Applicants require a four-year baccalaureate degree (120 units/credits or equivalent) with a minimum GPA of 3.30/4.0 (B+ or 77%) in the last two (2) years or 60 units of university academic study, as calculated by ORPAS.

Please refer to the ORPAS Application Guide to review how the sub-GPA is calculated as well as courses that are not included in the sub-GPA calculation.

The degree can be in any university discipline; none are favoured. There are no prerequisites. The McMaster Occupational Therapy Program does not require referees, a CV, or a personal statement of interest.

Applicants may apply for the Program in their fourth year of study. The sub-GPA will be calculated using the most current 60 units of university study, including their fall semester grades. If an applicant is offered admission, it will be conditional on the completion of their degree. Proof of completion of the degree will be due prior to June 30. The minimum GPA requirement (3.3) must be upheld throughout the final year of study for their conditional offer to turn firm.

Please note: All transcripts for the purpose of application are to be sent to ORPAS only. Transcripts only need to be sent to McMaster in the event an applicant is offered admission into the Program and has obtained additional credits not included in the application.

Please visit the Admissions FAQs tab for answers to popular questions.

Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Pass/Fail Courses

The Program recognizes that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some applicants will be assigned pass/fail grades for courses completed during this time. This may affect how your sub-GPA is calculated.

The sub-GPA is calculated using the most current 60 units of university level study. As of right now, courses without a numeric/alpha grade or any other non-convertible grade will not be included in the calculation (i.e., PASS grade designations). This means that ORPAS will skip pass/fail grades, likely resulting in the need to use older course grades in the academic history to obtain a total 60 units.

Should any changes to the policy be made, updates will be posted here. We also suggest that you refer to the ORPAS website.

Applicants who have graduated from a three-year baccalaureate degree (90 units/credits) must complete additional university work in order to be eligible to apply. For example:

• An additional 30 university level units/credits (in addition to a three-year degree) are required to total 120 units/credits.
• Contained within the 120 units/credits, 30 units/credits must be at the fourth-year level or above; and,
• A minimum average of B+ or 77% or 3.30/4.0 or 9/12, calculated over the last 60 units of university course work.
• Units/credits from post-degree/graduate certificate or diploma programs are not eligible.

Please refer to the ORPAS Application Guide to review how the sub-GPA is calculated as well as courses that are not included in the sub-GPA calculation.

If an applicant has completed master’s or doctor of philosophy graduate course work, relevant courses will be used to re-calculate the sub-GPA calculated by ORPAS. Grades from relevant graduate work will be calculated the same way as undergraduate work and will hold the same weight. Graduate certificates will not be accepted.

Placements, internships and activity courses (even if only a portion of the course has a placement aspect) are not normally considered relevant.

All graduate work must have a grade of B- or higher.

International Applicants

• International applications must meet the same admission requirements as domestic applicants (see above). If English is not your first language please also see the tab, “English is not my first language” for information about English Proficiency testing.
• Applicants that have foreign transcripts (excluding the United States) are required to submit a World Education Services (WES) assessment to ORPAS with their application. If the WES assessment contains copies of all official transcripts from your entire academic history, then you are not required to request official copies from your institution(s). If the WES assessment does not contain all official transcripts from your entire academic history, then you must also provide the following to ORPAS in addition to your WES assessment:
  • Original transcripts sent to ORPAS by originating institution(s) along with a legend from the university that explains the grading scale. If the transcripts are not in English, an official and notarized English language translation completed by a certified translator must be provided. If the transcript is not being collected by WES, the notary should be from Canada.
  • Where official international transcripts may be difficult to obtain, contact WES for more information.
• For more information about being an international student please visit International Student Services.

Exchange Courses

Applicants that have taken exchange courses (excluding those taken in the United States) are required to submit a WES assessment to ORPAS with their application unless the Canadian university has provided a converted grade on the transcript. If the WES assessment does not contain all official transcripts the applicant must provide with their application:

• Original transcripts sent by originating institution(s) to ORPAS along with a legend from the university that explains the grading scale. If the transcripts are not in English, an official and notarized English language translation completed by a certified translator must be provided.
• Where official international transcripts may be difficult to obtain, ORPAS will accept original notarized copies of transcripts in both English and the original language. Please note that photocopies of original notarized documents are not acceptable and will not be considered.

Additional Notes

• WES evaluations must be sent directly to ORPAS by WES and must be received by the application deadline.
• ORPAS will convert grades of courses taken at accredited universities in the US. You do not require a WES evaluation for these courses.
• If the above conditions are not met then international grades will not be used in the sub-GPA calculation and you may be ineligible.

If your first language is not English, a TOEFL minimum score of 92 (internet based), 237 (computer based) or 580 (paper based), minimum of 20 per band is required.

• The TOEFL score must be sent directly from the TOEFL Centre to McMaster University (McMaster code: 0936, Department code: 44).
• We only accept TOEFL IBT, not TOEFL Essentials.
• Applicants can also submit an IELTS (Academic): minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section. As with TOEFL results must be sent directly from IELTS to McMaster University.
• The only exception to this requirement is for those who have completed an entire university degree in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand. The degree must have been completed in English.
• Scores that are more than two (2) years old are not valid.

Please note that the English language proficiency testing is a requirement. IELTS testing is still being held, please check the IELTS website for dates and locations. TOEFL is offering at home testing if required, find more information about that by visiting the TOEFL website.

There are no provisions for advanced standing or transfer into the MSc Occupational Therapy Program. Transfer credits are not accepted.

If you would like to increase your sub-GPA you may take additional university level courses. Eligible courses will be included by ORPAS in the sub-GPA calculation. The Program cannot advise applicants on which courses to take, or how many to take, to increase their sub-GPA. Courses need to be university level and cannot be part of a diploma, certificate, or continuing education. Refer to the ORPAS Application Guide for more information about eligible courses.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University acknowledges the barriers and challenges of Black students accessing postgraduate education programs and opportunities. The MSc Programs have a Facilitated Black Admissions Program for individuals who self-identify as Black.

To be eligible, the applicant must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who self-identifies as Black, including:

• Black African,
• Black Caribbean/West Indian,
• Black North American,
• Black Latinx and/or
• a multi-racial person who has and identifies with their Black ancestry.

Black applicants wishing to apply for the Facilitated Black Admissions Program must:

1. Apply to the program through ORPAS following the program-specific application process (i.e., indicate that you are applying through the Black Equity Stream).
2. Complete the separate Facilitated Black Admissions Program application, if invited by McMaster.
   • Applicants meeting the admission criteria, who receive an email invitation to Kira Talent interviews and pay the Kira Talent Interview fees, will receive an email containing a link to the Facilitated Black Admissions Program application. Applicants wishing to be considered for this stream must access the link and complete the application by the due date outlined in the email.
   • At the time of application to the Facilitated Black Admissions Program, applicants will have the option to complete a personal statement (maximum 250 words) to highlight one or more of the following:
     • Their interest in applying through the Facilitated Black Admissions Program;
     • Their reasons for choosing this profession;
     • Circumstances that may have impacted their experiences to date; and/or
     • Any other information pertaining to their personal/professional contexts they wish to share.
   • If applicants choose to complete the personal statement, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee and Kira Talent interview assessors, which consists of an interprofessional panel of majority Black faculty and clinicians. The statement will be used to provide context to applicants’ Kira Talent interview responses and to ensure an opportunity for their voices to be heard.

We encourage all Indigenous applicants to self-identify when completing an application in ORPAS, and to complete an application with the Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP).

Indigenous applicants who meet all General Admissions Requirements and have a FIAP endorsed application are automatically invited to interview in the asynchronous Kira Talent interviews. If the applicant’s sub-GPA falls below the median sub-GPA of all applicants invited to interview, their sub-GPA will be adjusted to reflect the median sub-GPA. This ensures that FIAP endorsed applicants are not disadvantaged in the final admission score (combination of sub-GPA and interview score).

Applicants wishing to apply to the OT Program through FIAP must complete the following:

1. 1. Complete your OT Program application via ORPAS website. All applicants must pay the required fees.
   2. Visit the Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP) webpage and complete the supplemental Self-Identification Application which is submitted to the Indigenous Health Task Force. The deadline for this application is the same as the ORPAS application deadline.

To be considered for admission into the MSc Occupational Therapy Program applicants must apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre’s Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs (ORPAS) application platform. Application fees can be found in the ORPAS Application Guide.

Applicants are encouraged to read the ORPAS Application Guide for McMaster University before completing the application. All questions about the application process must be directed to ORPAS.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that ORPAS receives their application, and all required supporting documentation by the deadlines. If the application is not complete, or if supporting documentation is not received by the deadline, the application will not be considered and will not move forward in the admission process. All deadlines are hard and we will not offer extensions under any circumstances.

Eligible applicants are ranked for interview solely on the basis of their sub-GPA as calculated by ORPAS. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify with ORPAS that their sub-GPA was calculated accurately. The top-ranked (approximately 800+/-) applicants will be invited to participate in an asynchronous online interview.

Applications cannot be held over to another application cycle, however applicants may reapply.

Should an application contain information that is false or misleading, or, if an applicant has concealed or withheld information required as part of the admission process, the application will be deemed invalid and the matter will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Integrity. If the applicant was already admitted and registered into the Program, withdrawal ay be required, pending a university investigation.

Professionalism is an important requirement of the McMaster Occupational Therapy Program. Graduates of the Program that register with a regulatory college will be expected to demonstrate professional behaviours in practice. In preparation for licensure, and in keeping with the standard of excellence required in our program, we expect applicants to the MSc(OT) Program to conduct themselves in a professional manner throughout all phases of the application process. Any and all interactions throughout the admissions process, where applicants are engaged with Occupational Therapy program staff, faculty, students, and/or community volunteers may be taken into consideration in making admissions decisions. Admission may be denied to applicants who, amongst other critical determinants, behave in a manner that is considered is below the level of professionalism expected of similarly situated candidates, regardless of their academic standing or interview performance.

To ensure a fair and equitable admissions process, the McMaster Occupational Therapy Program utilizes the sub-GPA, as calculated by ORPAS, to determine the top-ranking eligible applicants to be invited to interview (approximately 800 +/-). It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify that their sub-GPA was calculated accurately in ORPAS. Any questions or concerns about the sub-GPA calculation should be sent to ORPAS at orpas@ouac.on.ca.

The cost of the interview is $55.00 CDN (non-refundable) and must be paid in order for the applicant to receive their link to complete the interview. Applicants will receive information about the online payment via email, check your junk/spam folders regularly. For timelines please visit the Dates and Deadlines page.

Applicants who apply to more than one program in McMaster’s School of Rehabilitation Science must pay for, and participate in, separate and unique interviews for each program.

Online Interview via Kira Talent

Once payment is received, applicants will receive a link from Kira Talent to complete their online interview. Applicants can complete the interview at anytime during the specified timeline. Deadline extensions are not granted. 

To complete the interview, applicants must have a computer, webcam, microphone and internet. Tablets or mobile devices are not compatible with Kira Talent.

The School of Rehabilitation Science does not provide feedback to applicants on their interview performance.

Accomodations for the Interview

Applicants are eligible to receive accommodations to complete their interview if submission of proper documentation is received. Applicants can contact askot@mcmaster.ca to request accomodations.

How do I prepare for the Kira Talent Interview?

Personal qualities and life experiences are assessed at the interviews.The interviews will take place asynchronously and online using Kira Talent software. You can find out more about Kira Talent by visiting their website.

Since you are applying to the McMaster OT Program, we suggest that you review the Program website and handbook. Though we don’t have any specific requirements regarding volunteer experience it can be helpful. We recommend that you meet with occupational therapists to understand the range of roles and settings that they work in. You could also learn more about OT by visiting the websites of the provincial (OSOT) and national (CAOT) associations.

Are there practice questions?

Yes, you can complete the practice questions as many times as you need in order to feel comfortable with the online interviewing process. Practice questions may not be similar to the actual interview.

Practice questions are not saved and are provided for you to prepare and learn from. Practices are recorded so that you can replay them, but they are never sent to the interviewer.

Note: You will not be allowed to review your actual interview responses or redo them. Once they are completed, they are forwarded to the Program for assessment.

How does the interview work?

1. Question – A randomized verbal or written-response question will be presented.
2. Preparation – A set amount of time is provided to allow you to prepare your response.
3. Response – A set amount of time is provided for you to respond.

What if I was not invited to interview?

If an applicant does not receive an invitation to the Kira Talent Interview, the application process will be considered concluded. Applicants are welcome to reapply in the following admission cycle.

What if I received no communication from the Program about my application?

The Program will notify all applicants of whether or not they are moving forward to interview by the date indicated on the Dates and Deadlines page. If you do not receive an email by this date please contact the Program at askot@mcmaster.ca.

Applicants who complete the online interview earn a final score, which is a combination of their interview score (75% of final ranking) and their sub-GPA (25% of final ranking). This final score is used to rank applicants and to make decisions for offer of admission.

The School of Rehabilitation Science does not provide feedback to applicants on their interview performance or position in the ranking.

The first round of offers are sent as per the ORPAS Key Dates. Applicant rankings and offer decisions cannot be released prior to this date. Additional rounds of offers may be sent at the discretion of the Program.

Approximately 65 students are admitted to the MSc Occupational Therapy Program each year.

The final approval of applicants for admission will be granted by the Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies. Applicants will be notified of the admission decision via the email address that was provided to ORPAS in their application. Applicants will receive either an offer of admission, notification of placement on the waitlist or a decline letter. Please note: Due to its fluidity, applicants on the waitlist will not be provided with their position on the list.

Applicants being offered admission must complete the online offer of acceptance in ORPAS and pay a non-refundable deposit fee in Mosaic of $500.00 CDN (credited towards tuition). Admission deferral requests are not normally considered.

Email is the primary communication tool for admissions at McMaster University. Important messages regarding your application will be sent to the email address provided in your ORPAS application. We suggest adding McMaster to your email provider’s ‘safe senders’ list. Additionally, be sure to check your junk/spam folders regularly.

Please visit Make @McMaster.ca a Safe Sender for instructions.

Applicants will be notified via email about their application status. Please refer to the Dates and Deadlines page for the specific date. If you do not hear from the Program on this date, please check your junk/spam folders. If you still have not received an email, please contact askot@mcmaster.ca.

f you are invited to interview, first round offers are sent on the same day from all Occupational Therapy Program across Ontario. This date can be found on the Dates and Deadlines page as well as on the ORPAS website. Applicants placed on the waitlist, or those who are no longer being considered for admission, will also be notified on this date. Additional rounds of offers are sent at the discretion of the Programs. A final email will be sent to applicants remaining on the waitlist to notify them when no further offers are being made and the admissions cycle has closed.

No. The OT Program begins in the fall of year one and continues over two full years. All students must complete all courses and advance from semester to semester. Due to the nature of skills being taught and various in-class experiences, there is no online option.

The application process is based on your sub-GPA, which is calculated using the most current 60 units of university study.

It is impossible to accurately predict how competitive the applicant pools are from year to year, however, the lowest sub-GPA for an invitation to interview are listed below:

• 2018 cycle was 3.77/4
• 2019 cycle was 3.76/4
• 2020 cycle was 3.78/4
• 2021 cycle was 3.84/4
• 2022 cycle was 3.85/4
• 2023 cycle was 3.58/4*
• 2024 cycle was 3.65/4*

Please note that the average sub-GPA of the final cohort may be higher than the cut-off for interview.

*To increase the accessibility of our admissions process to a wider range of applicants we shifted to a new approach for the 2023 cycle. The OT Program is utilizing a pre-recorded video interview format, called Kira Talent to interview applicants. Kira Talent allows us to interview a larger number of applicants (from approximately 250 to 800) resulting in a lower sub-GPA cut-off for interview. We are excited about this opportunity to increase accessibility and inclusivity in our admissions process.

To ensure a fair and equitable admissions process, the McMaster Occupational Therapy Program utilizes the sub-GPA as calculated by ORPAS to determine the top-ranked applicants (approximately 800) who will be invited to interview using the Kira Talent platform. As such, any questions or concerns about your sub-GPA should be communicated to ORPAS via email at orpas@ouac.on.ca.

If both course grades fall into the most current 60 units of study then both grades will be used in your sub-GPA calculation.

The OT Program has no prerequisites.

No. The McMaster OT Program does not require reference letters or personal statements. If they are submitted, they will not be considered.

Unfortunately, we are not able to meet individually with every applicant, assess your transcripts, or advise you on your chances of admission.

Yes. We welcome students from a range of educational backgrounds and experience. Please note that the admission requirements are the same for all applicants.

No. The McMaster OT Program begins in the fall of year one and continues over two full years. All students must complete all courses and advance from semester to semester. There is no provision for advance standing or ability to transfer into the Program. Also, we cannot accept transfer credits.

In order to be eligible to apply to the McMaster OT Program you must have either completed your degree, or will have finished all degree requirements, by June 30 of the year in which you will enter the Program.

You can apply to the McMaster OT Program if you meet the admission requirements. Please be sure to review the admissions process for international applicants.

If you are looking to practice in Canada with the training you have already done you can refer to the ACOTRO website for more information.

No. While experience is always beneficial, you do not need any experience in order to apply to the Program. We also do not require that you shadow an OT prior to applying.

The School of Rehabilitation Science offers a dual degree program which leads students to obtain both the Masters of Science (MScOT) degree and the doctoral (PhD) Rehabilitation Science degree. The dual degree program aims to help train clinician scientists. Clinician scientists play an important role in linking research and evidence in the clinical applications of new approaches in the treatment of health problems. The dual degree program offers time efficiency and provides training for students that bridges rehabilitation research scientists and clinical faculty. The graduates will fill leadership roles in integrated health research and become clinician scientists who understand the issues facing the professions, the potential contributions they can make, and the research expertise to undertake these roles.

Applicants apply through the Rehabilitation Science (RS) program. In the RS program, the applicant will need a supervisor who will mentor them in their academic learning. It is highly encouraged that applicants reach out to faculty members that have a research interest that best align with theirs, and to inquire if they are taking in students in the future academic years. If the applicant has a strong application and is eligible for the program, the applicant may be invited for the dual degree interview. The interview is part of the admission process.

The dual degree program is typically completed in 5 years and is only offered in a full-time basis. In year 1, 2, and 5, the student will be in the RS PhD program and in year 3 and 4 the student will be in the MSc OT program.

Sub-GPA calculations are completed by ORPAS except for applicants who have international transcripts or graduate level work, in which case we would calculate the sub-GPA internally. The most current 60 units are used in the calculation, meaning the calculation would start from the most current semester/term and work backwards until a total of 60 units is reached. If the calculation must use grades from a semester/term that contains more units than needed to complete the 60 units, then a cumulative average would be used. The cumulative average is the average of the full term, which is then weighted at the remaining units required.

For example, if we needed six (6) more units to make up the total 60 units required for the sub-GPA, but the final semester/term contained 15 units, an average of all the grades from that semester/term would be calculated and then weighted at six (6) units.

Upon accepting your offer of admission to the Program, learners are required to pay a $500 CDN Tuition Deposit to secure your place in the Program. This deposit is non-refundable, and the total amount will be credited towards your first semester’s tuition. Deposits are due before July 31.

Deposit payments are to be completed in Mosaic. Once you have logged into Mosaic go to ‘Student Centre’ and then to the ‘Accounts’ page. It can take some time after you accept your offer for the deposit fee to show in your account. You can still pay the deposit, just note that your account will show a $500 credit (which appears as -$500). 

For more information about tuition, supplementary fees and payment methods please visit the Tuition & Finance page.

If you were completing studies during the application process, both ORPAS and McMaster University require a copy of your final official transcript. The transcript must be mailed directly from your post-secondary institution, copies sent by the applicant will not be accepted. The final transcript must confirm that you have cleared all academic conditions outlined in your offer letter (i.e., the transcript should indicate that your degree was conferred by June 30).

If all transcripts submitted to ORPAS at the time of application were complete and all degrees were indicated as conferred on the transcripts, then no further copies are required.

Transcripts must be received by the OT Program in a sealed envelope directly from your post secondary institution. Mail should be addressed to:

OT Program Coordinator
McMaster University, School of Rehabilitation Science
1400 Main Street West, IAHS 403
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
L8S 1C7

If your institution is only offering e-transcripts, please have them emailed to askot@mcmaster.ca

McMaster University requires that all Faculty of Health Science (FHS) students submit an original copy of a Police Records Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC), where the date of search is after the student’s offer of admission was accepted. Please visit the Police Records Check webpage for more information.

Students are required to carry a valid VSC throughout the 2-year program regardless if they are on placement or not. All students must submit a VSC on an annual basis, prior to their current one expiring. Certain clinical placements may require a VSC to be updated more frequently than McMaster University standards. Students will need to comply with the clinical site requests at their own expense.

McMaster University requires that all Faculty of Health Science (FHS) students submit the Year One FHS Health Screening Record. Students who are not cleared cannot participate in any in-person clinical activities and may be excluded from class by their Program.

A copy of the Health Screening Record can be downloaded from the Health Screening website, and you are encouraged to visit the site for helpful information and submission instructions (https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/healthscreening/firstyearstudents.html).

Students entering the MSc (OT) Program are required to pay a one-time, non-refundable fee of $610 CDN. This fee will be added to your Student Account in Mosaic.

Please note that this Program Fee is in addition to tuition and supplementary fees. For more information about tuition, supplementary fees and payment methods please visit the Tuition & Finance page.

The MSc OT Program requires each student to complete Level C or BLS CPR training. First Aid Training is not required by the Program. CPR training cannot be completed virtually, though a blended training program will be accepted.

CPR certification must remain valid throughout the duration of the Program, and it is the responsibility of the student to keep their certification valid.

If you are completing your CPR certification outside of Canada, you must ensure equivalency to CPR-Level C for it to be valid.