Admissions

What type of student are you?

Additional Information on Admissions

Undergraduate Pre-Professional Sequence

You must apply to the University at Buffalo as an undergraduate and complete the courses in the first two years of the program, known as the pre-professional sequence. If you are a transfer student, you must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at UB and have all transfer coursework approved. All students must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at UB when applying to the program. Students must complete 8 out of 12 prerequisites and have a minimum GPA of 2.8 in prerequisite courses before applying to the professional program in January of the year they plan to begin the professional sequence. Read details about the prerequisite requirements.

Volunteer Hours

Applicants to the professional program are typically required to complete 70 volunteer/observation hours prior to applying, though this has been modified for 2023 applicants due to COVID-19.

We recognize that COVID-19 has made it difficult for students to ascertain volunteer hours over the past few years. Therefore, we are modifying our requirements to 35 hours of volunteer or observation (this includes telehealth) with an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. This could have taken place at any point within the last three years (not two years), and must be signed by an OTR or COTA. 

Students are responsible for securing volunteer hours. Many find volunteer offices at hospitals, nursing homes, agencies for individuals with disabilities, public schools, or private practices to be helpful.

Students who have completed volunteer or observation hours can complete the Volunteer Experience Form, have it signed, and scan it to upload to your professional program application.

We strongly recommend students obtain as many volunteer hours or telehealth observation hours as possible before applying to the program to develop a true understanding of the profession. We understand this may not be possible during the pandemic and we have developed an online observation and volunteer hour option that utilizes videos, podcasts, and some interviews and interactions.

Volunteer Hours

January 2024 and January 2025 Applicants – Must complete 35 hours in total; 10 of these hours must be with an OTR or COTA (in person or telehealth).   Students may complete up to 25 hours of online observation of recorded materials through a UB online  observation course by applying here

If you are a transfer student, you must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at UB and have completed the prerequisites or approved equivalent coursework, and the volunteer/observation hours prior to applying to the professional sequence.

Questions about the admissions process?

Applying to the Professional Program

All students must apply to the professional program through Graduate School Application Manager by January 12, prior to the summer they expect to begin the professional program. That includes those students who are reapplying to the program.

Students must complete the prerequisite and the UB Curriculum requirements.  Students may not take prerequisite courses more than twice and may not repeat more than two prerequisite courses.

Questions about applying to the professional program?

Read the step-by-step application instructions.

For questions regarding the Occupational Therapy program, contact MaryAnn Venezia, program coordinator at (716) 829-6742 or venezia3@buffalo.edu.

For questions regarding how to complete the application, contact Jaclyn Levesque at jl388@buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is committed to ensuring equal access to its programs and activities. The entire notice of non-discrimination can be viewed at buffalo.edu/equity