Occupational Therapy (Master of Science (MSc (OT)))

Frequently asked questions

• How much does Occupational Therapy (Master of Science (MSc (OT))) cost?

  CAD 41,277 / year.

• What English score does it need?

  IELTS 7.5 overall is the score listed for this programme.

• How long is it?

  6 terms, as listed by the university.

• What are the entry requirements?

  Programme admission requirements as published by Western: • Four-year degree or equivalent from a recognized university or college. • Applicants in the final year of their bachelor's degree must provide proof of degree completion (i.e., degree conferral) by June 30th, 2026 to maintain their spot in the program. • Applicants whose bachelor's degree was completed at an institution outside of Canada, must submit their transcripts for equivalency. • Students with a sub-GPA of 3.4 (as calculated by ORPAS), or better, are eligible to apply. • Applicants must have successfully studied for at least 2 years, with 2 terms on a full-time basis during their university-level studies. For admission purposes, we consider full-time studies to be 4 -5 half courses per semester (equivalent to a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester). Applicants whose most recent 20 half credits do not reflect full-time studies are strongly encouraged to submit a Special Consideration request to explain their situation to the MScOT Admission Committee.. • Applicants should read and understand the Essential Skills and Attributes Required for the Study of Occupational Therapy for skills and abilities expected of candidates in occupational therapy entry-to-practice programs. • All applicants are required to complete a Casper test. *Please note: A designated number of spots in the program are held for Indigenous applicants (minimum five per year) and international applicants (minimum six per year). || Additional requirements: • It is suggested (though not required) that applicants have a breadth of undergraduate courses that relate to the School of Occupational Therapy’s emphases on social justice, social inclusion, and health and well-being. For example, relevant courses span undergraduate science courses (i.e., anatomy, human physiology/biology), courses addressing social and political determinants of health, and courses addressing Indigenous history, health, and well-being. || SGPS university-wide minimum - Master's: 'Applicants must possess a four-year degree from a university, college or institute. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires at least a 70% average across courses taken in the last two full-time years of the undergraduate degree. Equivalent qualifications may be considered based on the standards of the discipline or profession.' Doctoral: 'Applicants must possess a Master's degree or equivalent from a university, college or institute, and provide evidence of research potential. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires at least a 70% average in the Master's degree, as determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.' Source: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/international/index.html || English language proficiency: Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language by a satisfactory achievement within the last two years in one of the following: • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) • A minimum overall score of 105 (internet-based) with a minimum of 23 on the speaking component and no other section below 20 TOEFL score is required. • TOEFL scores must be sent directly to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Western University using TOEFL ID 0984. • In addition, a copy of TOEFL score must be uploaded to your application. • The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic) • A minimum overall score of 7.5 out of 9 in both the overall and writing sections is required. • Applicants must upload IELTS score to their application. • The Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) • A minimum score of 72 is required. • The Duolingo English Test • A minimum score of 135 is required. Applicants whose first language is not English may be exempt from providing proof of English language proficiency if they have studied full-time for at least four years at a university where English is the medium of instruction in a country where English is the official language. This does not apply to English preparatory programs. NOTE: For applicants who are applying during their fourth year of undergraduate studies, four years will be counted as of June 30th of the application year. · English: IELTS 7.5; PTE Academic 72; Duolingo English Test 135 · English test waiver: Western does not publish a blanket country or medium-of-instruction waiver for graduate admission. SGPS states the requirement applies to 'Applicants whose first language is not English', and under 'Exemptions': 'Applicants may request an exemption by contacting their graduate program(s) of interest. For the French and Hispanic Studies programs only, evidence of proficiency in English is a degree requirement but not a requirement for admission.' Western also offers a conditional route instead of a test: the Western English Language Centre 'allows academically eligible students interested in pursuing a graduate degree at Western the opportunity to receive a conditional offer of admission to graduate studies without successful completion of an English language proficiency test', on condition the student completes the Centre's programme. Source: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/apply.html and https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/international/index.html · Application fee: CAD 290.00 - 2026-2027 Application Fees Table 3, Graduate Programs: 'Occupational Therapy M.Sc. (OT) 290'. Source: 2026-2027 Application Fees (Table 3), https://registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/2026-27-Application-Fees.pdf · Deposit: CAD 2,000.00 - Table 2, line 53 'Graduate Professional Programs Tuition Deposit fee, International (Masters and PhD), 2,000', under the heading 'Faculty of Health Science (CSD, Nursing, OT, PT, Health Studies, Kinesiology, HRS)'. The general international master's deposit, Table 2 line 226, is also CAD 2,000.00 non-refundable. Source: 2026-2027 Program-Related Tuition Fees (Table 2), https://registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/2026-27-Program-Related-Fees2.pdf

• Is there a scholarship?

  Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS), Graduate Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Fellowships and Graduate Student Assistantships are administered by the graduate programme; SGPS states 'Decisions regarding the structure, sources and annual amount of your graduate funding over the course of your program are made primarily at the Faculty and/or graduate program.' Doctoral funding guarantee, open to international students: 'For domestic and international doctoral students who start their program in September 2026 (September 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027), Western guarantees a minimum annual funding support package of $17,000, plus $6,487 for tuition, for a total of $23,487.' Average funding received from all sources: Doctoral CAD 35,476 (2025), Master's CAD 26,277 (2025). International students are eligible for Western's Graduate Bursary and for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS). Western lists formalised international sponsorship partnerships with: CGS-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements, China Scholarship Council, Libya North-American Scholarship Program, Egypt Cultural and Educational Bureau, Mitacs Globalink Research Awards, Organization of American States Program, Rhodes Scholarships, Russia Global Education Program, Saudi Arabia King Abdullah Scholarship Program and the Vietnam International Education Development Program. Source View scholarship page

• Is it accredited?

  Occupational Therapy: Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT), through its academic accreditation process and Accreditation Council. CAOT runs a seven-year continuous quality improvement cycle and awards one of four statuses: Accredited Exemplary, Accredited, Accredited Probationary, or Non-Accredited; a new programme can hold 'Eligible for Accreditation' before its first cohort graduates. The list CAOT publishes gives the date of the NEXT accreditation review, not an expiry date.