Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) — Queen’s University

Program status: Active

SpaceCat Fit Notes

1. CASPer: SpaceCat cannot leverage her high CASPer score here. Queen’s OT does not use CASPer — selection is entirely file-based (GPA screening + written components + references).

2. GPA window & upgrading strategy: GPA is calculated on the full cumulative undergraduate record (all years, all courses). This is the least favorable window for GPA improvement. Taking strong new courses would only partially shift SpaceCat’s effective GPA, because every past Dalhousie course remains in the calculation. For example, if SpaceCat has 120 credits from Dalhousie and takes 30 new credits at a high GPA, only ~20% of her total credits would reflect the new grades — barely affecting the cumulative average. Admitted students average ~3.64/4.0; the Stage 1 screening cutoff was 3.2 in 2022.

3. Experiential / written advantage: Queen’s has strong narrative components: a Statement of Intent (2 questions, 5,000 characters each) plus a 2-page resume and two Confidential Assessment Forms (references). With no interview and no CASPer, these written and reference-based components carry heavy weight in Stage 2. SpaceCat’s shelter work experience should translate powerfully into the Statement of Intent, which asks applicants to demonstrate “an informed career decision and the particular strengths, experiences, and abilities” they would bring to the profession. The references also allow supervisors to speak to SpaceCat’s interpersonal skills and suitability. This is one of the most writing-friendly OT programs for SpaceCat — her experiential strengths have a direct avenue to influence selection.

4. Out-of-province: Ontario resident. - No provincial quotas identified. The program requires Canadian citizenship or permanent residency but does not appear to restrict by province of residence. SpaceCat is an Ontario resident, so this is not an issue. (). - No differential for domestic students. Queen’s tuition for the MScOT is th

5. Overall assessment: Moderate fit — Queen’s is one of the best programs for SpaceCat to showcase her shelter experience through writing and references, with no CASPer or interview to navigate. However, the cumulative GPA window (all undergraduate courses, no reset possible) is the least favorable for GPA improvement, and the competitive average (~3.64) is high. If SpaceCat’s cumulative GPA clears the ~3.2 screening cutoff, her strong written profile and references could carry significant weight in Stage 2. The 814 applicants for 74 spots (~9% acceptance rate) makes this competitive regardless.

Quick Facts

• Institution: Queen’s University, School of Rehabilitation Therapy (Faculty of Health Sciences)
• Program name: Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT)
• Degree granted: MScOT
• City, Province: Kingston, Ontario
• Program type: Professional master’s (entry-to-practice)
• Duration: 24 months (2 years)
• Delivery format: In-person
• Full-time / Part-time: Full-time only (Source)
• Language of instruction: English
• Start date(s): September (Fall entry only)
• Intake frequency: Annual
• Application deadline(s): ORPAS application deadline was January 6, 2026 for Fall 2026 entry; initial transcripts due January 30, 2026; offers sent May 15, 2026 (Source)
• Application system: ORPAS (Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service)
• Application code: Queen’s OT via ORPAS
• Supplementary application portal: None — all components submitted through ORPAS
• Program URL: https://rehab.queensu.ca/academic-programs/mscot
• Accredited: Yes — accredited by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). Graduates are eligible to write the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE). (Source, CAOT University Programs)

Admission Requirements

GPA

• Minimum GPA: Second-class standing from a four-year baccalaureate degree. In practice, the initial screening cutoff is based on the applicant pool and varies year to year. In 2022, the initial cutoff to proceed to full file review was 3.2/4.0 cumulative GPA. The FAQ states that “typically students entering the Occupational Therapy program have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale.” (Source — FAQ)
• Competitive GPA: The cumulative GPA average of students who received a first-round admission offer was:
• 3.64/4.0 in 2022 (with 814 applicants that year)
• 3.66/4.0 in 2019 (with 800+ applicants that year)
• These averages were “coupled with strong academic and professional references, an excellent letter of intent, as well as a record of relevant volunteer and professional experiences.” (Source — FAQ)
• GPA calculated on: Cumulative converted grade point average for all years of undergraduate university study, as calculated by ORPAS. ORPAS includes only university undergraduate credit courses from Canadian and American universities. Graduate courses, college courses, challenge-for-credit courses, practicums, and diploma programs are excluded. (Source — FAQ, ORPAS GPA Calculations)
• Number of credits in GPA window: All undergraduate courses — this is the entire cumulative undergraduate record. There is no “most recent X credits” sub-GPA for Queen’s OT. This means SpaceCat’s full Dalhousie transcript is what counts, making it harder to raise the effective GPA with a few new courses compared to programs that use a last-60-credit or last-20-half-course window.
• GPA scale used: 4.0 (ORPAS converted scale)

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses are required. Any four-year bachelor’s degree from a recognized university is sufficient. (Source — Admission)

The FAQ notes that “a foundation in psychology, sociology, anatomy, and physiology” is recommended but not required. (Source — FAQ)

Recommended background (not required):

Prereq source URL: Admission page, FAQ

Prior Degree Requirement

• Minimum credits / degree required: Completed four-year baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) with minimum second-class standing (Source)
• Completed degree required? Yes — must have graduated with a four-year degree
• Degree field restrictions: Any field — no specific discipline required

Supplementary Requirements

• CASPer: Not required. Queen’s MScOT does not use CASPer as part of its admission process. This differentiates it from some other Ontario OT programs (e.g., McMaster). (Source — Admission)
• GRE: Not required
• Interview: No interview. The selection process is file-based only (GPA screening followed by review of written components and references). No evidence of an interview stage was found on any official page. (Source — Admission)
• Resume / CV: Required. Maximum 2 pages, typed in 11-point font, single-sided, 1-inch margins. (Source — Admission, FAQ)
• References: Two Confidential Assessment Forms (CAFs) required:
• One academic — must be completed by someone who holds an academic position at a postsecondary university or college and is qualified to judge academic ability. Teaching assistants, laboratory coordinators, and athletic trainers do not qualify as academic referees.
• One academic or professional — should be completed by someone who can judge work performance, interpersonal skills, and suitability for studies in occupational therapy. (Source — Admission)
• Volunteer / work experience: Not formally required, but the resume and statement of intent are expected to demonstrate relevant experience. The FAQ notes that admitted students typically have “a record of relevant volunteer and professional experiences.” (Source — FAQ)
• Language proficiency: For applicants who have spent fewer than 3 years studying in an English-speaking country: TOEFL iBT minimum 94, or IELTS minimum 8.0, or MELAB minimum 80. (Source — Admission)
• Other requirements (post-admission):
• Criminal record check (vulnerable sector) (Source — Admission)
• Immunizations: TB skin test, varicella, MMR, DPT, polio, hepatitis B, annual influenza and COVID vaccinations (Source — Admission)
• CPR/First Aid at Health Care Provider (HCP) level (Source — Admission)
• Citizenship: Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents prior to the application closing date. International students are generally not eligible. (Source — FAQ)

Written / Personal Components

How Applications Are Evaluated

Queen’s uses a two-stage selection process:

1. Stage 1 — GPA screening: A cumulative GPA cutoff is applied to the entire applicant pool. The cutoff varies each year based on the number and quality of applicants. In 2022, the cutoff was 3.2/4.0. Only applicants above the cutoff proceed to Stage 2. (Source — FAQ)

2. Stage 2 — Full file review: The remaining applications are assessed based on:

3. Confidential Assessment Forms (references)
4. Resume
5. Statement of Intent (Source — Admission)

Specific weighting of components in Stage 2 is not published. The program does not disclose the relative weight of GPA vs. references vs. written components in the final ranking. (Source — Admission)

No interview and no CASPer — this means the written components and references carry significant weight in the Stage 2 review.

Out-of-Province Considerations

• Residency restrictions or quotas: No provincial quotas identified. The program requires Canadian citizenship or permanent residency but does not appear to restrict by province of residence. SpaceCat is an Ontario resident, so this is not an issue. (Source — Admission)
• Residency definition: Not applicable — no provincial preference system identified
• Out-of-province tuition differential: No differential for domestic students. Queen’s tuition for the MScOT is the same for all Canadian students regardless of province of residence. (Source — Registrar Tuition)
• Equity / priority seats: No information found about designated seats (Indigenous, equity, etc.) on the MScOT admission pages. (Source — Admission)

Cost

• Tuition (total program, approximate): ~$22,135 domestic over 2 years ($3,689.20/term x 6 terms). Note: the registrar page lists 3 terms per year. (Source — Registrar Tuition)
• Per-term breakdown (domestic):
• Tuition: $3,689.20/term
• Student Activity Levy: ~$100/term
• Ancillary fees: ~$1,538.33/term
• Total per year (3 terms): ~$12,706
• Total program (2 years): ~$25,412 (including all fees) (Source — Registrar Tuition)
• International students: ~$35,493 tuition alone per year + ancillary fees + UHIP ($792). Total ~$37,923/year. (Moot for this program since international students are generally ineligible.) (Source — Registrar Tuition)
• Application fees: ORPAS service fee ~$190 + institutional fee ~$90 per university selected + transcript fees ~$12 (Source — ORPAS)
• Additional fees: Students are responsible for clinical placement expenses (travel, accommodation if placed outside Kingston). Criminal record check, immunizations, CPR certification at own cost. (Source — Curriculum)
• Ontario Learn and Stay Grant: Not eligible. The Learn and Stay Grant covers nursing, paramedic, and medical laboratory programs only — occupational therapy is not included. (Source)

Competitiveness

• Cohort size: 74 students admitted annually (Source — FAQ)
• Number of applicants:
• 2022: 814 applicants (Source — FAQ)
• 2019: 800+ applicants (Source — FAQ)
• Acceptance rate: Approximately 9% (74 out of ~814 in 2022). This is an estimate based on cohort size vs. applicant count.
• GPA cutoff to pass Stage 1: 3.2/4.0 in 2022 (varies by year) (Source — FAQ)
• Average GPA of admitted students: 3.64/4.0 in 2022, 3.66/4.0 in 2019 (Source — FAQ)

Fieldwork / Clinical / Practicum

• Total required hours: Minimum 1,000 hours (per World Federation of Occupational Therapists accreditation standards) (Source — Curriculum)
• Number of placements: 4 fieldwork placements integrated throughout the 2-year program:
• OT 847 (Level 2) — ~8 weeks (e.g., late October to mid-December)
• OT 846 (Level 1) — ~8 weeks (e.g., early January to late February)
• OT 877 (Level 3) — ~8 weeks (e.g., April to June or June to July)
• OT 862 (Community Development) — ~5 weeks (e.g., April to May or late June to July) (Source — OT Clinical Education)
• Placement settings: Hospitals, clinics, community centres, private practices, schools, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, administrative and research settings (Source — Curriculum)
• Geographic area: Majority of students placed within the Queen’s University catchment area: east to Cornwall, west to Oshawa, north to Peterborough/Smiths Falls/Perth. Placements may also be obtained elsewhere in Ontario, across Canada, or internationally. (Source — Curriculum)
• Placements guaranteed? The program organizes placements and makes efforts to accommodate location preferences, but specific locations are not guaranteed. (Source — Curriculum)
• Cost: Students are responsible for clinical placement expenses (travel, housing if placed away from Kingston). (Source — Curriculum)
• Contact: OT Fieldwork Coordinator Catherine Larmer, otfieldwork@queensu.ca (Source — OT Clinical Education)

Licensing & Career Path

• Licensing exam: National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE), administered by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
• Graduates eligible to practice in all provinces? Yes — CAOT-accredited program; graduates can apply for registration in any Canadian province/territory through the relevant provincial regulator (e.g., COTO in Ontario)
• Any known issues with credential recognition? None identified

Curriculum Structure

The program is organized around five integrated themes (Source — Curriculum):

1. Theme I: Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy
2. Theme II: Determinants of Occupation
3. Theme III: Communication Skills
4. Theme IV: Community Development
5. Theme V: Critical Enquiry

The curriculum uses an inquiry-based approach with “horizontal and vertical integration,” allowing students to progress from foundational material to complex concepts while connecting academic content with fieldwork experiences. Emphasis on self-directed and reflective practitioner development. (Source — Curriculum)

Reputation & Notes

• Queen’s School of Rehabilitation Therapy is well-established and has been training occupational therapists for decades in Kingston
• The inquiry-based curriculum is a distinctive feature compared to more traditional lecture-based programs
• Kingston is a mid-sized city (~130,000) — lower cost of living than Toronto, which helps offset tuition costs
• The 4 fieldwork placements distributed across the program provide varied clinical experience
• The catchment area for placements (Cornwall to Oshawa) is wide and may require students to relocate temporarily for some placements
• No Reddit-specific student reviews were found despite searching. Premed101 forums have active “OT/PT Accepted/Waitlisted/Rejected” threads for each cycle (2024 cycle, 2025 cycle, 2026 cycle) but the forums returned 403 errors when attempting to scrape specific applicant data points

Information Not Found

The following items could not be confirmed from public sources and should be verified directly with the program:

1. Exact Statement of Intent prompts — the two essay questions are only visible within the ORPAS application portal; the specific prompts are not published on Queen’s website
2. Weighting of Stage 2 components — the relative weight of GPA, references, resume, and statement of intent in the final ranking is not disclosed
3. Exact number of fieldwork hours — the 1,000-hour minimum is stated, but the actual total hours across the 4 placements may exceed this
4. Weekly hours during fieldwork — not specified on the website
5. Indigenous / equity designated seats — no information found either confirming or denying such seats
6. Updated applicant statistics — the most recent data available is from 2022 (814 applicants, 3.2 cutoff, 3.64 average). More recent cycle data was not found on official pages
7. Specific ORPAS application fees for 2026-2027 cycle — the ~$190 + $90 figures are approximate and may have changed
8. Whether the program accepts WES-evaluated international degrees — the FAQ mentions WES for non-North American degrees, but details are sparse
9. Student experience details — no Reddit or forum reviews of the actual student experience (as opposed to admissions data) were found

Program contact: School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University — Admission page

Sources

Official program pages: - MScOT Program Overview - MScOT Admission - MScOT Admission FAQ - MScOT Curriculum - OT Clinical Education

Official fee/tuition pages: - Queen’s Graduate Tuition & Fees

Application system pages: - ORPAS — Queen’s University - ORPAS Key Dates - ORPAS GPA Calculations - ORPAS Program Requirements Overview

Accreditation: - CAOT University Programs - CAOT Accreditation

Policy documents: - Ontario Learn and Stay Grant (OT not eligible)

Third-party / forum sources: - Premed101 — OT/PT Accepted/Waitlisted/Rejected 2026 Cycle - Premed101 — OT/PT Accepted/Waitlisted/Rejected 2025 Cycle - Premed101 — OT/PT Accepted/Waitlisted/Rejected 2024 Cycle