Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) — University of Saskatchewan

Program status: New program. First cohort begins Fall 2026. Canada’s newest OT program. Not yet accredited by CAOT — the program is not listed on the CAOT accredited programs page as of early 2026; accreditation is expected to follow once the first cohort progresses through the program (CAOT typically grants candidacy status to new programs before full accreditation). Source: CAOT University Programs; Source: USask News

SpaceCat Fit Notes

CASPer: SpaceCat’s very high CASPer score is a significant advantage. CASPer carries 32% of the total evaluation weight — one of the highest CASPer weightings of any Canadian OT program. With academics at 60% and CASPer at 32%, SpaceCat’s very high CASPer score would contribute nearly a third of her total application score, meaningfully offsetting a weaker GPA.
GPA window & upgrading strategy: GPA is calculated on the most recent 60 graded credit units. Taking 60 credits of strong new courses (approximately 2 full-time years) would fully reset SpaceCat’s effective GPA. Taking 30 credits (1 full-time year) would replace half the window. The minimum is 70% (no competitive benchmark exists yet — first cohort). Prerequisites require individual 70% minimums and a combined 75% average across all four.
Experiential / written advantage: USask requires only a 300-word personal statement (prompt provided in mid-January, relating to desire to be an OT). The personal statement carries just 8% of the total evaluation weight — very low. SpaceCat’s shelter work experience can be mentioned but the extremely short format and minimal weight mean writing ability provides almost no competitive advantage here. There is no interview, no references, no resume. This is essentially a numbers-driven program (60% academics + 32% CASPer + 8% statement), with narrative components offering negligible differentiation.
Out-of-province: Ontario resident. - Yes — significant restriction. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents AND meet one of these Saskatchewan residency criteria:. - No differential. The flat tuition of $24,967 applies to all eligible Canadian citizens/permanent residents regardless of province
Overall assessment: Not viable — The program requires Saskatchewan/Yukon/NWT/Nunavut residency or graduation from a Saskatchewan institution. SpaceCat meets none of these criteria. A discretionary waiver exists but is likely very rarely granted. The 32% CASPer weight and low tuition would otherwise be strong advantages.

Quick Facts

Institution: University of Saskatchewan, School of Rehabilitation Science, College of Medicine
Program name: Master of Occupational Therapy
Degree granted: M.O.T.
City, Province: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Program type: Entry-to-practice master’s (accepts any bachelor’s degree)
Duration: 27 months (3 academic years, 140+ credit units). Source
Delivery format: In-person
Full-time / Part-time: Full-time only, in-person. Source
Language of instruction: English
Start date(s): September only (Fall 2026 for first cohort)
Intake frequency: Annual
Application deadline(s):
September 17, 2025: Application portal opens
December 15, 2025: Application deadline (application + transcripts + fee)
Mid-January 2026: Personal statement prompt provided to applicants
January 31, 2026: Personal statement due; prerequisite course equivalency approvals must be received by this date
Early April 2026: Admission offers made
May 15, 2026: All supporting documents due
Source
Application system: USask online application at apply.usask.ca
Application fee: $125 CAD (domestic); $145 CAD (international — though program is restricted to Canadian citizens/PRs). Source
Program URL: https://rehabscience.usask.ca/programs/mot-program.php
Admissions URL: https://grad.usask.ca/programs/occupational-therapy.php
Accredited: Not yet. See note above. Graduates will need CAOT accreditation to be in place before writing the NOTCE for licensure — prospective applicants should confirm accreditation timeline with the program.

Admission Requirements

GPA

Minimum GPA: 70% cumulative weighted average in the most recent 60 graded credit units at the time of application. Source
Competitive GPA (if known): Not published. This is the first cohort — no historical data exists.
GPA calculated on: Most recent 60 graded credit units. Source
Number of credits in GPA window: 60 credit units (approximately the last 2 years of a 4-year degree).
GPA scale used: Percentage (70% minimum). USask uses a percentage-based system.
Minimum GPA in prerequisites: Each prerequisite must be 70% or higher individually, AND a 75% average across all four prerequisites is required. Source

GPA Upgrading Rules: Not explicitly addressed. The program states that “unsuccessful prerequisite grades can be improved through retaking courses or completing additional coursework,” but there is no published policy on whether post-degree courses can replace grades in the 60-credit-unit window. Source

SpaceCat implication: SpaceCat’s BA from Dalhousie would be evaluated on the last 60 credit units. She would need to calculate whether her most recent 60 credits meet the 70% threshold. Since USask uses a percentage scale, Dalhousie letter grades would need to be converted.

Prerequisites

All prerequisites require a minimum grade of 70% individually and a combined average of 75% across all four courses. AP/IB high school credits are not accepted. Source

Course	Credit Units	Required / Recommended	Min Grade	Can be taken online?	Time Limit	Topic Coverage / Notes
Human Anatomy OR Neuroanatomy	3 cu	Required	70%	Not stated	Not stated	USask equivalents: CPPS 310.3, CPPS 221.3, PSY 242.3, PSY 246.3, or equivalent. Source
Indigenous Studies	3 cu	Required	70%	Not stated	Not stated	USask equivalents: courses in the College of Arts and Science Indigenous Learning Requirement, KIN 306.3, EFDT 265.3, ECUR 265.3, or equivalent. Source
Statistics	3 cu	Required	70%	Not stated	Not stated	USask equivalents: STAT 245.3, STAT 246.3, PLSC 214.3, or equivalent. Source
Behavioural Science (Psychology or Sociology)	3 cu	Required	70%	Not stated	Not stated	Any course at any level from an accredited post-secondary institution in Psychology or Sociology. Source

Recommended (not required) courses: Social science, neuroscience, research design, physiology, anatomy, neuroanatomy, women’s and gender studies. Source

Prerequisite equivalencies: A list of Approved Prerequisite Courses is available on the School of Rehabilitation Science website. If an applicant’s course is not on the approved list, they must seek and receive written approval from the School of Rehabilitation Science Admissions Committee before the January 31 deadline. Only written/email responses are accepted as evidence of approval. Source

Approved prerequisite list URL: https://rehabscience.usask.ca/documents/admissions-approved-prerequisites.pdf (Note: this PDF may be labelled for the MPT program — the MOT list may be separate or combined. Applicants should confirm with rs.admissions@usask.ca.)

SpaceCat implication — prerequisites: - Indigenous Studies: This is a unique prerequisite not required by most other Canadian OT programs. SpaceCat would need to take this course. Many universities offer Indigenous Studies courses online (e.g., USask offers online options through its Arts & Science college). - Anatomy/Neuroanatomy: SpaceCat would likely need to take this. Athabasca BIOL 235 (Anatomy & Physiology I) or similar may qualify, but must be confirmed with the program. - Statistics: SpaceCat may have completed a stats course during her BA at Dalhousie. If not, widely available online (e.g., Athabasca MATH 215 or equivalent). - Behavioural Science: SpaceCat may have completed a psychology or sociology course during her BA. If so, this may already be met.

Prior Degree Requirement

Minimum credits / degree required: Four-year undergraduate degree (120 credit units) from an accredited institution. Source
Completed degree required? Yes — degree must be completed.
Degree field restrictions: None — any field of study accepted. Source

Supplementary Requirements

CASPer: Required. Situational judgement test administered by Acuity Insights. Must register separately through Acuity Insights website. Results are valid for one admissions cycle only — previous scores cannot be carried forward; must retake annually. Source
GRE: Not required.
Interview: Not required. No mention of interview in any admissions materials. Source
Resume / CV: Not required.
References: Not required. “Reference letters normally required for graduate studies applications are not required for the MOT.” Source
Volunteer / work experience: Not required. No mention of experience requirements.
Language proficiency: Required if English is not first language. Enhanced requirements: TOEFL iBT 100+ overall with 22+ in each component; IELTS 7.5+ overall with 7.5+ in each band. Tests valid for 24 months from test date; must remain valid at program start. Source

Written / Personal Components

Component	Limit	Prompt / Description
Personal Statement	300 words maximum	“A specific question, answered in 300 words or less, that will relate to the applicants’ desire to be an OT and/or attend the School of Rehabilitation Science MOT program.” The exact prompt question is provided to applicants in mid-January (after the December 15 application deadline). Due January 31. Source

Note: The personal statement prompt is not known in advance at the time of application submission — it is released approximately one month later. This means applicants cannot prepare the final statement until mid-January.

How Applications Are Evaluated

Applications are evaluated using a weighted scoring system: Source

Component	Weight
Academic assessment (GPA + prerequisites)	60%
CASPer situational judgement test	32%
Personal statement (300 words)	8%

Selection process: The top 40 applicants receive offers — 32 from the general applicant pool and 8 from the Indigenous applicant pool. Source

Key observations: - Academics dominate at 60%, making GPA the single most important factor. - CASPer at 32% is a very significant component — much higher than many other programs. - The personal statement at 8% has minimal weight. - No interview, no references — this is entirely a file-based + CASPer evaluation.

Out-of-Province Considerations

CRITICAL SECTION — this is the most important consideration for SpaceCat at this program.

Residency restrictions or quotas: Yes — significant restriction. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents AND meet one of these Saskatchewan residency criteria: Source
Primary residence in Saskatchewan or Yukon/NWT/Nunavut for at least one calendar year before September 1 of the admission year
Family home in those same regions
Graduate of University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, or a Saskatchewan degree-granting college
Current Armed Forces/RCMP member (or family member of one) transferred to those regions
Waiver provision: “Saskatchewan residency requirement may be waived at the discretion of the School of Rehabilitation Science Admissions Committee.” No published criteria for when waivers are granted. Source
Indigenous applicant exception: Indigenous applicants need only be Canadian citizens — residency requirement does not apply. Source
Provincial funding context: The Saskatchewan government invested $17.8M (originally announced as $8.1M in 2024, later expanded) specifically to train healthcare workers who will remain in Saskatchewan. Previously, Saskatchewan reserved 50 spots annually at the University of Alberta for its students, costing $40,000 per seat. The creation of this program is explicitly intended to replace that arrangement and keep graduates in-province. Source: SK Gov; Source: CBC
SpaceCat’s eligibility: SpaceCat does NOT meet any of the four residency criteria:
She is an Ontario resident (not SK/YT/NWT/NU)
No family home in SK
Graduated from Dalhousie, not USask/URegina/SK college
Not Armed Forces/RCMP
She would need to rely on the discretionary waiver, which is not guaranteed
Out-of-province tuition differential: No differential. The flat tuition of $24,967 applies to all eligible Canadian citizens/permanent residents regardless of province. Source

Cost

Tuition (total program): $24,967.00 CAD flat fee for the entire 27-month program (Canadian citizens/permanent residents). Source
Per-term student fees (2025-26 rates): Source
Fall: $578.45
Winter: $804.73
Spring: $36.75
Summer: $36.75
Estimated annual student fees: ~$1,457
Estimated total student fees over 27 months: ~$3,500–$4,000
Estimated total cost (tuition + student fees): ~$28,500–$29,000
In-province vs out-of-province: No differential for Canadian students. Source
International students: Not eligible — program restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Source
Additional fees:
Application fee: $125 CAD
Clinical placement travel and accommodation costs (students are responsible; placements may be outside Saskatoon)
CPR certification, immunizations, respirator fit testing
Criminal record and vulnerable sector checks
Workers’ Compensation Board fees
Financial aid notes: Not published for this program.

Fee schedule URLs: - Graduate tuition: https://students.usask.ca/money/tuition-fees/graduate-tuition.php - Tuition overview: https://grad.usask.ca/funding/tuition.php - Tuition fact sheet: https://students.usask.ca/documents/registrarial/2025-2026-tuition-factsheet.pdf

Competitiveness

Cohort size: 40 students annually (32 general pool + 8 Indigenous seats). Source; Source
Acceptance rate (if known): Not available — first cohort in 2026.
Number of applicants (if known): Not available — first cohort.
Historical competitive GPA: Not available — first cohort.

Competitiveness notes: As the first cohort, there is no historical data to assess competitiveness. However, the residency restriction limits the applicant pool primarily to Saskatchewan residents and graduates of Saskatchewan institutions, which may reduce competition relative to larger national programs. The 40-seat cohort is smaller than many established programs.

Fieldwork / Clinical / Practicum

Placements guaranteed? Not explicitly stated, but the program assigns students to placements.
Total required hours: Over 1,000 clinical hours. Source
Total placement weeks: 30 weeks of clinical placement experience across the program. Source
Number / structure of placements: Multiple placements of approximately 5–6 weeks each. Students are placed in two or more locations outside of Saskatoon. Placements begin in Year 1. Clinical education constitutes approximately one-third of the curriculum. Source
Placement settings / locations: Both urban and rural settings. Focus on Saskatchewan communities including Indigenous, remote, rural, and urban communities. Source
Travel costs: Students are responsible for accommodation and travel costs for out-of-city placements. Source

Curriculum Structure

Total credit units: 140+ minimum over 3 years (27 months). Students must maintain continuous registration in OTH 990.0. Source

Year 1: - Module 1: OTH 811.17, OTH 801.6, OTH 901.1 - Module 2: OTH 812.17, OTH 802.6 - Module 3: OTH 902.5 - Module 4: OTH 911.10, OTH 803.3 - Module 5: OTH 813.3

Year 2: - Module 6: OTH 912.9, OTH 913.9, OTH 914.9, OTH 804.3 - Module 7: OTH 903.6, OTH 904.6 - Module 8: OTH 915.9, OTH 805.9

Year 3: - Module 9: OTH 905.6, OTH 906.6

All students also take: GPS 960.0, GPS 961.0, OTH 990.0

Source

Unique feature: USask’s School of Rehabilitation Science is “the first in Canada to have occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and physical therapy programs housed together with harmonized programs,” enabling interdisciplinary team training. Source

Licensing & Career Path

Licensing exam: National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE), administered by CAOT. Source
Provincial registration: Saskatchewan College of Occupational Therapists (SCOT). Source
Graduates eligible to practice in all provinces? Assuming CAOT accreditation is granted, yes — but this is contingent on accreditation. SpaceCat should confirm the accreditation timeline.

Reputation & Notes

This is Canada’s newest OT program, with the first cohort entering Fall 2026.
The program was created in response to Saskatchewan’s long-standing OT shortage, with $17.8M in provincial government funding.
Previously, Saskatchewan students were placed in reserved seats at the University of Alberta (50 spots/year at $40,000/seat provincial cost).
12 faculty members have been recruited, including inaugural program chairs who began in Fall 2025.
The program emphasizes rural, remote, and Indigenous community health needs — this is a distinctive curricular focus.
Employment during the program is likely incompatible with the full-time, in-person, 27-month structure, though this is not explicitly stated.

Information Not Found

The following items could not be confirmed from public sources and should be verified directly with the program (rs.admissions@usask.ca / 306-966-6579):

Whether out-of-province applicants (Ontario residents) are realistically considered. The residency waiver is “at the discretion” of the committee, but no criteria, frequency, or likelihood of waiver is published. This is the single most important unknown for SpaceCat.
Accreditation status and timeline. The program is not listed on CAOT’s accredited programs page. SpaceCat should confirm whether the program has candidacy status, when full accreditation is expected, and whether graduates will be eligible to write the NOTCE upon completion.
Whether online prerequisite courses are accepted (e.g., Athabasca anatomy, online statistics, online Indigenous Studies).
Time limits on prerequisite courses. No published expiry date for prerequisites.
Exact list of approved prerequisite courses for MOT. The published approved list PDF may be for the MPT program. The MOT-specific list should be confirmed.
Competitive GPA of admitted students. First cohort — no data exists yet.
Number of applicants expected. First cohort — no data.
GPA upgrading rules. Whether courses taken after completing a bachelor’s degree can replace grades in the 60-credit-unit window.
Exact personal statement prompt. Released mid-January each cycle; not available in advance.
Which CASPer test distribution/program code to register for. Applicants need to select the correct program on the Acuity Insights site.
Whether the 27-month duration means 3 academic years or 2.25 calendar years. The catalogue says “3 years” while the program page says “27 months.”
Fieldwork placement details — exact number of placements, specific weeks per placement, whether any placements can be done outside Saskatchewan.
How tuition is broken down across terms — the flat fee of $24,967 covers the entire program but the payment schedule is not published.

Contact: - Email: rs.admissions@usask.ca - Phone: 306-966-6579 - Address: Health Sciences Building, E-Wing, Suite 3400, 3rd Floor, 104 Clinic Place, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4

Sources