click Add Program at the top of the application home page.
  • Use the search filters to locate the Salus University, Post-Professional Doctorate or Certificate in Occupational Therapy programs. 
  • Complete the application's four core sections: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials. 
  • Utilize the GradCAS Applicant Help Center as a resource. 
  • A non-refundable fee of $124.00 is required. Payment may be made through the GradCAS application portal. 
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges (undergraduate, graduate, professional) attended. Partial transcripts should be submitted if courses are still in progress. Official transcripts must be issued directly to the GradCAS Transcript Processing Center from each institution, not to the student. A transcript marked "issued to student" is not acceptable, even when delivered in a sealed envelope.
  • ​Further instructions on submitting official transcripts.

• OTD Applicants: Submit copies of OT Licensure and NBCOT certification to the Office of Admissions (may be uploaded to GradCAS or sent via email to admissions@salus.edu):
  • Proof of occupational therapy certification or eligibility for certification in the U.S. (copy of NBCOT certification, state license, or application for same).
  • Proof of licensure to practice (if applicable in the state of current practice).
  • International students must present their country of residence’s equivalent documentation.
• Advanced Specialty Certificate Applicants: Submit copies of your professional licensure to the Office of Admissions (may be may be uploaded to GradCAS or sent via email to admissions@salus.edu)

• Educational Resume/Curriculum Vitae – the document should list, in chronological order, an applicant's education and work experiences, publications, honors and achievements to date. Submitted through the GradCAS application portal.

• Arrange for one letter of evaluation to be submitted through the GradCAS application portal on your behalf. References will be contacted by GradCAS and provided with instructions on how to submit an evaluation electronically. The reference may be one of the following:
  • A teaching faculty member (at the undergraduate level or above) or research/clinical supervisor assessing your ability to complete graduate work, and qualifications for a professional scholarly career; or
  • A person with authority (i.e. work supervisor, OT professional, etc.) regarding your work and/or assessing your qualifications for graduate education, ability to complete graduate work, and qualifications for a professional scholarly career.
  • The reference should be from someone who is not related to the applicant and is familiar with the applicant's academic work, employment record, and/or personal characteristics.
• International Students, please review the section below for any additional requirements needed.
• All credentials submitted on behalf of an applicant become a part of that applicant’s file with the University and cannot be returned.

Please note: It will be necessary for any OTD degree or certificate student to belong to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in order to access certain library resources.*

*This requirement may be waived for the Advanced Specialty Certificate programs only, as determined on a case by case basis.     

International students who are interested in applying to the post-professional OTD program are advised to speak to the Office of Admissions prior to application. Please call 800.824.6262 to speak with an admissions counselor. 

Note: For international students who wish to practice in the U.S., the post-professional OTD degree does not guarantee eligibility to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). For more information on eligibility requirements, please visit the NBCOT website.  

INTERNATIONAL TRANSCRIPTS

For applicants who have attended foreign and French-Canadian schools, please provide the Office of Admissions with the following information: 

A course-by-course credential review from a NACES recognized agency which evidences all post-secondary studies completed. Please consult the agency’s web site for requirements to complete the evaluation. 

• Recommended agencies include:
  • World Education Services
  • SpanTran
• An official credential evaluation (not a copy) must be sent from the evaluation service directly to: Office of Admissions, Salus University, 8360 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027.
• Applicants also have the option to submit their credential evaluation directly to GradCAS.  If you choose this option, please view GradCAS foreign transcripts instructions for more details. 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Fluency in written and spoken English is essential for success in a Salus University academic program as well as to help ensure patient/client/student safety and/or effective communication with members of a healthcare or education team.

Official results from the TOEFL iBT, IELTS or DuoLingo examination are required of all non-native English speakers. One of these approved exams must be taken within two years prior to the start date of the entering class to which an applicant seeks admission.

While we recommend that applicants submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS or DuoLingo, exceptions will be considered for foreign applicants who meet one of the following criteria*:

1. successfully completed a degree or diploma held from an accredited, post-secondary institution where the coursework was entirely in English, and provide evidence that it was conducted in English; or
2. successfully completed, and provide evidence of, an approved English language learner’s program

*Note: All exemption materials and other appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and subject to the admission committee’s final discretion. Should any exceptions not be accepted toward the English language requirement, the Office of Admissions will inform the applicant of an alternative to fulfill it.

• If submitting TOEFL scores, please use the GradCAS code of B886.
• If submitting IELTS scores, please send scores directly to Salus University, Office of Admissions.
•  If submitting DuoLingo scores, please send scores via DuoLingo to Salus University.

Admission procedures and policies include appropriate consideration of an individual applicant’s educational credentials and professional experience. In addition, it is expected that the successful candidate for the degree (OTD or Advanced Specialty Certificate) program will possess:

• A documented record of academic achievement.
• Demonstrated academic competency in mathematics/quantitative methods. 
• English language skills (both written and oral) essential to the successful completion of the coursework.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

During the review process, the academic background of the applicant is assessed to determine academic eligibility and his/her entry point into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) or Certificate programs. Each candidate is evaluated by the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation Admissions Committee and the evaluation includes a formal interview. The interview will provide further insight into the applicant’s character and motivation, and allows an applicant the opportunity to speak with faculty within the College. Interviews may be held via phone or virtually.

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE 

An applicant may be notified of his or her acceptance on a rolling admissions basis. Upon receipt of acceptance, an applicant is required to complete the Matriculation Supplement form in order to reserve a seat in the program.

ADVANCED STANDING OR TRANSFER CREDIT

As per the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation policy, credit by transfer maybe accepted for any course within the curriculum when it is determined that the transfer course is substantially equivalent to that offered by the College and OT Department. This equivalency will be determined by the course instructor and the program director. Only courses in which the student receives a grade of ‘B’ or above will be considered for transfer. The maximum number of semester hour credits a student may earn by transfer is six (6) semester hour credits. No credit is given for experiential learning. 
 

Deferment of Admission

An accepted student with an unforeseen, extenuating circumstance prohibiting them from matriculating may request a deferment of admission in writing. The request must be directed to both the Dean of Student Affairs and the OTD Program Director, and made via the Office of Admissions. 

For deferment consideration, the following is required:

• A deferment request submitted in writing by December 15, before the January start date, or by August 1, before the September start date, of the program. Please note, submission of a deferral request by the deadline does not guarantee approval.
• Official documentation verifying the extenuating circumstance.
• All matriculation materials must be received (as directed in the University’s official Letter of Acceptance).

If deferment is approved:

• Admission will be extended to the next academic year.
• A deferment will not extend beyond one admission cycle.
• The student must contact the Office of Admissions, in writing, by November 30 of the deferred admission calendar year, if entering in the spring term, or by July 22 if entering in the fall term, regarding his/her intention to resume enrollment.
• The student will be required to meet with a member of the Admissions Committee prior to matriculation (this may be done in person or via phone/online).

If a deferral request is denied:

• A student has the option to withdraw acceptance from the Program, and reapply through GRADCAS for future admission. 

For questions regarding this policy, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@salus.edu.
 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Enrolled students who withdraw or are dismissed from the University will be responsible for the payment of tuition in accordance with the institutional refund schedule.

• University Policies

• Refund Policy