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Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Examples

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How to write a personal statement.

Find out more

Allied Health Professional Careers

Complete Personal Statement Guide for Pre-OT Occupational Therapy School Programs

Introduction.

This detailed guide will provide you with tips, do’s, don’ts, examples, and other helpful things along the way to write your personal statement for OT school.

You may be thinking:

• Where do I even start with writing a personal statement?
• Maybe I can look for some more examples online.
• My story does not seem as exciting as these examples.
• These examples don’t really relate to me.
• I don’t like the writing style or “feeling” that these examples give me.
• How do I even go about this?

Or maybe you didn’t have any of these thoughts and you are just looking for some extra tips to polish up your personal statement before you send it to the world. This guide will still help!

While this guide was written with Pre-OT’s for occupational therapy personal statements in mind, it of course can apply to other professions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, PA, RN, even undergraduate programs.

I am not part of any admissions committee or affiliated with them in any way. However, as a graduate of an occupational therapy program, I also read and edited many other personal statements for friends and family. This guide is not a guarantee that you will get accepted or a guarantee that you will produce the best personal statement. This is just my opinion and unfortunately, the writing is all up to you!

Fortunately, you already have the hard part done – building your education, experiences, personal character, and goals!

Not quite there yet, that’s okay too – this guide will give you a preview of how to prepare to write your personal statement.

The Process

The process of writing a personal statement may involve something like:

Reflecting, getting something typed on the screen, getting writer’s block, getting distracted, taking a break, editing it, reflecting, typing some ideas, deleting those ideas, repeat, have it proofread, reading it out loud, reflecting, make more edits, and you’re done! While this sounds like a lot, it’s doable.

Set-up and Preparation

Start Early

When you feel like you are ready to write your personal statement, start writing! Don’t wait until the last minute to write. Personal statements require editing, giving it some time for your mind to clear to re-read, having it proofread by someone else, and making more edits.

Install Grammarly

We use Grammarly as a browser extension for its spellcheck and grammar check. It is really good at catching mistakes as you go and the free version is all you really need to get some basic editing done. This allows you to focus on the writing and not the spelling. Software like Grammarly also helps if you especially have a hard time with writing in general. While it can suggest edits for errors, it is up to you to write the content.  AI is not quite there yet, but we are close!

Cheating & plagiarizing

I just have to say it. Don’t cheat or plagiarize. Don’t hire someone to write for you. I hear stories of students cheating here or there, so it must still be happening. Grad school is not the time to jeopardize all the hard work you put in.

Have a back-up system for your document

It would be a huge set-back to lose all your hard work. These days, you can easily use the cloud such as Dropbox or Google Drive/Docs for storing your files. This goes for your personal statement document as well as your graduate school application files such as notes, deadlines, resumes, etc. All it takes is a coffee spilled on your laptop for you to lose all your hard work (it happened to my classmate in OT school). Better yet, back up all your data that is important to you. Lectures, recordings, assignments.

Write in a place you feel productive

It doesn’t have to be a quiet library. It just has to be what works. If it’s a coffee shop, then go there. Write in a place you associate with positive work (but also don’t get distracted too easily, e.g. a cat cafe) – like to your favorite study area.

It’s okay if it doesn’t seem perfect or even good at first

After all, you are writing something like this probably for the first time, with a unique set of experiences for a specific intention of impressing the OT’s admissions panel. It can be difficult for artists to create art or music, or write a book in one session. So don’t stress it!

• Re-research the profession, job description, duties, etc. BLS.gov is my favorite go-to for profession research. We have a video on it here .
• Follow the personal statement prompt and instructions. Read it several times to make sure. If there is a word limit, don’t go over. Double-check before you submit.
• Pay attention to the file format that is requested from the programs. Word doc? PDF? Make sure your file actually opens after you upload it and is not corrupt, if possible. If you are uploading to a central application like OTCAS, make sure you meet those guidelines.
• Write in the same tense and person throughout (“I”, first-person is fine).
• Write in an order that makes sense and flows to the reader, e.g. chronologically.
• Write with a purpose. Each sentence should be there for a reason and not be filler. Exclude extra information or too specific of information that doesn’t contribute to your story.
• Example: Nowadays, I want to be an occupational therapist first and foremost because I want to help people and really make a difference in each of their lives.
• Better example: My goal is to become an occupational therapist who makes a difference in people’s lives.
• Warning : I wouldn’t you use this specific example in your personal statement because it’s probably been overused. Try to be creative by saying how you want to “help” people in  other ways .
• Be honest, try to copy an example’s voice, do not write over-the-top or fabricate the story.
• Be politically correct and culturally sensitive.
• My personal statement didn’t have big GRE words or fancy syntax. It told a great story that was (in my opinion) to the point, compelling, persuasive, and driven.
• Describe your values and goals while highlighting your strengths.
• In my opinion, it is best to talk about college, work, and other achievements and experiences in your “adulthood”.
• Even traveling experience (shows cultural awareness) as an adult is more noteworthy than say winning a basketball game in high school (less relevant to OT)
• Tip: think about when you first were motivated to become an OT and start from there, not earlier.
• Don’t use cliches or minimize them as much you can. Readers see this a lot and it does not make a big impact on their impression of you.
• Don’t use slang/informal speech, e.g. “sticking with it” -> perseverance.
• Don’t make jokes and be careful if you decide to use humor (what may be funny to you may not be to the reader). It’s safe to leave humor out and just get to the point.
• Avoid being sarcastic.
• Pay attention to your use of OT – it can be occupational therapy or occupational therapist, but personally, I get confused when people use “OT” interchangeably.
• In my final submitted personal statement, I only abbreviated “MSOT” and “EMT” and did not “OT” once.
• Example: I got accepted to shadow at [facility] and was observing observed patients do their rehab exercises.
• Pay attention to these verbs in sentences that run longer. Consider shortening them to make it less tiring to read, avoiding avoid run-on sentences. (see what I did there?)
• Don’t abbreviate or hyphenate too often or incorrectly . If you do it one way, be sure you are at least consistent throughout. e.g. evidence-based, not evidenced based.
• O ccupational therapist is capitalized like this correctly.
• However, an Occupational Therapist is not correct if capitalized like this.
• This is the correct capitalization for an occupational therapist.
• The same goes for the field of occupational therapy.
• O ccupational therapy is capitalized correctly in this sentence.
• Abbreviations are always capitalized, e.g. OT.
• Don’t write anything negative about anyone, organization, place, etc .
• Don’t write in a negative tone, be a “Debbie Downer”
• “OTs make a lot of money.”
• “I will be the best occupational therapist because…”
• “I am the best candidate because”
• “Since I am… , therefore”
• “Unlike others”, or
• “Other professions” talking down, avoid talking about other professions in general. No one profession is better than another, the same applies to OT. Think about why OT over other professions leading to your decision to become one).
• Think about how someone in another profession, say a PT would feel after reading your personal statement. They should not feel offended after reading your personal statement, but instead think, “wow, such and such would make a great OT.” Not that OT is better than PT, that kind of thing.
• When I become an occupational therapist. If I become an occupational therapist.
• Don’t repeat yourself, you only need to say something once in its context. Of course, the bigger message can be repeated, e.g. intro and conclusion. Just don’t sound repetitive.
• Don’t use the same phrases (especially close to each other), try using different words. That doesn’t mean you should just look up words in a thesaurus. Really think about what’s the point you are trying to make.
• Don’t use profanity.
• In everyday speech we say things like, “that’s crazy”. Someone with a mental illness who really is crazy could be offended. I had a teacher whose pet-peeve was people who said things were crazy . Remove crazy from your personal statement.
• “He probably was abused since he was in a recovery program/”
• I would avoid using “ normal” too. “Occupational therapists help patients get back to their normal.” This implies the patient was abnormal before. Better words: recover, improve, rehabilitate, strengthen, adapt, overcome, etc.
• Other labels: retarded, slow, crippled, mental, insane
• You can include a facility name, e.g. Standford hospital – as long as you don’t talk about it in a negative context.
• “Standford hospital treats a lot of poor patients.” Standford hospital is a valuable asset to the community for the underserved.
• Don’t include anything that can be seen as a weakness, e.g. low GPA, took a semester off, DUI, unexplained career changes.
• This is your chance to “say” what you want to say and include your story that is not apparent in the other pre-requisites. All the other candidates likely have high GPAs and had to take the same pre-requisite courses, but they did not shadow at your facility with your patient , so here’s your chance to distinguish yourself.
• What experience may be unique to you ?
• For example, I included my experience of being an EMT to make myself stand out.
• This could backfire and show your lack of research into how broad OT can be. Don’t forget about mental health too! OT’s study to be  generalists , not specialists.
• While it’s okay to want to work with a specific population as a goal, don’t accidentally make it sound like you think OT’s only do one thing. Hope this one makes sense.

Question’s to address or reflect on

Reflect. Write. Take a break. Repeat.

• What is your experience with other backgrounds and cultures in your pre-OT journey?
• How did you realize that OT was for you? Why not PT? (Reflect, but don’t answer this directly.)
• What or who were the influence(s) or influencers?
• This is a rich opportunity to mention your specific OT shadowing experience at the stage in which you want to be an OT.
• I would include at least 1 example from this, 2 is better, but not too much either.
• Not just becoming an OT (graduating) but afterwards. e.g. 1 year post-grad, 5 years, where you see yourself 10 years out.
• What challenges did you overcome in your pre-requisite pre-OT journey?
• What sets you apart from other applicants? Why should I not pick person A or person B over you?
• Tip: research the school’s website for their mission statement, OT program background, etc. to get familiar with the specifics. If you can include and relate to some of this, even better!
• “My motivation to help others and my passion for occupational therapy will guide me to be successful in the [program].” or

Since [school] strives to “[OT program mission statement]”, I firmly believe that [school] will help me reach my goals of becoming a successful occupational therapist.

Recommendations

• Talk about why you want to be an OT, but not just to “help” people. How? Which population/community/background? Conditions? Why? Tip: three major categories of OT are: mental health, pediatrics, and adults/older adults. Nurses help people too. How is OT different for you?
• Hint: occupations ! meaningful, client-centered.
• Check out the OTDUDE Podcast and other podcasts for ideas; Episode 1: What is OT
• Reflection tip: other professions may be based on the medical model or helping people become healthy, but OT is different because…
• Check out AOTA.org for some phrasing of the profession to inspire you.
• If you are comfortable, use OT related terminology or phrases, but don’t go overboard, e.g. occupation, intervention, treatment, activities of daily living, evidence-based, collaborative, interdisciplinary, client-centered, holistic, functional. Plain English is fine, you don’t have to sound like a journal article.
• As mentioned, highlight why you would be a valuable candidate (fit) to their program. Think about not only your experience but your character and quality traits . Examples: creativity, leadership, patient, resourceful, reliability? Teamwork and communication?
• Show indirectly through your stories or experiences why you will be successful in the program and not “drop-out”. Perseverance.
• Psychologically, readers tend to remember the beginnings and end more than the middle.
• How will being an OT help you achieve your goals, career? Not just short-term, but think bigger. While this sounds cliche – OT is not just a job, it will become your life. A person’s job (and career) is a large part of their identity.
• The reader should feel like they read about a person they would want to meet in the program and in real life, someone who can contribute something to the cohort, school, faculty, alumni – long term relationship. You will not only graduate as a student but a colleague in the field of occupational therapy to the faculty.

Here is a template I created to get you started. This is of course not a magic template that works for everyone or neither was it created by any OT entity for students. Copy & paste this into your favorite word processing program and write away.

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1: Attention-grabbing sentence. Hook into your story.

Supporting sentences: Support the above story with specifics.

Concluding sentence: “Thesis statement” stating why you chose (or) may be a successful OT.

Body Paragraphs (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

Opening sentence: As a , I [did this, and that] at [place or company or school]

Supporting sentences: strengthen your narrative in the opening sentence. These sentences should not deviate from the opening sentence topic or story, otherwise start a new paragraph. Should answer a [ Question’s to address or reflect on] section (see above).

Concluding sentence(s): wrap everything in this story up, optionally include a transition sentence.

Concluding Paragraph

Opening sentence: restate why you will be a successful OT.

Supporting sentences: start wrapping things up. Big picture. If applying to a specific program, consider answering why this program (e.g. does its mission statement appeal to you?).

Final sentence: end strong stating that you want to be an OT. Mention because it is in your long-term goals.  Consider ending everything with the words “occupational therapist” (identity), e.g. “…be a successful occupational therapist” OR “occupational therapy”, e.g. “… to pursue a career in occupational therapy”.

Here are some examples. All identifying information and some facts were fabricated for example sake.

After graduation, I did a lot of soul searching in terms of the career I wanted to pursue. Did I want to appease my parents and pursue [career]? Should we expand [business name] and take it to the next level? I knew I wanted a career that could help people in my day-to-day, but none of those paths fulfilled that desire. After my [family member] injured her arm and was unable to return to work or help out around the house, I saw her frustration and loss of dignity. Our family took a significant financial toll. When my [family member] finally saw an occupational therapist, I motivated her to do the exercises from her care plan and she eventually regained upper arm function. My [family member’s] perseverance inspired me to become an occupational therapist to help people develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living, working, and leading active lifestyles .

• This excerpt, although really did happen, sounds cliche with phrases like soul searching, take it to the next level.
• While the reflection part and figuring out what to do may seem important, it can be shortened to and still get the message across.
• Using the family member is a good example especially since it related to a story with an occupational therapist.
• The last two sentences highlight that I know what OT is (and why I want to become one) but can be cleaned up.

I was inspired by a personal experience with an occupational therapist when my [family member] suffered a rotator cuff tear and was unable to perform her activities of daily living . My [family member] became discouraged and did not do the recommended home exercises , but I saw the value in them and helped my [family member] complete them daily to recover. I learned the value of occupational therapy and how important it is to take a holistic approach by involving caregivers .

• Mentioning ADL’s shows I know what OT’s do.
• Shows my direct involvement with OT intervention.
• Shows my understanding of OT’s holistic approach.
• Words like “value” are strong. The word caregiver is often used in OT documentation.

I was hired as a EMT at [employer] in [city] for a small business that reminded me of our own [business name]. My role as a EMT at [employer] involved caring and treating for the sick and injured that involved tasks such as CPR or patient comfort and advocacy. As an EMT I again found that I was a valuable asset to the company having known how to speak some Spanish. Patients and staff members challenged me and tested my patience. My contact with patients out in the field was a unique experience that exposed me to the reality of what a healthcare profession involved. Due to the physical demands of the job and the high stress environment, many EMTs “burned out” and quit. I admit that I have thought about quitting, but I found the interactions with my patients far more rewarding and continued to work close to two years as an EMT. Working closely with these patients taught me to be sensitive to each person and their unique experiences. As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills to adapt the environment to my patients in order to safely transfer care, as well as educate patients on how to minimize hazards and prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassured me that I was pursuing the right career in helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals.

• How would you improve this example?
• Lots of specifics can be taken out like employer name, city.
• Role as EMT is well-known, better to include more significant things such as experience, outcome, or relevance to OT.
• Being bilingual is nice, but more for a resume than a personal statement as it does not add to the story.
• Leave out specific thought process of thinking about quitting (weaknesses). Perseverance was also already shared in a previous example – talk about another quality instead, e.g. stress management, working with diverse population, fast-paced environment, patient education as an EMT and how it translates to OT.
• Reflect on how one story can share multiple strengths you have not mentioned so far in previous examples.
• The example does not translate or relate back to OT in a clear manner, but alludes to the qualities of one. This can be written to be more obvious because EMT and OT have very similar qualities that are needed to be good practitioners.

As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills with my patients in order to safely transfer care and educate patients on how to prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassures me that I am pursuing the right career by helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals .

Much shorter, to the point, and use of effective words that highlight what OT’s also do – educate, doing it safely, prevention of disease and injury, and meeting client’s goals.

FAQ and Self-Doubt

Addressing negative self-talk and negative beliefs about yourself.

“This is my 100th time applying…”

Maybe it will be your 101st that you get in. You see this all the time with graduates taking the board exam who fail X number of times. Don’t give up!

“I was never good at writing.”

Writing takes practice. I never liked writing in grade school. Now I enjoy writing about OT. So use your resources, e.g. spell-check, someone to proof-read, reading other examples. You CAN do it.

“My experience is not that special.”

Not everyone did CPR on their patient, observed a miraculous rehab recovery, etc. It’s what you make of the moments, how you interpret it, become inspired by it, how it changes you, and make you want to be an OT. It’s all from YOUR perspective. You can take 2 people who watch the same movie. One person could be moved by it and the other not be interested, right?

“The more I read this, the more I feel like it is not good enough.”

Take a break, put it down, and come back to it. Have someone else read it and get their opinion. Sometimes, we get stuck in our own thoughts and they can trick us and lead us down a negative path of thinking.

“I have the opposite problem, I have too much to write about and not enough room.”

You can probably take our your younger experiences. Leave the “resume” stuff out. Try to pick the most “OT” related or healthcare moments. If you do not have these examples to draw from, choose ones that fit the characteristics of a good OT. Each example should not be a repeated theme of another and highlight something profound.

“Now I am not so sure what OT’s do anymore, after writing all this.”

Go on BLS.gov for OT’s, listen to OT podcasts (to become inspired), watch some YouTubers on OT.

“I am having doubts about OT vs. (other profession)”

Avoid reading forums, facebook groups, Reddit for OT. These are often skewed towards OTs who may be burned out (which could happen for any other profession on social media). Dig deep into why you wanted to be an OT in the first place! If still in doubt, maybe you should observe some more, talk to some more OT’s and listen to some OT podcasts (because they are positive about the profession usually). I would avoid YouTube as many who are burned out could make videos.

“No one can proofread my personal statement.”

Try writing workshops, a school or public library, or similar resources. A simple google search could help and you won’t necessarily need to pay. Avoid suspicious websites and  uploading  your work to avoid others from plagiarizing you. Use people or resources that you trust.

“This is my 100th draft, it’s not perfect yet”

Deadlines will often help with this. Don’t let them catch you off guard. Consider going back and making an outline and seeing if you covered everything you want to talk about. A timer may help. Get the approval of at least 2 readers to give you support for how awesome your personal statement is.

“I don’t know where to start in writing”

That’s okay, start writing about a story or experience you have in mind and build around it. Start in the middle as intros and conclusions can be very difficult to begin writing.

• Read some other examples online, but don’t stress about it. If possible, have someone who may have been accepted to a graduate program send you theirs. You can use it as a template or for inspiration to the types of stores, tone, conclusion paragraph used, etc.
• Set a timer (e.g. Pomodoro method) so you won’t stress out and remind yourself to take breaks, move-on, just get something out and fix it later. Exact grammar, spelling, and other “writing” can be fixed later – focus on content.
• Get into a habit of writing, set a schedule …or do it randomly, no-schedule (whatever works for you ). Maybe it’s writing every other day in the morning, after a nap, after playing video games, after a meal, after walking your dog, or whatever sets you up for success.
• Have at least 2 people read (and edit) your personal statement. Don’t take it personally and not all suggestions are necessarily correct.
• In the earlier stages of writing, if deciding between two stories or segments in your writing, consider having two drafts and see which one your proof-readers prefer.
• Read your personal statement out loud, spaced out, e.g. 1 week later (when it is no longer fresh and you forgot some of what you wrote). Make edits as needed.
• Candidates come from all walks of life, have different personalities (e.g. type-A vs. B), extroverted vs. introverted, outspoken vs. quiet – so some of these tips (or your editor suggestions) may not appeal to you or seem unnatural, etc. This can be your strength. Follow your gut. It’s not like OT schools are only looking for outspoken, extroverted candidates. It’s how you use those qualities to better the world with OT. This is what makes you unique, special, and distinguished. Highlight those features!
• Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, manage your stress, breathe.

Thank you for reading this long guide. I wish you the best in your journey to becoming an occupational therapist (or whatever career). See you all in the field!

10 OTCAS Tips For A Smooth Application Process

Applying to occupational therapy schools can be a challenge in a variety of ways. There’s a lot you’ll have to figure out, including learning the ins and outs of the main OT school application system, the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (also known as OTCAS).

While not all occupational therapy schools use OTCAS, there are a large number that do, and choosing schools that use it will make your OT school application process much easier. This is because once you have your OTCAS application completed, you will just need to submit one application to apply to all of your desired occupational therapy schools. It really is a huge time saver compared to going through sending everything individually to each school.

So if you’re new to using OTCAS, we wanted to share these 10 OTCAS tips to make your OT school application experience as smooth as possible.

Check out the How To Get Into OT School Guide! It’s the most comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know.

1. create your otcas account early.

If you’re only going to follow one tip on this list, make it this one . I can’t stress enough how important this is! Applying to OT programs early in their application process is a good way to increase your chances of getting in. OT graduate programs typically only select 30-40 students into their program, out of 400-500+ applicants. You’ll want to register for OTCAS ASAP so you can get your application done and apply as early as you can. Know that i t takes time  gathering all of your required materials for OTCAS.

Once you’ve submitted all of your required documents, OTCAS will still take 3-4 weeks to verify your application, before you can even apply to your desired OT program(s). So do yourself a huge favor and start working on your OTCAS application as soon as the application cycle opens up. This is almost always in July of each year.

2. Narrow down your list of OTCAS OT programs you’ll apply to

Every occupational therapy program differs in a bit in their requirements and prerequisites , so don’t make the mistake of thinking all OTCAS-linked OT programs are created equal. Narrow down your list of programs you’ll apply to early in the process so you can research each programs’ requirements before submitting your application.

Doing this step early in your application process will not only save you time but also application fees. I personally decided to choose 8 schools to narrow down, based on required pre-req’s, GRE requirements, tuition rates and location.

Be sure to pay close attention to each of your desired programs’ deadlines on your list since these can vary widely.

3. Start budgeting For application fees early

One of the biggest “bummers” of applying to OT school is the big application fee expense. It’s usually better to apply to more schools to increase your odds of getting in your first year, but this comes at a high cost. Per OTCAS, the current fees are $159 to apply to the first program, and $69 for each additional program you apply to (fees are as of 2023, be sure to check OTCAS for the most up to date fee info).

Many OT schools also charge their own application fees, so it’s not unheard of to spend hundreds of dollars just to apply to OT school. To make sure you don’t have the huge financial stress, it’s a good idea to start saving early, well before you plan on applying so you aren’t hit as hard by the application fees.

4. Create a “To-Do” Checklist 

I won’t lie: Completing your OTCAS application can be a headache and is pretty tedious. There is a lot to accomplish, from getting your letters of recommendation, submitting your transcripts/test scores/observation hours, writing your personal statement AND inputting all of your grades. 

So to make the process easier on yourself, be sure to make a to-do list before you even get started so you can stay organized throughout the process.

It’s also really rewarding to be able to check things off (or aggressively scratch them off!) and see your to-do list get shorter as you get your tasks completed.

5. Give yourself multiple days to complete your application

Once you’ve made your OTCAS to-do list, you’ve probably noticed how much there really is to get done for your application. P lease  don’t stress yourself out and try to get it done at all at once!

Take several days to get your tasks done one day at a time to prevent overwhelm. You’ll also be able to be more thorough with each component and won’t burn yourself out before you even start OT school!

6. Keep your personal statement general

Your personal statement for OTCAS will be sent out to all of the OT schools you apply to when you submit. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure you don’t mention any specific schools in your OTCAS personal statement.

Keep it concise and please, please edit it one, two, even three times before submitting it, since you won’t be able to make any changes to it after submitting it to programs.

For more actionable personal statement tips, be sure to also check out our blog post on how to write an awesome personal statement for OT school .

7. Don’t panic if your OTCAS GPA is different

With OTCAS, you’ll not only submit your transcripts but you’ll also have to manually input all of your grades. Your OTCAS GPA will likely be a bit different than your actual college GPA. This is because, per OTCAS, they “standardize GPAs to help OT programs evaluate applicants using uniform and consistent criteria.” Because of this, your school might have a different grading scale, making your OTCAS GPA different (and possibly a little lower).

In addition, OTCAS combines all of your grades from your undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate programs for your overall GPA. This will also make your GPA different than the individual transcripts if you attended multiple institutions.

For the full details, here is  OTCAS’s GPA info page that goes more in depth on this.

8. Submit your application well before schools’ deadlines

If you’ve followed my first tip and started your OTCAS application early, that’s great! You’ll be able to finish and submit your OT school applications much sooner, well before your programs’ application deadlines. Once programs’ applications open up, it’s best to apply EARLY so you’ll have a better chance to get a spot in your desired OT school.

If you wait until close to the program’s deadline, you might be less likely to get a spot since many programs fill their spots early in the process. I learned this the hard way when I waited until November to submit my OTCAS application and sadly got several rejection letters soon after I applied.

9. Follow OTCAS’s instructions carefully!

Once you submit your application, per OTCAS, your application is final and you won’t be able to make any changes or get any refunds.

So please, please read the fine print and pay close attention to every little detail, including each program’s instructions, deadlines, fees, pre-requisites and so on. Be very thorough and accurate when inputting your grades and double-check everything.

It’s tedious to do this but it is well worth it to not have to stress about having to redo the whole process.

10. Any questions? Contact OTCAS Customer Support!

If you run into any problems or hiccups during the process, contact OTCAS’s customer support sooner rather than later so you can get your questions answered or problems resolved quickly. You can call their Customer Service at (617) 612-2860 any time Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00AM – 5:00PM Eastern Time.

You can also email them any time of day at [email protected].

I hope these OTCAS tips help ensure a smooth OT school application process for you. It’s quite an ordeal but you will get through it!

If you have any of your own OTCAS tips from when you applied to OT school, please share them in the comments below!

More Helpful OTCAS Resources

Gotta Get Into Grad School Part IV: OTCAS – A General Overview (Gotta Be OT)

Gotta Get Into Grad School Part V: OTCAS & Academics (Gotta Be OT)

Top 10 Tips for a Successful OTCAS Application (Nebraska Methodist College)

This post was originally published on August 27, 2018 and last updated on September 2, 2023.

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Applying to occupational therapy school

Many factors are considered in admission and these differ in importance by school. Applying to occupational therapy school is complicated. Know that we are here to help! Advisors at Health Professions & Prelaw Advising can help you develop your best strategy and troubleshoot problems you encounter in your application. Make sure to attend a Personal Statement Writing Workshop and OTCAS Application Workshop so you can get started early on your application and find out the steps involved.

The OTCAS application #

To apply to most occupational therapy schools, you will need to submit an application through the centralized application service called OTCAS , administered by the American Occupational Therapy Association. The OTCAS application has multiple sections that you will complete, providing biographical information, academic history (coursework and test scores), and your supporting information (observation hours, letters of recommendation, personal statement, experiences and achievements, and school-specific “Program Materials”).

Once you complete your OTCAS application, it will be processed and sent to the occupational therapy programs that you select to receive it. You can find a list of programs that use OTCAS (“Participating Programs”) and begin researching admission requirements for OT programs through AOTA .

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) #

The GRE is a standardized exam required by many occupational therapy programs. This exam is designed to measure general academic ability and is a computerized exam offered year-round by Educational Testing Service (ETS). The GRE is typically taken in the spring or summer prior to application and you should plan on spending at least two to three months preparing for the exam. For more information on the GRE, visit the ETS website.

Academic history #

On the OTCAS application, you will fill out information for every college course you have taken, so you will need to refer to transcripts from every college or university you have attended. You will also need to order official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended to be sent to the application service. At IU Bloomington, you can order your transcript from Student Central .

Within this section, you will also include your GRE tests scores.

Observation hours #

You will record your observation hours here. Check with your programs to determine their requirements for observation hours. OTCAS does not verify observation hours and will not determine if you meet the minimum observation requirements to be eligible for a specific program, so you should check this yourself. Some programs require observation hours to be verified by the occupational therapist you shadowed. It is important to log your shadowing hours, confirm those hours with each occupational therapist you shadow, and maintain their current contact information if you need to reach them at the time you are applying.

Personal essay #

A personal essay is required for the OTCAS application. Applicants are asked to respond to the following prompt: “ Explain why you selected occupational therapy as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals. ”

There are many ways to approach the OTCAS personal essay. Early in your undergraduate career, start a journal documenting your experiences during clinical observation, community service, and experiences from your personal life. This will help you to begin to lay the foundation for writing your personal essay during the spring prior to application. Visit Keeping a prehealth Journal for suggestions.

Personal essay help for IU Bloomington students

Make sure to attend one of the Personal Statement Writing Workshops offered by Health Professions & Prelaw Advising. Schedule an appointment with a HPPLA advisor for feedback on a draft of your personal essay. Getting feedback early will help you submit a compelling essay!

Experiences and achievements #

The OTCAS application includes two sections where you can provide information on experiences and achievements, including employment, extracurricular activities, volunteering, awards, honors, and scholarships. If you shadowed any other professionals (for example, a physical therapist or recreational therapist), you could also include that information with your extracurricular activities.

Letters of recommendation #

Many OT programs require two or three letters of recommendation. OTCAS requires that you request three letters of recommendation in order to complete your application (OTCAS calls these “Evaluations”).

Requirements for letters vary by program, but typically include a letter from a practicing occupational therapist and a professor. Check the requirements of the individual programs where you plan to apply. It is important to get to know occupational therapists and your professors well so that you have letter writers who can provide strong letters with enthusiastic support for your application.

Program materials #

In addition to the above items that are required for completing your OTCAS application, some occupational therapy programs will require additional materials. These can include information on your prerequisite courses, observation forms that individual schools may require, your resume, and additional school-specific essays. It is important to review these school-specific requirements early in the application cycle, so that you can begin preparing them. While the OTCAS personal essay is a required section of the application, schools may ask you to answer school-specific essay questions, such as, “Why have you selected our school or program?” Schools may also ask you to write essays that address ethical or behavioral situations. It is important to work on these early and a HPPLA advisor can also provide feedback on your drafts of these essays!

The interview #

Before admitting you, many occupational therapy schools will want to meet you in person. An interview helps schools evaluate personal qualities they can’t observe directly in your written application. Selected applicants are invited for an interview. You should prepare carefully for this crucial component of the admissions process.

Occupational therapy schools use interviews to gain insight into how you would interact with patients. Schools also use the interview to assess factors such as motivation and ability to cope with conflict. They want to know how likely it is you would take a spot if they offered one, so it is important that you express your enthusiasm and sincere interest in the school!

In a job interview, the most important question for your interviewer is probably, “What can this person do for our organization?” For your interviewer at an OT school the most important question may be, “Would I trust this person as my own occupational therapist?” One of your most important goals is to demonstrate that you are able to connect with others on a personal level.

To prepare, review your personal essay and activities listed on your application. It’s helpful to practice responding to interview questions (you can obtain a list of questions in the HPPLA office). You may be asked situational ethics questions that require you to think through how you would respond when faced with difficult decisions as a healthcare provider. Study the school’s curriculum via its website and prepare to ask questions about the school’s program in the interview.

Make sure to attend one of the HPPLA-sponsored Interview Skills Workshops in the fall semester and schedule an appointment with a HPPLA advisor for a mock interview.

On this page...

• The OTCAS application
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
• Academic history
• Observation hours
• Personal essay
• Experiences and achievements
• Letters of recommendation
• Program materials
• The interview

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The minimum entrance requirement for occupational therapy programs vary depending on the school. Programs that only award a master or doctoral degree require a bachelor degree and specific science and non-science courses for admission. Programs that award a combined bachelor and master degree require specific science and non-science courses for admission. Some of the occupational therapy schools also require that prerequisites completed at institutions other than their own be submitted for approval PRIOR to applying. Applicants may also have to complete the General Record Examination (GRE) as a prerequisite for admission as well.

Most occupational therapy programs also require documented occupational therapy shadowing hours and/or volunteer experience with specific populations for admission. Competitive applicants will also have substantial health related and non-health related experiences.

Applicants seeking admission to an occupational therapy program should contact the programs that interest them for detailed information on specific prerequisites and admission requirements.

Application Information

Centralized Application Service : OTCAS - Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service

Cost : $125 to apply to one OT program. Each additional school is $45.

When to apply : Students will apply in the summer of the year preceding their planned matriculation. OTCAS opens in July.

Resources : OTCAS Application Instructions

Courses and Transcripts: The courses you have taken will need to be self-reported and you will also need to have official transcripts sent to the application service.

Most centralized applications will have a form to print off that will need to be attached to your transcript. You will be asked to enter information, grades and credits for every course that you have enrolled in at any U.S., U.S. Territorial, or Canadian post-secondary institution. Transcripts should be sent from the registrar’s office of all US and/or Canadian Schools attended.

You may order a transcript from the MSU registrar’s office from the registrar’s web site, https://reg.msu.edu/ . There is no charge for sending transcripts. If you are taking courses during the spring semester, it is advised you wait until your spring semester grades are posted to your record as professional schools will want to see those grades.

Entrance Exam

Graduate record examination (gre).

The GRE is required for admission to Occupational Therapy programs. Please see our GRE page for more information on this exam.

Recommendation Letters

OTCAS allows up to 5 recommendation letters. A minimum of 3 letters are required.

While you must pay careful attention to the guidelines of each school that requests your letters, we suggest you identify the following people to request letters of evaluation from:

• Two science faculty who taught you in a class
• One non-science faculty
• One individual working in the profession you wish to pursue (example: an osteopathic physician, dentist, physical therapist, pharmacist, etc)
• One or two additional individuals who know you well from a work, volunteer or research experience

Personal Statement

The personal statement is a very limited in length essay that is used as a device to get a better understanding of the applicant.It is a very important element that should be prepared well in advance to the application and should be edited thoroughly by many different people, such as but not limited to, the writing center, friends and family.

Length: 7,500 character limit for OTCAS participating schools.

Prompt : Your Personal Essay should address why you selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals.

What to include:

• Why you selected this field of health care
• What motivates you to learn more about health care
• Pertinent information about you not included elsewhere in the application
• Special hardships or experiences that have influenced your educational pursuits
• Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record not explained in the application.
• Writing personal statements
• The Writing Center at MSU
• OTCAS personal statement guide

Work/Activities

This section gives applicants an opportunity to expand on their experiences. All of your work in leadership, clinical experiences, community service, research, publications, awards and honors are detailed in a single section.

OTCAS requests that applicants enter their experiences among the following categories:

• Employment: Paid work done outside of the OT field
• Extracurricular Activities: Sports, clubs, and other activities offered through a college or university
• Healthcare Experience - Paid and unpaid work in the health or a health-related field where you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care
• Internships and Clinical Experience
• Research: Research projects completed outside of the classroom
• Teaching Experience
• Volunteer: Volunteer work completed outside of healthcare.
• Leadership Experience

Observation Hours

A separate category in the OTCAS application is listed for Observation Hours. OT schools often request shadowing experience, including a minimum for observation hours. Students are encouraged to check with individual OT schools for shadowing requirements.

After submitting the primary application, and secondary applications if required, students may receive an offer to interview. Not all OT programs require an interview as part of the application process, but for the ones that do, they have indicated an interest in selecting you. Remember, you are not only preparing to answer their questions, you are preparing to ask your own. While they determine whether you are the right fit for the program, you need to determine if the program is the right fit for you.

Schools use personal interviews with applicants to assess qualities such as maturity, interpersonal skills, and ability to articulate strengths and weaknesses. Be prepared to discuss why you wish to pursue a career in physician assistant and the experiences that have motivated you.

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• Occupational Therapy [ O.T.D. ]

General Admissions & OTCAS   OTCAS Personal Statement

• Thread starter agingold
• Start date Jul 23, 2016

Full Member

• Jul 23, 2016

agingold said: Hello everyone! After a crazy journey of trying to get into one specific OT program last year, I am focusing and preparing for this upcoming cycle (and casting my nets both near and far-literally and physically). Right now, I'm editing my personal statement and wanted some opinions. For those applying through OTCAS to multiple programs, are you writing it on a general basis? I know some programs I'm looking at have specific topics they want addressed, but trying to answer them all would make my statement far too long and would force me to eliminate my "personal" component (a little insight into my choosing of the profession, etc). I want to make sure I keep my writing fresh and unique (I'm extremely blessed by having it as one of my academic strong points), but don't want to overlook what programs are looking for. Click to expand...

MusicalOT14

While my personal statement was general, I did kind of tailor it a bit too look good to my top choice school. I got an interview at the 3 schools I applied to that did interviews, so I don't think it hurt me too much. Honestly, while stats definitely matter, there is a degree of luck to this... You might have just not has a great year. My neuro professor told me he applied to 7 grad schools and got accepted only into his top choice and a safety master's program. So like Running _OT said, keep it up!  

ClimbGirlClimb

• Aug 21, 2017

Hey everybody, reviving this thread to ask a question about the personal statement. Do you think it's ok to just refer to occupational therapy once in the introduction with an (OT) behind it, and the refer to OT or OTs for the rest of the essay? Or should I be spelling it out every time I mention it? Really nervous about the personal statement, if anyone has any advice on this or about the statement more generally, I would really appreciate it! Thanks! Also, I'm sorry if this question has already been answered elsewhere, I was having trouble finding it.  

ClimbGirlClimb said: Hey everybody, reviving this thread to ask a question about the personal statement. Do you think it's ok to just refer to occupational therapy once in the introduction with an (OT) behind it, and the refer to OT or OTs for the rest of the essay? Or should I be spelling it out every time I mention it? Really nervous about the personal statement, if anyone has any advice on this or about the statement more generally, I would really appreciate it! Thanks! Also, I'm sorry if this question has already been answered elsewhere, I was having trouble finding it. Click to expand...

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Application Materials

The following materials should be included with your application. Please contact  Jill Rocca  if you have any questions about the application process for any of our programs.

Entry-Level Doctoral Program

Tufts entry-level doctoral program occupational therapy is designed for students who have received a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a discipline other than OT. Our curriculum prepares you for the national certification exam and practice as an OT. The following materials should be included with your application. Please contact  Jill Rocca  if you have any questions about the application process.

• Official Transcripts:  you may upload unofficial copies of your transcripts when applying. Official copies must be submitted if accepted.
• Prerequisites:  all completed within 5 years post degree or 5 years prior to matriculation. Must receive a B- or above.
• Three letters of reference:  appraising candidates potential for occupational therapy. At least one should be an academic reference. Only two letters are required for current Tufts students continuing directly on to graduate school.
• Shadowing/Volunteer hours:  the number of shadowing hours vary based on your own personal exposure to OT. We highly recommend shadowing in more than one area of practice and with more than one population (for example: mental health setting and acute care or adults and pediatrics). Hours can be documented directly on resume.
• GRE Scores:  GRE General Test scores are not required for applicants who have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution by time of enrollment. GRE scores are required for applicants who received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. 
• Resume or CV:  Updated resume or CV. You can document your observation hours directly on your resume/CV.
• Personal Statement:  Please use the OTCAS Personal Statement Prompt
• Kira Assessment:  Starting in 2023, all applicants will complete virtual asynchronous interviews using the Kira Assessment platform. This will be linked directly from your application. 
• Certificate of Hepatitis B:  upon enrollment, you must provide documentation of your Hep B certificate.

Deadline for all Entry-Level Doctoral applications is October 15th.

Post-Professional Master's Program

• Official Transcripts:  you may upload unofficial copies of your transcripts when applying. Official copies must be submitted if accepted. *Foreign Transcripts: Applicants who did not receive an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States are required to have their degree transcript translated into English, and it is strongly recommended that they also receive an evaluation by World Education Services (WES) or an equivalent service. This credential evaluation must document minimum equivalency of a U.S. baccalaureate and/or a U.S. masters degree or higher. When requesting a transcript evaluation, please request a "course-by-course" evaluation with grades.
• Prerequisites:  all completed within 5 years post degree or 5 years prior to matriculation. Must receive a B- or above. Three letters of reference:  appraising candidates potential for occupational therapy. At least one should be an academic reference. Only two letters are required for current Tufts students continuing directly on to graduate school.
• Resume or CV:  Updated resume or CV.
• TOEFL/IELTS Scores:  If your bachelor’s degree was earned in a non-English speaking country and you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, scores are needed from an official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
• An Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 100 with no less than 20 on each sub-score; or
• An IELTS of 6.5 with no less than 6 on each band score.
• What previous experiences and commitments have brought you to consider applying for graduate training?
• What are your chief objectives in applying now?
• How do you think this Tufts program will help you in the pursuit of your objectives and vocation?
• Certificate of Hepatitis B:  upon enrollment, you must send documentation of your Hep B certificate directly to our department. You may send to: Bette Owen Department of Occupational Therapy 574 Boston Ave. Medford, MA 02155

Application Deadlines: January 15th-all applicants eligible October 15th-domestic students only

Post-Professional Doctoral Program

• A personal statement (see guidelines below).
• An official transcript of all post-secondary education showing successful completion of an ACOTE or WFOT approved occupational therapy bachelor's or master's degree program.  Foreign Transcripts: Applicants who did not receive an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States are required to have their degree transcript translated into English, and it is strongly recommended that they also receive an evaluation by World Education Services (WES) or an equivalent service.
• An official transcript showing current enrollment in or completion of a master's degree program.
• Satisfactory completion (B- or better) of  prerequisite courses  in Introductory Statistics and a graduate-level Research Methods course.
• A curriculum vitae
• Three letters of reference appraising the candidate's potential for study in the OTD program.*
• GRE Scores:  GRE General Test scores are not required for applicants who have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution by time of enrollment. GRE scores are required for applicants who received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S. 
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS for international students whose native language is not English. The minimal TOEFL for the Department of Occupational Therapy is 100 iBT and the minimal IELTS is 6.5
• Certificate of Hepatitis B Vaccination
• Note: NBCOT credentialing before entry in the OTD is strongly recommended. Those not credentialed in occupational therapy at entry will be given provisional acceptance into the OTD Program and NBCOT credentialing must be achieved by the end of the first semester of the program. It is expected that all applicants are licensed or eligible for licensing in the United States.
• For Tufts Department of Occupational Therapy master's degree alumni and current students or in 2nd semester (post-professional program): Only  two letters of reference appraising the candidate's potential for study in the OTD program are required. GRE scores are not required for current or former Tufts students.

Guidelines for Personal Statement (limit 4 pages double-spaced)

• What are your plans for graduate study as related to your future career as a leader in occupational therapy? Please address your specialty focus.
• The Leadership Project is an important part of the OTD program ( see description for 286 Leadership Project Planning ). Please indicate your current ideas about your project.
• In what ways do your academic background and recent professional experience point to your potential for success as a doctoral student and as a leader in occupational therapy? Please give specific examples of relevant coursework and/or experience.
• Is there any further information we should consider in assessing your candidacy?

Deadline for Post-Professional Doctoral applications is January 15th for Fall start and October 15th for Spring start.

Certificate Programs

The following materials should be included with your application. Please contact  Jill Rocca  if you have any questions about the application process.

• One letter of reference appraising the candidate's potential for study in occupational therapy.
• Official transcripts of all post-secondary education.
• A personal statement

Admissions – EOTD

Admissions resources.

The following downloadable PDFs include program information including admissions info, program prerequisites & requirements, student expectations, and tuition rates for our Occupational Therapy degree offerings.

• EOTD Brochure  
• Program Admissions FAQs  Please review before calling for advisement. This document addresses many questions about our admissions process.
• Program Prerequisites   
• Student Essential Functions
• Financial Information
• EOTD Observation Verification Forms

How to Apply

See our school's Admissions page  to apply to our EOTD Program.

The Occupational Therapy program at Loma Linda University uses the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) .  Applicants must first apply to OTCAS; please visit their website  to create your OTCAS account.

  Application Period : The OTCAS portal will open on mid-July and will close the first Monday of October.

Transcripts

All official transcripts must be sent directly to OTCAS, from your college/university, use the address below. Transcripts will not be accepted from you personally. 

Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) PO Box 9120 Watertown, MA 02471 Phone:  617-612-2860 Email:  [email protected] Website:  www.otcas.liaisoncas.com

International Transcripts:

• International transcripts must be evaluated by an agency approved by Loma Linda University. See the list of approved agencies .  Applicants using WES will not be required to submit an official international transcript to Loma Linda University.
• Request the official transcript evaluation to be sent directly to OTCAS, an official transcript does not need to be sent to OTCAS.
• Official transcripts must also be sent to LLU in order to be considered for acceptance
• If you use a transcript evaluation service other than WES, request an official transcript of your international institution to be sent directly to Loma Linda University.

Where to Submit Your Application:

• OTCAS must receive the application, references, and transcripts no later than the first Monday of October. Once your application is complete, OTCAS will verify your documents before releasing them to Loma Linda University. All transcripts must be received before verification can be completed; the verification process could take between 4 – 6 weeks. Please note that Loma Linda University cannot access unverified applications.  It is your responsibility to confirm your status as verified with OTCAS.
• For any questions about the receipt, processing, and verification of your application, please contact OTCAS Customer Service at 617-612-2860, or www.otcas.liaisoncas.com .
• For other questions regarding our prerequisites or Loma Linda University application process, please contact the Loma Linda University Department of Occupational Therapy at 909-558-4628, or [email protected] .

Supplemental documents to be submitted to OTCAS

Loma Linda University Verification of Observation Experiences forms, and Reaction to Observation Experiences. Please submit forms for each OT setting that you observed.

If you took a medical terminology course that offered a certificate of completion, and was not for college credit, request the agency to send a copy of the certificate to the Department of Occupational Therapy (we will accept the agency’s email with the attached certificate or link to the certificate). Please request our approval of an online medical terminology course before taking it.

Personal Statement: Please submit a personal statement as part of your OTCAS application, in the section of Supplemental Information, under Documents.  Your personal statement should be no longer than 2 pages in length, and it is viewable by all programs you might have applied to.

Recommendations : Three recommendations are required and shall include an occupational therapist, faculty, and employer. 

Secondary Loma Linda University Application

Once your OTCAS application is verified, your documents will be released to Loma Linda University.  You will receive an email from Admissions Processing of Loma Linda University, with the link to the secondary Loma Linda University application that you must complete and submit within 2 weeks.  There is no additional fee for the Loma Linda University secondary application. You are not an official Loma Linda University applicant until your secondary application has been submitted.

Supplemental documents to Loma Linda University

Supplemental documents you wish to submit, such as resumé, or non-electronic letters of recommendation, may be emailed to the Department of Occupational Therapy at [email protected] .

Selection of Applicants

Selection is based on a two part process.  The first level involves a screening of recommendation letters, GPA, observation reactions, service, application essays, and volunteer experience in Occupational Therapy.  Applications making it to the second level will be invited to a Zoom interview.

Number of acceptances per year: 40

Minimum cumulative GPA: 3.20 Minimum science GPA: 3.20

Professional Registration

Upon satisfactory completion of the entry-level O.T.D degree—including completion of Level II fieldwork within twenty-four months following completion of academic preparation and the capstone experience and project—the graduate is eligible to take the national certification examination administered by The National Board for Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The board offers computerized examinations on demand throughout the year.

Many states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. The American Occupational Therapy Association provides recognition essential to the practice of occupational therapy in the United States and most foreign countries. Information about qualifying examinations can be obtained at the office of the department chair.

When the graduate applies to write the certification examination with the NBCOT, he/she will be asked to answer questions related to the topic of felonies. Felony convictions may affect a candidate's ability to sit for the national certification examination or attain state licensure. For further information on these limitations, contact NBCOT One Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878; or telephone  (301) 990-7979. Graduates practicing in the state of California must acquire licensure from the California Board of Occupational Therapy. For further information, contact CBOT at (916) 263-2294; E-mail [email protected] . The office address is 2005 Evergreen Street, Ste 2250, Sacramento, CA 95815-3831.

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Entry-level doctorate (otd) of occupational therapy admissions.

Please note: The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Learn more about our accreditation status and see our frequently asked questions for additional information.

Holistic Admission Criteria

Holistic review evaluates applicants based on cognitive and non-cognitive traits, which ensures that more than one factor contributes to admission decisions. The four criteria included in USC Chan’s holistic review are:

Personal Statement

OTCAS Statements

Letters of Recommendation

How to Apply

Your application for USC’s Entry-Level OTD program must be completed through OTCAS , and must include the program-specific requirements for the University of Southern California.

To apply for Early Action , your application must be completed and Verified by OTCAS prior to November 1 . We recommend that you submit your application at least three weeks prior to this deadline, as transcripts and other application materials may take three weeks or more to be processed by OTCAS. All materials must be received in order for your application to be reviewed. Please plan accordingly.

If you apply by the Early Action deadline, you will receive your admission decision prior to the end of the year. In addition, your application must be Verified by the Early Action deadline for your Research Student Worker or Vision Scholarship award application to be considered.

Applications that are Verified after November 1 will be reviewed for Regular Decision on a rolling basis. Division Tuition Scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis and awarded upon admission.

Application Requirements

Prerequisites

Within seven years of planned enrollment, complete six prerequisite courses with a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher. Prerequisite courses may be in progress at the time of application (see details below).

• All courses must be completed with a letter grade of “C” or higher ; “C-” or below, pass/no pass or AP credit are not accepted. (If you completed a prerequisite course in 2020, spring 2021, or summer 2021, pass/no pass grades are accepted.)
• Courses may be completed at any accredited community college, college or university.
• All prerequisites may be completed online .
• If your prerequisites do not meet these criteria, or you would like to verify a course, please submit a prerequisite inquiry .

Prerequisite Courses

Anatomy with Laboratory

Approved courses should cover all body systems. Anatomy course key topics are:

• Body orientation
• Axial skeleton (skull, bones, head, and trunk): spine, sternum, ribs
• Nervous system: brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves and special senses
• Lower Extremity: bones and joints, muscles, vessels, and nerves
• Cardiovascular system
• Lymphatic system
• Upper Extremity: bones & joints, muscles, vessels & nerves
• Endocrine system
• Reproductive system
• Urinary system
• Muscles of head, neck, thorax, and abdomen
• Respiratory system
• Digestive system
• Cadaver lab preferred

The Anatomy course may be completed in-person or online. Online anatomy courses must include one of the following components:

• Virtual 3D interaction dissection software/prosection
• Animal dissection
• At-home cadaveric dissection

If Anatomy and Physiology are combined, you must take either: 1) one combined Anatomy and Physiology course with laboratory worth 6-8 semester or 10 quarter units; or 2) two sequential semesters of combined Anatomy and Physiology taken at the same school, totaling 6-8 semester units with a laboratory each semester.

Course options

• Take it at USC . The Anatomy with Laboratory prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 260 or HBIO 301L .
• View possible external options for Anatomy courses , and combined Anatomy and Physiology courses , to meet the Anatomy with Laboratory prerequisite.

Approved courses should cover all body systems. Physiology course key topics are:

• Cell & membrane physiology
• Membrane excitability
• Nervous system organization (autonomic nervous system, motor control)
• Muscle: skeletal, cardiac, smooth
• Cardiac excitation and cardiac mechanics
• Bone & skin
• Blood, vasculature, and cardiovascular regulation
• Lung mechanics, gas exchange, respiratory regulation
• Renal filtration, reabsorption, and secretion
• Acid-base balance & buffering systems
• Gastrointestinal system: principles of signaling and digestive pathways
• Endocrine system overview
• Exercise and energy production
• Take it at USC . The Physiology prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 261 or HBIO 420L or BISC 307L .
• View possible external options for Physiology courses , and combined Anatomy and Physiology courses , to meet the Physiology prerequisite.

Abnormal Psychology

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to have an understanding of recognized psychological disorders. Students should also understand what the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is, and be able to use the DSM to access information on psychological disorders. The class must cover issues affecting all ages .

• Take it at USC . The Abnormal Psychology prerequisite is met by USC course PSYC 360 .
• View possible external options for Abnormal Psychology courses , to meet the Abnormal Psychology prerequisite.

Sociology / Cultural Anthropology

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to understand the causes and consequences of a wide range of complex phenomena, including how individual and collective human action shapes and is shaped by economic organizations, political institutions, and social and cultural settings broadly understood. These phenomena include the role of gender, sexuality, race, class and other aspects of identity across time and settings in the United States and the world.

Note: Examples of accepted courses include: Introduction to Sociology, Cultural Anthropology, Social Science, Social Analysis, Social Institutions and Systems.

Social Psychology, Social Problems and Sociology of Deviant Behavior, Biological / Evolutionary Anthropology, cannot be substituted for Sociology / Cultural Anthropology.

• Take it at USC . The Sociology / Cultural Anthropology prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 250 or SOC 200 or ANTH 201 .
• View possible external options for Sociology / Cultural Anthropology courses , to meet the Sociology / Cultural Anthropology prerequisite.

Medical Terminology

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to familiarize themselves with the language of medicine, including word structure (word roots, suffixes, prefixes), in order to analyze unfamiliar medical terminology and medical abbreviations used in documentation and billing.

This course may be completed as a certificate course or taken for 1-2 semester units, or for pass/no pass. If Medical Terminology was taken as a certificate course, please email the Admissions Team with your certificate of completion. Because there is no mechanism on the OTCAS application to submit proof of completion for a certificate course, once the admissions team receives your email with the certificate of completion, this prerequisite will be marked as complete on your application.

• Take it at USC . The Medical Terminology prerequisite is met by USC course OT 200 .
• View possible external options for Medical Terminology courses , to meet the Medical Terminology prerequisite.

Developmental Psychology / Human Development

The purpose of this prerequisite is for students to have an understanding of typical human development throughout the lifespan , including developmental milestones and normal developmental processes related to psychology and the physical aging process.

• Take it at USC . The Developmental Psychology / Human Development prerequisite is met by USC courses OT 251 or EDUC 589 , or PSYC 336 with PSYC 337 .
• View possible external options for Developmental Psychology courses , to meet the Developmental Psychology / Human Development prerequisite.

Note : You are welcome to use the same statement for both the USC and OTCAS essays, however please ensure you are tailoring your response to the USC prompt.

Submit a personal statement through the USC program-specific questions section of OTCAS, in response to the following prompt (max. 3,000 characters, including spaces):

We understand that people are exposed to occupational therapy and develop their passion for the profession in different ways. Exposure to occupational therapy could result from personal research, life circumstances, or related educational, job or volunteer experiences.

In order to demonstrate your commitment to the profession of occupational therapy, please address these two central questions in your essay:

• Describe past experiences that have influenced your interests and goals specific to occupational therapy.
• Reflect on why you are choosing to enter the occupational therapy profession.

Note: The Admissions Team will focus on the personal statement written to this prompt, and not on the general OTCAS personal statement that is sent to all programs.

You are also required to submit responses to two short-answer essays through the USC program-specific questions section of OTCAS:

• Describe a time when you became aware of an implicit or unconscious bias you had about someone (or someone had about you) and reflect on how you responded to it. (max. 1000 characters, including spaces)
• How will the experience you described in response to question #1 impact your goals as an occupational therapy professional in one or more of the following areas: justice, equity, diversity, and/or inclusion? (max. 1000 characters, including spaces)

Submit three letters of recommendation (evaluations) from professors, therapists, and/or other professionals familiar with your capabilities and achievements. These individuals should know you well and be able to attest to your skills and abilities as they specifically relate to becoming an occupational therapist. We have created an optional Request for Letter of Recommendation resource that you can send to potential evaluators to assist them with writing your recommendation letters. You are not required to use this document.

Recommendations (evaluations) should be submitted electronically through OTCAS. Please be thoughtful when selecting individuals to write your letters of recommendation as these letters are scored as a component of your holistic admission review.

Note: The Admissions Team will read only the first three letters of recommendation. The letters of recommendation will be uploaded in the order you input your evaluators into OTCAS. We do, however, advise that you request four letters of recommendation, in the event that one of your evaluators is unable to submit your letter for any reason.

Your GPA from your baccalaureate degree, which must be obtained from an accredited college or university, will be one component of the holistic admissions process. If you completed a graduate degree, we will consider your graduate GPA instead of your undergraduate GPA. There is no minimum GPA required; however, students entering with a GPA less than 3.0 are required to achieve a GPA of 3.0 or above in the first semester in the program.

Note: If you have a question about your specific situation, please contact our Admissions Team .

Transcripts

OTCAS must have all official transcripts for completed courses before they will verify an application.

Attn: Admissions Team USC Occupational Therapy 1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133 Los Angeles, CA 90089

Foreign Institutions If you have a degree from a foreign institution , or if you spent two or more semesters/academic terms studying at a foreign institution, you must send your transcripts to both OTCAS and USC Graduate Admissions. See the USC Office of Graduate Admissions for transcript submission information . The USC Office of Graduate Admission provides admission requirement details by country. Please visit their website to determine which documents (such as transcripts and diplomas) are needed by USC, based on home country. When your verified application is evaluated, please note that additional documents may be requested as needed. If you are admitted to the program, you may also be required to verify your degree via the International Education Research Foundation (IERF) . It is not necessary to submit a USC Application for Graduate Admission.

Note that we will review your application for admission even if USC Graduate Admissions has not yet received your foreign transcripts.

English Proficiency

If your degree was earned in a non-English speaking country and you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, you must submit scores from an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE). Please note that even if you are from an English-speaking country, you may still need to submit scores. Scores should be submitted to USC directly prior to the admission deadline for which you are being considered. We require that you have verification of the following scores within two years of the date you submit your application:

• A computer based TOEFL (iBT) score of 100 with no less than 20 on each sub-score; or
• A computer based IELTS of 7 with no less than 6 on each band score.
• A computer based PTE of 68 or above with 53 or above on each band.

If your native language is English and/or you have:

• a bachelor’s degree completed in its entirety from a country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language; or
• a completed master’s or doctoral degree from a country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language

you are exempted from this examination. See the USC Office of Graduate Admission for more information about English-language requirements .

If you have questions about program requirements for the TOEFL/IELTS, please contact our Admissions Team .

Other Requirements

Other Supporting Documents

Make sure to complete the other program-specific questions for USC that are required through OTCAS.

We recommended that you upload a résumé or CV through OTCAS with your application.

Background Checks

The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy does not require background checks, drug testing or fingerprinting for admission into the entry-level OTD program. However, an increasing number of health care facilities require USC students to provide this and other information in order to participate in clinical rotations at their sites. The successful completion of clinical rotations is required for the OTD degree at USC and is a prerequisite for being able to sit for the NBCOT® (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy®) exam to practice as an occupational therapist. A felony conviction may affect your ability to sit for the NBCOT® certification examination or attain state licensure.

For additional information, please contact our Admissions Team .

Health Clearances

If you are admitted to the entry-level OTD program, you will be required to complete certain health clearances prior to enrolling in the program. These health clearances are required in order to participate in clinical rotations, which are a requirement for the OTD degree. Please see USC Fieldwork Prerequisites for an overview of the prerequisites for these clinical rotations and enrollment in the program.

Please also refer to the USC Student Health Center for the health clearance requirements for students enrolled in the professional program.

Please note Students who complete their Level IIB Fieldwork and Doctoral Capstone Experience out of the area will have the option to participate in remote sections of the third year entry-level OTD courses.

Participation in remote courses throughout the third year of the program will require knowledge in using Brightspace as a Learning Management System and skills in using and navigating remote learning tools, such as Zoom , Turnitin , and others.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Please see information on how to apply for scholarships and financial aid .

Note: The application deadline for Research Student Worker and Vision Scholarship awards is November 1 . Division Tuition Scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis and awarded upon admission.

Please view our Frequently Asked Questions for more helpful information.

If you have additional questions, there are a number of ways in which you can contact us for more information.

Program Brochure If you complete our form to request program information , we will be happy to provide access to a brochure about our programs.

Information Sessions We also provide information sessions , both in-person and virtual, for prospective students interested in our degree programs.

Admissions Team The USC Chan Admissions Team will be delighted to answer any questions you may have and further explore your interest in our program.

General Inquiries For general inquiries, you can also call us at +1 (323) 442-2850 , or (866) 385-4250 (toll free within the US).

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ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program ( cost of attendance ) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program ( cost of attendance ) has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data . ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org . The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®).

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org . Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance .

Apply to BHS-OTD Program Occupational Therapy Combined

Admission application deadlines.

BHS Program Application: Applicants must complete an online application to the UF Office of Admissions, Bachelor of Health Science. Applications to the BHS program are due February 1st .

BHS-OTD Combined Program Admission: The supplemental application (below) to the Combined Program (BHS-OTD) is due May 15th .  The Combined Program has a Fall semester start.

Combined Program Admission via OTCAS

The UF Occupational Therapy Combined Program (BHS-OTD) uses the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS).  Help using OTCAS can be found on their Applicant Help Center .

OTCAS Contact Info

Phone: 617-612-2860 Email: [email protected] Website: https://otcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login

Where to Send Your Application

OTCAS must receive the application, references, and transcripts by the application deadline. Once your application is complete, OTCAS will verify your documents before releasing them to the University of Florida. Please note that UF cannot access unverified applications. Applicants should confirm their status as verified with OTCAS.

• For any questions about the receipt, processing, and verification of your application, please contact OTCAS Customer Service, contact info above.
• For other questions, please contact the University of Florida OT Department .

Transfer students will receive a UF ID after completing the UF application. Current UF students will already have a UF ID. This UF ID must be submitted to OTCAS with your application. You can find your UF ID by checking your application status: https://admissions.ufl.edu/appstatus .

Transcripts

Transcripts for all schools attended, including high school dual enrollment, must be sent to OTCAS:

OTCAS Transcript Processing Center PO Box 9120 Watertown, MA 02471

Recommendations

The department will access your recommendations through OTCAS. Applicants must submit three (3) recommendations. One (1) of the recommendations must be from a professional level OT who is currently practicing. The other two (2) should be from professionals, such as a present or former faculty member, academic advisor, or employer. Names and addresses must be provided to the appropriate section of the OTCAS application.

Personal Statement

Applicants must submit a personal statement that addresses why they selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to their immediate and long-term professional goals. They must describe how their personal, educational, and professional background will help achieve their goals. The department will access your personal statement through OTCAS. The personal statement is an important part of your application for admission and provides you with an opportunity to clearly and effectively express your ideas.

Observation Hours and Resume

All applicants are required to complete a total of 30 hours of observational hours in at least two (2) diverse OT settings. Diverse settings are settings that service clientele are significantly different; inpatient, outpatient, long term care, school-based, elders, pediatrics, orthopedics, rehabilitation, etc. Upload documentation verifying your observation hours to OTCAS. You may submit the UF OTD Observation Hours Form (click the link above), a form from another program, or a signed letter from a supervisor documenting your hours.

Include all academic, service, leadership, employment, and/or research activities on your resume. Upload to OTCAS.

Computer Requirements

According to the University’s Student Computing Requirements policy, all UF students must have access to a computer that allows them to complete all coursework and general curriculum requirements.  Students are responsible for knowing how to operate the computer systems and the software packages required, including the Canvas online course management system (UF e-Learning). Applicants should review the OTD Program Computer Requirements and Competency information prior to applying to the program.

Wayne State University

Eugene applebaum college of pharmacy and health sciences, how to apply.

We are no longer accepting applicants for the MOT program.  This program transitioned to a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree  with a start date of January 2025. Admissions will be accepted on a rolling basis from January 1-November 15.  Related message to prospective applicants from Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) .

Individuals interested in applying to the OT program must submit two applications: one to the  Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS)  and one to the  WSU Graduate School . Supplemental materials should be included with applications to the WSU Graduate School.

Please note that tuition and fees are subject to change.

OTCAS Application: Available January 1-November 15

The OT program must receive a submitted   OTCAS application   on or before November 15   in order to consider applicants for admission. Applications submitted to OTCAS  after  November 15 will not  be considered. The application can be found at   https://otcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login , and information about OTCAS may be found at   https://help.liaisonedu.com/OTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center . It is  highly recommended that you submit your OTCAS application sooner rather than later  to ensure timely submission and review of all items by OTCAS.  

Applicant Personal Statement Submitted to OTCAS

It is recommended that you compose your personal statement in a text-only word processor and copy and paste it into the OTCAS application. Applicants will have two opportunities to attach/copy-paste the personal statement; (1) in the general section of the application and (2) in the program specific section of the application for those interested in  WSU  OT program. Applicants have the choice of using the same personal statement in each location or they can create another statement for the  WSU  section that includes information on why the  WSU  OT program is the correct fit for the applicant and their career goals. Additional details and instructions for the personal statement in the general section of the application can be found within the application.

Applicant References Submitted to OTCAS

The two professional recommendations may be obtained from one OTR and one professor/instructor or another healthcare provider. You will send  the requests electronically in OTCAS to the two individuals  you want to complete  them and these individuals must  submit their  completed recommendations electronically via OTCAS. If you are applying only to Wayne State University's Occupational Therapy program, OTCAS will require you to enter the names of three recommenders. You can enter your name and email address as the third recommender unless you would like to have someone else submit a third professional recommendation.

A stronger applicant file is one that has references who have known you for a period of time and can comment on your performance.  References from family members or those in a personal relationship with you are highly discouraged.

Documentation of 20 OTR Contact Hours Submitted to OTCAS

• OT observation hours form must be completed by OTR only; COTA is not acceptable.
• Minimum of 20 hours completed in the last two years.
• Submitting hours over two years old is acceptable as long as 20 of those hours were within the last 2 years
• Click here to print or save the online form for distribution to OTRs that will be observing .
• Forms will be attached in OTCAS under Test Scores in the  WSU  Program Specific area.

Plan of Work for Fall semester - Academic Updates Submitted to OTCAS (if applicable)

For those applicants completing courses in the fall semester (august-december):.

You will need to put the courses in progress in OTCAS. Once the courses have been completed in December, applicants will need to complete an Academic Update in OTCAS for the completed courses. More information on the Academic Update process can be found on the OTCAS website   here .

For those applicants completing one science and/or one non-science course in the Fall semester:

You will need to put the courses in progress in OTCAS. Once the courses have been completed in December, applicants will need to submit an official transcript to [email protected] and attach an unofficial transcript to the electronic form at: https://forms.wayne.edu/646252e6f27f8

Essential Functions

Occupational Therapy students must acquire and maintain certain essential functions that are necessary to the practice of Occupational Therapy. Please read the linked document that describes these essential functions .

WSU Graduate Application: Due at time of interview offer

A completed   WSU  Graduate School application , including official transcripts  and all required supplemental material (see below), must be submitted for consideration of admission.

Email official transcripts to:   [email protected]  Transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to  WSU  Graduate Admissions. Electronic official transcripts are preferred.

If your previous educational institutions do not offer electronic official transcripts, then mail official transcripts to: 5057 Woodward, Suite 6000, Detroit, MI 48202-0340

Note: The WSU Graduate Application WSU OT program for Winter start date will be available on the   WSU  Graduate School website  on September 1. All graduate application materials (official transcripts and items in the list below) must be submitted to be considered for the coming January start date. Use Winter of the coming year as the application semester year.

Supplemental Materials to be submitted with the Graduate Admissions Application:

• Copy of Granted Waiver: Six-Year Time Limit Rule for Science Prerequisites Course Waiver (if applicable)
• Only those applicants who requested and received a six-year time limit science course prerequisite waiver from the WSU OT Admissions Committee need to submit documentation in the Additional Documents section.
• Copy of TOEFL Scores (if applicable) only those applicants that need to complete the WSU English Proficiency   requirement with the TOEFL exam need submit documentation in this section.
• Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Scores (if applicable). Only those applicants that have completed AP/CLEP exams and want to use those credits for prerequisites need to submit score documentation from the college board in the Additional Documents  section.
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Personal Statement Examples: Singapore Students Admitted to Top UK and US Universities

Personal statements are an essential aspect of each application. It helps demonstrate your academic interests and passion, highlight your relevant experiences, and showcase your unique identity. However, the approach is different for universities in the UK and US and knowing these differences is vital when preparing your personal statement. To guide you, we’ve included several successful personal statements and sought the expertise of Jamie Beaton , CEO of Crimson Education, to review and analyse these essays. Jamie Beaton was accepted into all 25 of the world’s top universities including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Cambridge. Read on to discover what makes a strong personal statement!

How important is the personal statement?

The key thing to note with your personal statement is that it’s your chance to convey something else about yourself in your application . It’s an opportunity to sell yourself and connect with the admissions officer that is reading your essay!

If you’re applying to the UK , your personal statement should illustrate your skills and expertise in the chosen field while emphasising your passion and commitment for it . A UK personal statement is typically more academically-focused and universities are primarily interested in your academic achievements and a genuine demonstration of interest in the selected courses.

For the US , your essay should adopt a more personal and introspective angle and highlight areas like your personal growth, intellectual curiosity, and leadership development . Here, there is greater room for storytelling and creativity and it should portray a more holistic view of yourself.

Applications to both countries are made on two separate platforms: UCAS for the UK and Common Application or the university’s own platform for the US. Be sure to check out their respective websites for further information about the personal statement.

The UK personal statement

A good UK personal statement is direct and precise and it should show that the student is well prepared to study in their chosen discipline. Since the UK places a strong emphasis on your academics, try to include examples which are impactful and relevant. Your extracurricular activities, readings, and accomplishments should ideally be relevant to your chosen discipline.

With a 4,000 character limit , it’s important to strategise and remain factual and straightforward. It’s easy to lose focus in your essay as UCAS personal statements are typically open-ended with no prompts provided. As such, refrain from listing all your achievements and activities and instead dive deep into your academic journey.

Successful personal statements from students in Singapore admitted to top UK universities

Uk essay #1.

Undergoing treatment for my impacted maxillary canine tooth gave me a profound appreciation for dentistry. As I was treated by a multi-disciplinary team, I witnessed their skilfulness during each treatment stage, ultimately saving my tooth and relieving my jaw-aches. Gaining an anterior tooth in my dental arch also improved my self-esteem. The relationships I formed with each member of the team were meaningful, and I realised that as a dentist, I too, could improve patients' oral and mental health, developing similar connections.

Inspired to learn more about dentistry, I shadowed Dr. Shahul Hameed, an experienced general dentist. I observed the maintenance of a dental implant - the planning, execution and patient management. Curious to learn more about implant dentistry, I read up on the fundamentals of dental implants; principles of osseointegration and factors that influence the treatment plan, such as the load-bearing capacity of the implant compared to occlusal forces. Fascinated by dental sciences, I attended 'Discover Dentistry', a course by Sheffield University, where I learnt about current research, such as using cultured cells to assess biocompatibility of prostheses, giving me insight into the exciting future of dentistry. This spurred me to do my own research on the oral health status of the elderly living in care facilities globally. Having learnt about their poor oral health, measured using indices like the O'Leary Plaque and DMFT index, it was interesting to discover how this would greatly improve with routine care.

Another memorable experience involved Dr. Shahul extracting a wisdom tooth from a nervous patient. He explained the treatment plan concisely, making clear the possible risks before gaining her consent, in line with GDC principle 3. Upon completing the procedure, he congratulated her, demonstrating genuine care for the patient. Seeking to emulate his empathy and communication skills, I volunteered with Dementia Singapore. One event involved teaching elderly dementia patients to make lanterns using red packets. Overcoming the language barrier between us, I spoke in both English and Tamil, being understanding and displaying a flexible approach to communication. Currently being in National Service, which I will complete in 2025, I learnt how to provide first aid and CPR, improving my effective communication in emergency situations. Furthermore, I researched 'capgras syndrome,' a mental condition causing delusional misidentifications of people, for an arts competition, Destination Imagination. Acting out its symptoms made me more empathetic towards individuals with health conditions.

I also led a data analytics project, using machine learning to predict the virality of YouTube videos. This involved organising meetings and delegating tasks to my team based on their strengths, ensuring our project's progress. Such leadership skills are vital in managing a dental team. Using machine learning prompted me to consider its potential role in dentistry, in predicting the efficacy of treatments using digitally-stored patient data. I am intrigued about how this relates to patient confidentiality and how to balance patient beneficence with patient data protection. Moreover, I honed my manual dexterity skills by playing fingerstyle guitar pieces in my school's guitar ensemble. I also upload guitar covers online, garnering thousands of views. Additionally, I enjoy solving Rubik's cubes and participate in competitions. Recognising patterns during solves improved my focus - and such attention to detail is needed throughout dental procedures, to ensure successful treatments.

Dentistry is a complex field which requires technical skills and qualities like leadership and communication. Being treated by the skilled dental team has instilled in me fervour for wanting to learn more and mirror their expertise in the future.

Why this essay worked

• Personal Experience and Inspiration: This essay immediately captures the reader's attention with a personal anecdote. The candidate's own experience with dental treatment not only sparked their interest in dentistry but also provided a deep, genuine appreciation for the field. This makes their motivation to pursue dentistry feel authentic and compelling. The detailed account of how their treatment improved their self-esteem shows a personal connection and understanding of the impact dentists can have on their patients' lives.
• Demonstrated Commitment and Exploration: The candidate goes beyond expressing interest; they have actively pursued opportunities to learn more about dentistry. Shadowing Dr. Shahul Hameed and attending the 'Discover Dentistry' course at Sheffield University are concrete examples of their proactive approach. They’ve also engaged in self-directed research on oral health among the elderly, demonstrating intellectual curiosity and a commitment to contributing to the field. This level of initiative is precisely what we look for in candidates who will thrive in a rigorous academic environment.
• Broad Skill Set and Reflective Insight: What stands out is the breadth of skills and experiences the candidate brings. From volunteering with dementia patients to leading a data analytics project and playing guitar, they showcase a range of abilities that are valuable in dentistry. The ability to communicate effectively, demonstrate empathy, lead a team, and possess fine motor skills are all essential qualities for a successful dentist. Moreover, the candidate reflects on how each experience has contributed to their personal growth and how these skills are relevant to their future career. This reflection shows maturity and a deep understanding of the multifaceted nature of dentistry.

UK Essay #2

Throughout my upbringing, I have seen the different cultural traditions of the US, UK, and Singapore; it has been captivating to compare the different focal points from US individualism to collectivism in Singapore. I also explored issues faced by Muslims in America while placing first in a writing competition. Societies are critical in either acting as barriers or support mechanisms, and I am intrigued by the interplay between sociology and the world we have collectively crafted.

Living in a variety of cultures, I have found it compelling to understand how we have been shaped by the cultural patterns and social principles in which we have lived. This has inspired me to explore social action theory. This was fascinating to apply to my own life as I have observed how Singaporeans have used their work ethic and collectivist values to promote 'Tiger Parenting'. Intrigued by the difference in parenting methods between Western and Asian cultures, I engaged with the scholarship of Max Weber's concept that we should interpret the lived experiences of others subjectively rather than objectively, prompting me to further explore the world around us.

I completed the 'Social Context of Mental Health' course at the University of Toronto, and gained insights into the interplay between social contexts and their impact on mental health. This has deepened my understanding of how family, infrastructure, and culture are critical to healthcare. Comparing the traditional values that impeded accessibility to healthcare in the collectivist Asian culture and the Western focus on mental health was fascinating.

Subsequently, I read 'The History of Psychiatry in India' by S. Haque Nizamie, where it can be seen that the Atharva-Veda in ancient Vedic India suggested that mental illness might be linked to divine curses, sin, and witchcraft. The establishment of mental hospitals and more humane approaches were influenced by British psychiatry during the early colonial period. I reflected on the delicate balance required to achieve an optimal societal structure that fosters an individual's mental well-being without jeopardising the rich culture that defines communities.

I am working on a research project with a Ph.D. professor to explore gender performance and what it means to 'do' gender in diverse social contexts. Gender roles are critical in shaping identities and social structures with stereotypes also impacting the experiences of social groups; often, the traditional norms and inequalities make social change seem unattainable. I have explored how gender norms are socially constructed and enforced. I applied this to the motorsport industry, which is traditionally dominated by masculine ideals. Perceived gender roles have affected the perception of female racers, thereby shaping their experiences and limiting their opportunities; in other words, there is a complex interaction between societal expectations, gender norms, and individual experiences. I hope to continue contributing to this discourse, and create positive change.

I have worked as part of the corporate communications team in Singapore's largest real estate company, where I have focused on connecting with a specific part of society by developing articles and podcasts for Gen Z. Beyond this, I was a school prefect and mentor during my A Levels, and aimed to support students academically. I am a passionate dancer having won the East England Grand Final Championships, and I was a captain of a dance team for five years.

Sociology uniquely offers insight into the root causes of issues, namely the challenge of inequality, systematic injustice, and the unravelling of social structures. I hope to pave the way for a more equitable future and challenge ingrained norms by studying this degree. To undertake challenges affecting the twenty-first century, one must have a fundamental understanding of sociology; it informs and dictates the world around us, setting the course and boundaries for change.

• Rich Cultural Perspective and Personal Connection: This essay stands out due to the student's rich cultural experiences in the US, UK, and Singapore. The ability to draw comparisons between individualism and collectivism, along with a personal engagement in social issues like Muslim experiences in America, gives a genuine and insightful perspective. This multicultural background provides a strong foundation for studying sociology and demonstrates a deep personal connection to the subject matter.
• Intellectual Curiosity and Academic Engagement: The student's proactive approach to learning is evident through their completion of the 'Social Context of Mental Health' course at the University of Toronto and their independent reading of 'The History of Psychiatry in India.' This shows a clear commitment to understanding complex sociological concepts and their real-world applications. Additionally, their involvement in a research project on gender performance with a Ph.D. professor highlights a high level of academic engagement and a desire to contribute to scholarly discourse.
• Diverse Extracurricular Involvement and Leadership: The student's extracurricular activities, including working in corporate communications, being a school prefect and mentor, and excelling in dance, demonstrate a well-rounded individual with strong leadership skills. These experiences not only showcase their ability to connect with various social groups but also highlight their dedication to supporting others and fostering community. The blend of academic and extracurricular achievements paints a picture of a dynamic and motivated candidate, well-suited for a sociology degree.

UK Essay #3

When my younger brother was born with Sacrococcygeal Teratoma (SCT), I was told that he was born with a “bunny tail” on his bottom. When I saw the teratoma, the fantasy of having a half-bunny, half-human brother quickly faded, but my curiosity grew. In studying Biomedical Sciences, I hope to feed my childhood curiosity by deepening my knowledge of how the body works, and how it fails. I aspire to connect this knowledge to congenital disorders such as SCT having seen the health and self-esteem issues it can cause. This has inspired me to go further in my acquisition of knowledge and its real-world application.

Research suggests SCT arises from the incomplete migration of primordial germ cells from the yolk sac to the gonadal ridges during embryogenesis. Other sources state that SCT may be due to the failure of the Hensen’s node to regress or due to the residual totipotent stem cells from the Hensen’s node. While ultrasound, amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling can be used to visualise and diagnose congenital disorders, it is difficult to elucidate abnormal gastrulation, for example, as it occurs very early on in pregnancy. This, along with the multifactorial nature of congenital disorders, impedes on the understanding of conditions that manifest during foetal development. It is this ambiguity that compels me to use my Biomedical education to help further the understanding of congenital disorders like SCT.

I decided to investigate the emerging research on the interplay between our microbiome and health in my Extended Essay (EE). Initially, I wanted to explore the topic of the skin microbiome using biological models. It was difficult to replicate the conditions of the human skin microbiome, but these challenges motivated me to be more creative and proactive in my experimental design. For example, I tried to measure the difference in turbidity between L. casei, B. subtilis, and a solution containing both species, to model the relationship between the commensal skin bacteria S. aureus and S. epidermidis. While this trial did not yield conclusive data, I gained valuable knowledge such as learning the aseptic technique, alongside personal growth through discovering the importance of maintaining morale and motivation through failed trials, developing my independence as a scientist. Additionally, through my EE process, I discovered a passion for research and was fascinated by Zhang et al’s study into the role L. acidophilus S-layer proteins play in the inhibition of pathogenic E. coli. Some of the techniques used by Zhang et al to explore this were gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, which I had learnt about in my IB biology and chemistry courses. I had previously only associated these techniques with limited applications such as DNA separation and relative atomic mass. To see their use in a sophisticated manner alongside more complex methods was inspiring. I look forward to cultivating my laboratory skills and becoming proficient in conducting research; allowing me to delve deeper into my understanding of the intricacies within the human body.

I am also passionate about fitness and enjoy applying my knowledge of muscle contraction, the cardiac system, and the muscular system to my fitness journey. In October 2023, I competed in my first endurance fitness race, Hyrox, where I was the youngest of 3500 participants. This pushed me to my limits in the best way, as sticking to a strict training plan while doing the IB was challenging, but showed me the value of consistency, hard work, and teamwork. While I appreciate the rigour of science, I also enjoy learning Spanish, playing the piano, and cooking for friends and family. I hope studying Biomedical Sciences not only fuels my interest in understanding our bodies but also enables me to contribute to its broad positive impact on human health.

• Personal Connection and Clear Motivation: This essay excels in establishing a strong personal connection to the field of Biomedical Sciences through the story of the student’s brother born with Sacrococcygeal Teratoma (SCT). The vivid and heartfelt description of the brother's condition and its impact on the family provides a compelling narrative that clearly motivates the student’s interest in congenital disorders. This personal anecdote not only makes the essay relatable but also highlights the student's deep-rooted passion for understanding and addressing health issues.
• Research Experience and Intellectual Curiosity: The student’s detailed account of their Extended Essay (EE) on the microbiome demonstrates a high level of intellectual curiosity and a proactive approach to research. The discussion of experimental design challenges and the use of techniques like gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry shows a sophisticated understanding of scientific methods. The ability to connect classroom knowledge to real-world applications, despite setbacks, reflects resilience and a genuine enthusiasm for scientific inquiry. This depth of research experience and commitment to learning is highly impressive.
• Well-Roundedness and Diverse Interests: Beyond academic pursuits, the student showcases a well-rounded personality through their passion for fitness, languages, music, and cooking. Competing in the Hyrox endurance race while managing IB studies highlights qualities such as determination, time management, and teamwork. These extracurricular activities illustrate a balanced and dynamic individual who not only excels in scientific endeavours but also values physical health, cultural engagement, and community. This diverse set of interests and skills makes the student a well-rounded candidate, poised to contribute meaningfully to the field of Biomedical Sciences and beyond.

The US personal statement

A strong US personal statement should provide a unique window into the student’s identity and personality . It helps the university understand who the student is holistically through their experiences, goals, and values. Thus, it’s important to include the experiences that reflect your core beliefs and how they have changed you. Reflecting genuinely and writing authentically is key with a US personal statement.

A 650-word limit is typically imposed on US essays, and you will be required to address a specific prompt . Additionally, most competitive universities also require the submission of supplemental essays . They are meant to support your application and give the admissions officer a deeper understanding of you. It’s important to treat the supplemental essay with the same dedication as your personal statement as they can also influence the admission decision. The word limit for the supplemental essays varies by university, typically ranging from a few words to 650 or more words .

Successful personal statements from students in Singapore admitted to top US universities

For the following essays, observe how their approach is different from a UCAS personal statement.

US Essay #1

The sickening smell of chrysanthemums mixed with incense made me nauseous. I stared at the white pearl placed precariously on my great-grandmother's lips, and tried to identify her through her embalmed face.

It was the 31st of July. I was sixteen, and this was my first time at a funeral wake.

It was in an open space, on a windy day, and I felt suffocated.

Leaving the altar, I joined a sea of faces foreign yet so familiar: distant cousins, uncles, relatives that were my age. We shared the same eyes, but I could not remember ever seeing them.

Suddenly, I was startled by joyous sounds. It was unmistakable — someone was laughing. At a funeral? That can't be right. Looking up, I saw my relatives cracking jokes while folding Joss paper. I was bewildered. How could they still laugh in grief? Curious, I joined them.

They were folding gold ingots from Joss paper, spirit currency at Chinese funerals. I, their new recruit, was handed a stack. Following the movements of my relatives, I kept pace. As we folded the Joss paper in unison, my reservations of displaying anything other than grief subsided. I sensed a tinge of sadness from everyone at the table, and realized they were joking around not because of their lack of sensitivity, but rather because of their empathy. We all shared the same grief that threatened to consume us, so why not share the burden?

We put our despondency into those sheets of paper and shaped them into gifts for offering. The jokes and laughter continued as we filled bag after bag with the paper gold ingots, and I found myself joining in their conversation, consoled by the hopeful atmosphere amidst a somber day. As per tradition, we burned the filled bags. I watched the flames of renewal eat up our hours of labor and consume along with it the worst of our sorrow. The dancing flames were laughing at death, stealing the spotlight in the ballad of goodbyes. Despite all the smoke, I could finally breathe better than before.

"Zai jian," I said with a smile when the fire finally died. In Mandarin, zai means 'again' and jian means 'meet'. When put together they express goodbye but simultaneously imply hope of future encounters. I knew that there would be more of such.

The sweet smell of chrysanthemums now reminds me of new beginnings. Just as the funeral wake brought my family closer than ever, I understood from this experience that goodbyes could also allow for new connections. I later found out that the pearl I had seen on my late great-grandmother's lips symbolizes rebirth: just as the oyster goes through a process of transformation to create the pearl, the memories we have made can grow into something beautiful and valuable. Although I did not realize this before, goodbyes were not any indication of the end, but rather a necessary prelude to metamorphosis.

• Engaging and Vivid Narrative: This essay immediately captures attention with its vivid and sensory-rich descriptions, starting with the "sickening smell of chrysanthemums mixed with incense." The detailed portrayal of the funeral wake, from the sight of the embalmed face to the act of folding Joss paper, immerses the reader in the experience. This narrative style not only makes the essay compelling but also showcases the student’s ability to convey complex emotions and scenes effectively.
• Cultural Insight and Personal Growth: The essay offers a deep dive into the student’s cultural heritage, providing a nuanced understanding of Chinese funeral traditions. The student’s initial confusion about laughter at a funeral and their subsequent realisation about empathy and shared grief highlight significant personal growth. This transformation from bewilderment to acceptance and understanding illustrates maturity and a capacity for introspection, which are essential traits for a college applicant.
• Reflective and Symbolic Conclusion: The conclusion of the essay beautifully ties the entire experience together by reflecting on the symbolism of the pearl and the concept of "zai jian." This reflective insight about goodbyes being a prelude to new beginnings and metamorphosis adds depth to the narrative. The student’s ability to find hope and beauty in a traditionally sombre event demonstrates resilience and an optimistic outlook on life, making this essay both memorable and impactful.

US Essay #2

“And the award goes to...”

My eyes were glued to my computer screen, and my heart was pounding in my chest. Could we do it? Did we do it?

“Team Quasar!”

Allow me to tell you a story of the last few months of the year 2020. Those few months would launch me into the endless space of ideas and possibilities.

It was the Singapore Space Challenge 2021. Teams were required to design a lunar rover mission. It was a highly demanding competition that needed a technical understanding of engineering and space, not to mention the incredibly heavy workload of making a 50-page report and 10-minute video within a few months. Space engineering was completely new to me and my team, and the other teams were mostly university students who were experts in the field. Could we really do it? Are we even qualified for this? I was captivated by the possibilities the challenge could open up, but I second-guessed myself over and over again.

“You know what? Let’s do it.”

And so my team and I signed up for the Singapore Space Challenge 2021.

Over the course of the competition, we were stumbling on our feet. We scoured the internet for research reports and videos to learn about space engineering, from the structure of rover wheels to lunar lander modules. We couldn’t come up with anything that satisfied our high expectations for ourselves, though. So my team and I decided to take a step back. We were at a disadvantage because we knew little about engineering. We were only fifteen, after all.

But what if we turned this constraint into an opportunity? Our lack of experience in the field meant that we weren’t restricted by preconceived notions of what should and shouldn’t be. We could take lots of liberties in technicalities. We could sell a creative idea that takes inspiration from nature to demonstrate its conceptual suitability for its task of excavation. So, we went back to the drawing board. We went back and forth with all sorts of ideas until one of us said the word “worm”. Everyone went quiet but our eyes lit up.

We then came up with our award-winning idea: the lunar excavation worm.

We stopped questioning whether something would work without giving it a try, and went crazy with what our worm could do. Turning ice on the Moon to rocket fuel? Sounds fun! Making it do backflips to climb hills? Let’s do it!

The deadline was approaching, and it was time to get serious. We put our strengths of research, designing and writing together to design a full-fledged robotic worm. After 3 weeks of intense work, we submitted our entry with satisfaction, hope, and inspiration.

When the organizers announced that our team won the Women in STEM Award, I jumped from my seat and screamed. Our WhatsApp group flooded with exclamations in capital letters.

I took away so many lessons those few months. I learned that we should never give up on something because we think we’re not good enough. Instead of asking “why”, how about asking “why not”? Instead of undermining our potential by comparing ourselves to others, why not leverage our own talents to create something that is uniquely ours?

Inspired by our achievement, my team and I continued to take part in similar competitions, coming up with various project ideas from biology experiments in space to autonomous delivery systems.

But what could our ideas do if they just stayed on paper? Physically building a rover is certainly no easy feat, but by combining our knowledge and expertise we could learn in college, I believe we could really bring our beloved worm to life. I hope that by continuing to innovate and create, I will be able to make some contribution, no matter how small, to the scientific community, or to the betterment of people’s lives.

• Engaging Storytelling and Clear Passion: This essay immediately grabs attention with the suspenseful opening about winning an award, which draws the reader into the narrative. The detailed recounting of the Singapore Space Challenge 2021 is both engaging and inspirational, showcasing the student’s journey from doubt to triumph. This storytelling approach not only makes the essay memorable but also highlights the student’s ability to overcome challenges and achieve remarkable success through perseverance and creativity.
• Creative Problem-Solving and Teamwork: The student’s description of how their team transformed constraints into opportunities by leveraging their unique perspective is impressive. The innovative idea of the "lunar excavation worm" and the decision to draw inspiration from nature demonstrate a high level of creativity and problem-solving skills. Additionally, the essay emphasises the importance of teamwork, collaboration, and the ability to adapt and think outside the box, which are crucial skills in any field, especially in engineering and science.
• Reflection and Future Aspirations: The reflective insights gained from the competition, such as asking "why not" instead of "why" and leveraging one’s own talents, reveal a mature and growth-oriented mindset. The student’s aspiration to bring their ideas to life and contribute to the scientific community underscores a strong sense of purpose and ambition. This forward-looking perspective, combined with a proven track record of success in challenging environments, makes the student a compelling candidate for any academic program.

US Essay #3

“Nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo”

The chant gave the funeral a more somber tone. As I said my goodbyes to my grandmother, Obaba, and looked back on her life, I took comfort in knowing that the important lessons that she taught me will continue to guide me. I remembered the same soft melodious chant reverberating around Obaba’s prayer room. Just Obaba and I in this haven of peace. I was five years old, sitting attentively on the tatami mat next to her, chanting Lotus Sutra, a Buddhist chant that extols the significance of compassion.

By eight years old, I was accustomed to rising at daybreak, walking through the mist to visit the temple and offer prayers to my ancestors. At ten, clothed in a white robe, I ascended the towering 3,783-foot expanse of Minobu Mountain with my family on a pilgrimage to experience a monk’s daily lifestyle. Obaba started this tradition in 1950; my family has upheld it ever since.

Obviously, at such a young age, I didn’t fully understand the deep significance of these religious practices: reciting morning Sutras, offering prayers, nightly expressions of gratitude to my ancestors, nor the religious talisman I wore. At times, prayers floated above my little head while I dozed off. Other times, I was simply bored. But when Obaba passed away, something changed.

After her death, I felt compelled to explore Buddhism at a deeper level to understand the source of Obaba’s boundless kindness and resilience. In her 101 years, she’d climbed the mountain annually for more than half a century, and now I felt the urge to practice Buddhism. I dove in by reading the classic texts–The Metta Sutta, The Lankavatara Sutra, and The Kalama Sutta. While I understood the meaning of the words, they didn’t reach my heart. It wasn't until I began to do the daily practice that Buddhism began to unveil its revelations.

Slowly, it dawned on me: Buddhism's essence lies in “compassion.” By immersing myself in active practice, I came to recognize Buddhism's role as a hub of social support. Its compassionate teachings played a pivotal role in helping my Obaba navigate the challenges of World War II and cultivate a lifelong spirit of empathy. Obaba was an inspiration to people from all walks of life, and they’d often seek her to pour out their problems. She’d lend a patient ear and offer advice or simply provide a comforting presence. Obaba led a life dedicated to service. She worked on cultivating her inner peace, which enabled her to assist others in their own journey towards inner tranquility. It became clear to me this was the lesson I’d been seeking all along.

Throughout the pandemic, I became increasingly aware of the struggles within the Buddhist community, where many people experienced significant economic hardship. Embracing Obaba's legacy as my guiding spirit, I initiated a video project for the Buddhist community, since in-person gatherings were restricted. Every morning, after cleaning the temple, I arranged my equipment to create relevant content for our community. These videos featured meditation sessions, insightful teachings from revered monks, and highlights of our community's events.

In the beginning, doubt gnawed at me. Would anyone be interested in online sessions? However, as heartfelt comments poured in, my anxieties dissolved, replaced by a determination to provide more for our community. It was, then, that I recognized how compassion for each of the community members is crucial in cultivating a sense of unity. Through this experience, I gleaned the profound importance of extending compassion by harnessing my own skills to uplift my community members during challenging times, including the pandemic–similar to what Obaba did during WWII.

Having said that, I am who I am today because Obaba exemplified what compassion and resilience are. As a result, I hold her as my role model, aspiring to adopt her qualities by becoming an individual who extends compassion and care to others within the community.

• Emotional and Personal Connection: This essay immediately draws the reader in with its heartfelt reflection on the passing of the student's grandmother, Obaba. The vivid descriptions of childhood memories, such as chanting the Lotus Sutra and climbing Minobu Mountain, create a deep emotional connection. The student’s journey from not fully understanding the religious practices to finding profound meaning in them after Obaba’s death demonstrates personal growth and a strong emotional connection to their heritage and family traditions.
• Demonstration of Compassion and Community Engagement: The student’s active engagement in the Buddhist community, especially during the pandemic, is highly commendable. Initiating a video project to support the community highlights the student’s leadership, initiative, and compassion. This act of service not only illustrates their ability to adapt to challenging circumstances but also their commitment to helping others, reflecting the teachings of Buddhism and the legacy of Obaba. The essay effectively shows how the student embodies the values of compassion and resilience learned from their grandmother.
• Cultural Insight and Reflective Growth: The essay provides a rich cultural insight into Buddhist practices and their significance within the student’s life. The detailed account of religious rituals, texts, and the role of Buddhism as a source of social support offers a unique perspective. The student’s reflective growth, from questioning the relevance of these practices to embracing them fully, highlights a mature understanding of their cultural and spiritual identity. This reflective journey, combined with a strong sense of purpose and aspiration to follow in Obaba’s footsteps, makes the essay both inspiring and deeply personal.

US Essay #4

The piercing sound of the school bell marked the end of the day. But I found myself reluctant to exit the classroom. I didn’t want to go home.

While growing up as an only child allowed me to enjoy all the attention focused from my parents, it also meant that I was faced with high expectations. Since they have always worked hard and would often return home late, I felt that cooking dinner was my way of giving back to my family.

Cooking was not easy, and this was especially true of Chinese dishes. While I am no professional, I have improved rapidly over the years. From changing how I slice the pork belly to adapting the proportion of oyster sauce I use, I have always taken satisfaction in refining every detail to optimize the taste of my dishes so that my parents could enjoy a hearty meal after an exhausting day. Cooking was more than a chore - cooking Chinese food and eating it at the round table at the end of the day was my language to connect with my busy parents. I felt I would disappoint them if I messed up the dish.

And so, inevitably, cooking turned out to be the most stressful part of my daily routine. At the end of every school day, the sparks of knowledge acquired would quickly be extinguished by my anxious thoughts of what to cook that night. Walking towards the kitchen, I would notice my pace slowing down. I was worried that even one mistake would completely ruin the dish. And so, I was more careful in the style I tossed the fried rice and was more afraid to experiment with different spices that I infused in my Kung Pao chicken. As the screeching tires signaled the arrival of my parents, I could feel my heart drumming; in a matter of minutes, my food would be judged and critiqued. The pressure of this routine started to smother my enjoyment of cooking.

A couple of years ago, I was asked to cook for my Taoist community for the ‘Birthday of Quan Yin’ festival. I was excited to connect with my community through my cooking skills. I proudly pulled out the wok, threw in the ingredients, and focused on the tempo of sizzling, as the perfect ‘wok hay’ aroma of ‘char kuey teow’ was unleashed into the air. I poured my passion, mastery, and love for my culinary heritage into the dish and forgot about everything else. As I was distributing the food onto plastic plates, I was startled by my mother standing right behind me.

“Smells good, son,” she said. The single sentence wasn’t just any compliment - it expressed emphatic approval after years of fastidious evaluation of my dishes.

Looking back, my self-discipline and perfectionism, which my culture considers as admirable traits, had created fear and pressure in everything I did, preventing me from enjoying my passion for cooking and sharing a meal. I always thought that this was caused by the high expectations set by my parents. From my enjoyable experience of connecting people through my cooking, I realized that all along it was my own expectation of my parents’ approval that fueled me to set ever higher expectations for myself.

While I cannot deny these very expectations are what led me to accomplish things that I thought were not possible athletically or academically, I am now aware that my passion for cooking would have slowly deteriorated if I only focused on the results. And, perhaps most importantly, I consider this experience a great metaphor for other things in life: even if the noodles are too salty or otak-otak slightly overcooked, as long as I pour my passion into it, enjoy myself in the process, and share my joy with the people I love, we will be having a hearty meal.

• Vivid and Relatable Storytelling: This essay captivates the reader with a relatable and vivid narrative. The detailed descriptions of the student’s cooking experiences, from slicing pork belly to tossing fried rice, provide a sensory-rich account that draws the reader in. The progression from cooking as a stressful obligation to a joyful and communal activity is compelling and relatable, highlighting the student's growth and introspection. The story effectively illustrates the challenges and rewards of balancing high expectations with personal enjoyment.
• Cultural and Familial Connection: The essay beautifully intertwines the student’s cultural heritage with their family dynamics. The act of cooking Chinese dishes and sharing meals at the round table serves as a powerful metaphor for connection and communication within the family. Additionally, the mention of cooking for the Taoist community adds depth, showing the student’s engagement with their cultural and religious traditions. This connection to culture and family provides a rich backdrop to the student’s personal journey, making the essay both meaningful and authentic.
• Reflection and Personal Growth: The student’s reflection on the pressures of high expectations and the realisation that these were largely self-imposed is profound. The shift from focusing on results to embracing the process and sharing joy with loved ones demonstrates significant personal growth and maturity. The essay conveys a valuable life lesson about finding balance and passion in one’s pursuits. This introspective quality, combined with the student's ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings, makes the essay insightful and inspiring, showcasing the student’s readiness for future challenges and growth.

US Essay #5

At 6, I really wanted to be a swan. A peculiar profession to most, this impassioned declaration was often met with baffled stares. Luckily, the reality was much more attainable: I wanted to be the White Swan from the classic Swan Lake. Gazing upwards from my booster seat at my first ballet, I grew enamoured by the unparalleled grace of the White Swan. Entranced, I pictured myself in her dainty little shoes floating across the stage. An excitement quelled in my chest–the early embers that would spark into a raging flame. No matter what, I will be the next White Swan.

Fast forward ten years and I can barely do a split! Forget backbends or leaps, I’ve yet to grasp the baseline for flexibility. It appears that as I grow older, I become less like the graceful swan I once aspired to become and more like Big Bird. I lack natural grace and elegance. My hips are stubbornly turned inwards and standing in the basic ‘fifth-position’ hurts my joints. My non-existent stamina deters me from sustaining high jumps through a routine. It seems that my only aptitude in dance is making every move look more laborious than it already is.

All around me I see friends excelling at their passions, boasting shelves of trophies and accolades. Meanwhile, I’m still struggling to attain a ‘distinction’ grade in my ballet exam. Merit grade’s not bad, but not very good either. I’ve watched my ballet classmates covet and achieve solo opportunities, while I remain shrouded in the background of ensemble dancers. I’ve watched them walk out the studio glowing with satisfaction after mastering a move, while I stay back, alone, fumbling with the exact same step.

Somehow, despite the frustration, passion would still drive me to attend every rehearsal, fraying countless ballet-slippers. I’ve gone on painfully restrictive diets all in a bid to achieve the ideal ‘ballerina’ physique. I’ve committed to demanding workout plans to build up my stamina, and dedicated myself to a consistent stretching regimen to increase flexibility. I’ve done all I could, ticked off all the prerequisites for progress, and yet I’ve plateaued in my ballet skills. I’ve trusted the process, but it seems that the process has failed me.

But here’s the thing: I still love ballet. Despite the adversities, I still find myself yearning to slip on my slippers and perform my routines. Invariably, I find myself loving dance.

Maybe it’s because the beauty of passion is the courage to continue even in the face of failure. Through this arduous journey I’ve learned that passion isn’t the brilliant spark of a raging fire, but the muted embers that glow, unwaveringly. It doesn’t matter if I fail to achieve my splits or ‘distinctions,’ because I’ve come to appreciate the gnawing ache in my legs as I leap and pirouette, and respect my ardour in continuing every dance despite mistakes and cramps. Passion isn't the extreme highs and lows of victory; it’s the persistent fight in enduring what we do, for the sake of doing what we love. I don’t enjoy the pain, nor the disappointment, but it’s these factors that are testaments to my depth of passion. Passion does not equate to greatness, but I don’t dance for greatness. I dance for the people. The lessons. The understanding of a beautiful art form.

Now when I watch ballet, I no longer envision myself as the dancer on stage. I’ve stopped dreaming of a career on stage. I no longer proudly showcase my routines to my family. But I haven’t stopped showing up, giving my all, and most importantly, enjoying it. Maybe I’ll never be a white swan, but that’s irrelevant. Because I know that I'll keep dancing for a long time to come. The truth behind doing what we love is that we never stop fighting for it, no matter the cost. Such is the beauty of passion.

• Authenticity and Perseverance: This essay stands out for its authenticity and raw honesty. The student’s journey from a childhood dream of becoming the White Swan to facing the harsh realities of their limitations in ballet is portrayed with genuine emotion. Despite not achieving the lofty goals they set for themselves, the student’s continued dedication to ballet, even in the face of persistent challenges and setbacks, showcases an admirable level of perseverance. This genuine reflection on their experiences highlights the student’s resilience and commitment, making the essay relatable and impactful.
• Deep Understanding of Passion: The student’s evolving understanding of what true passion entails is a central theme that adds depth to the essay. The shift from seeing passion as a path to greatness to recognizing it as the courage to persist despite failure is profound. The student articulates this realisation eloquently, showing a mature perspective on the nature of dedication and love for an art form. This nuanced understanding of passion, illustrated through personal anecdotes and reflections, provides a compelling narrative that resonates with the reader.
• Engaging and Relatable Narrative: The essay is engaging and relatable, filled with vivid descriptions and a touch of humour. The contrast between the student’s initial dreams and the reality of their ballet skills is depicted in a way that is both poignant and endearing. The student’s self-awareness and ability to find joy in the process, rather than the outcome, offer valuable life lessons. This narrative not only captures the reader’s attention but also leaves a lasting impression of the student’s character, making it a memorable and effective personal statement.

Tips on writing effective personal statements

Now that you’ve reviewed several successful personal statements, you may have noticed some recurring themes. Here are a few tips on how to write an impactful personal statement!

1. Start early

You can’t rush a personal statement so start early! This gives you ample time to brainstorm and plan ahead. As it might be intimidating to approach a blank page and begin writing, it’s important to first plan what you intend to write . We suggest using lists and diagrams like mind maps to visualise potential key topics and how they may be connected. Outlining your personal statement before you begin writing helps keep your thoughts organised and ensures a smooth flow.

Your reader already knows the who but what about the why ? If you’re stuck on what to write about, the why is a useful starting point for your brainstorming . Reflect on your unique experiences and values and think about why you intend to study in the chosen discipline. Which experience sparked your interest?

You should also research the specific courses and universities that you are interested in before you begin writing to learn more about their requirements and expectations. Use this to carefully align your narrative with the university’s values. For UK personal statements, try to make it evident that you’ve done your research by highlighting the relevant knowledge, experiences, and qualities that you have in your essay.

2. Practice makes perfect

Crafting an outstanding personal statement requires plenty of practice! Your first draft is unlikely to be perfect so don’t be discouraged by the number of revisions you’ll need.

Start by writing freely and ignoring the word or character limit. Aim to include everything you want to cover in your final draft, and don’t worry if it’s too long as you can refine it later. Nevertheless, always keep the purpose of your personal statement in mind throughout the drafting process to stay on track. If you’re writing a UCAS personal statement, ensure that the reader can clearly understand your expertise and academic goals. For US applications, the reader should understand your unique identity and characteristics better. Keep on practising and editing until your essay's message is clear and impactful!

3. Showcase a reflective nature

Strong personal statements are authentic and reflective . However, while you may have encountered a lot of significant experiences, what happened to the student is often less important than how they processed and understood it . As such, try to reflect deeply on those key moments and ask yourself questions like “how did that event make me a better person” and “how has it changed the way I view myself or the world”. It’s okay to be vulnerable in your essay so be honest in your reflection. It’s important to highlight your journey of personal growth and self-discovery as it can demonstrate your level of maturity and emotional depth.

For UCAS essays, connecting your reflection to what you intend to study is essential . For instance, it could influence your motivation to pursue your chosen discipline or contribute to your knowledge and experience in a subject matter. Ultimately, it should prove your passion and enthusiasm for your chosen discipline.

Expand on your reflection and conclude your essay with an optimistic future outlook. Try to link your experiences and the lessons you’ve learned with your goals and how they’ve prepared you for your future academic and professional pathways. For example, you can elaborate on how your involvement in STEM research has inspired your altruistic aim to advance and benefit humanity. The key here is to highlight your journey and show how your experiences have shaped your future ambitions and actions.

4. Highlight your passion

Especially for US personal statements, letting your passion shine through in your essay is a great way for the admissions officer to understand you better . You need not mention everything you’re passionate about so select one or a few that you can integrate into your narrative. You can even use them to set the tone and foundation for your personal statement.

In the previous essays, notice how these students have cleverly capitalised on their passion to drive their narratives and demonstrate their journey of personal growth. They combine their passion with their life experiences, reflect on the challenges and growth they’ve encountered, and draw connections to meaningful lessons, making their essays memorable and insightful. In fact, highlighting how you’ve changed through your passion offers key insights into your characteristics and mindset!

5. Proofread the final draft

The spelling, grammar, and structure of your essay is crucial so be meticulous when proofreading . While content is important, your writing skills bring the best stories to life. Read your final draft aloud multiple times and see if it flows well. Watch for any awkward phrases, jarring transactions, and grammatical or spelling errors as they can undermine even the strongest essays.

Ask yourself these questions as you read your personal statement: do my ideas connect logically, is my writing engaging and succinct, and are there any segments that can be cut or expanded on? A strong essay should be cohesive with every element seamlessly woven into its narrative - nothing should feel out of place. Also, ensure that you’ve covered all the key points from your initial outline.

Seek feedback from as many people as possible as it’s useful to get external perspectives. Share a copy with a trusted friend, teacher, mentor, or family member, and ask for an impartial review. If the overall narrative isn’t clear, consider revisiting and refining it.

Identifying and overcoming common mistakes

Writing a personal statement is a challenging endeavour and many mistakes can be made during the process. Here are a few common mistakes and how you can avoid them!

1. Overlooking your audience

A common mistake students make is losing sight of their audience. Be mindful of your writing style as it varies depending on the country you’re intending to apply to . For the UCAS personal statement, students often adopt a flowery writing style to tell a story instead of being direct and factual. Remember, the aim of the UCAS personal statement is to highlight your expertise, academic goals, and vision for your time in university. Make sure that every element of your essay is aligned with these areas. 

For the US on the other hand, many students assume that difficult and emotional personal topics make the best essays. However, not all strong personal statements are about hardship. You should only write about such experiences if they are authentic and have shaped your life in some way. It’s essential to genuinely reflect on your life experiences so avoid writing about a topic just for the sake of it.

2. Being redundant

The reader can see your entire application so your personal statement shouldn’t be a reiteration of it . You have a word limit so refrain from listing your accomplishments and grades that are already on your application. It’s your opportunity to show a different aspect of yourself so try to reveal something new. While you still might want to highlight a relevant achievement, don’t just list it in your essay, explain how this experience has impacted you!

3. Coming across as arrogant

Highlighting your unique experiences and strengths is important in your essay but be mindful of your tone . Be humble, the purpose of your essay is not to show that you are the best! There’s always room for improvement so avoid suggesting that you’ve already learned everything about yourself or a subject matter. Instead, try adopting a more forward-looking approach to show how you still strive for self-improvement despite your strengths. There’s always room for improvement!

4. Honesty is the best policy

Lying or exaggerating on your personal statement is a surefire way of setting yourself up for failure . Avoid making unsupported claims or over-exaggerating your accomplishments. If you’re called for an interview, the school may ask you thoroughly about the experiences that you’ve mentioned in your essay. They can also conduct background checks on your references and claims so it’s easy to get caught out in a lie. Your interviewers are likely to be experts themselves who can verify whether your experience is authentic, exaggerated, or false.

Be honest and only write about the things you have experienced . It may be tempting to embellish your personal statement to enhance your attractiveness but no experience is too small - it’s about what you get out of it. Even if you have limited practical experience in your chosen discipline, there are other ways to demonstrate your passion and motivation. Make your enthusiasm clear in your writing by expressing your desire to pursue a career in the specific field. You can talk about how your hobbies are related, the readings you have done, and how you keep up to date with current trends!

5. Focusing too much on storytelling

Many personal statements end up looking like a recount of the student’s personal life story . While some background information provides context to the personal statement, too much of it will dilute your essay’s purpose. If you’re writing for the US, be sure to stay on track and address the prompt that you’ve chosen. A well-organised structure will ensure that your personal statement remains focused. By the end of your essay, the reader should be able to take away some of your unique qualities and experiences, and understand your motivation behind pursuing your chosen discipline.

Recommended Timeline

Making consistent progress with your personal statement is vital. It guarantees ample time to organise and include all essential points, prevent errors, and thoroughly proofread.

Ideally, you want to start brainstorming at least four to six months before the deadline . This stage is meant for you to conduct an in-depth self-assessment, writing down all the points that can contribute to a compelling narrative. Before you can start writing, it's recommended to plan your essay four months before the deadline . Use visual diagrams and figure out which of the earlier points relate to one another. Here, you need to ensure that there is an overarching theme for your essay to remain focused and cohesive. Organise your key points into sections to create a logical structure for your personal statement. Once you’re done with the planning stage, aim to start writing your first draft two to four months before the due date . Focus on capturing the essence of your essay and remember to be authentic, concise, and positive. Lastly, share a copy with your trusted connections one to two months before the deadline, and proofread and make any necessary edits at least one month before! This gives you enough time to polish your essay to perfection before the final submission.

Need support with your personal statement and other aspects of applying to US and UK universities? Our experts are here to guide you through every step of the process. Contact us today for personalised assistance!

Have questions or need help? Connect with Crimson Education for expert advice and tailored support.

Key resources & further reading.

• 10 Great Common App Essay Examples From Accepted Students
• How To Answer the 2024-25 Common App Essay Prompts
• A Love Letter to My Mum: Personal Statements That Pay Tribute to Our Greatest Supporters

About the Contributor

Jamie Beaton

Jamie Beaton is the Co-founder and CEO of Crimson Education. With degrees from Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, Yale, and Tsinghua, Jamie is an educational innovator passionate about helping students reach their academic potential. He co-founded Crimson after gaining admission to 25 of the world's top universities. Under his leadership, Crimson has become the world's most successful university admissions consultancy, helping thousands gain entry into the Ivy League and other elite institutions.

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• How To Write Your Postgraduate Personal Statement

Choosing a university

• Fairs and open days
• Entry requirements
• What are the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement?

What's on this page?

What is a personal statement, preparing to write your personal statement, opening your personal statement, work experience and future plans, ending your personal statement.

Your postgraduate personal statement is your chance to get noticed for your expertise and experience you’ve gathered. It’s an important part of the application process as it allows you to talk about yourself and your passions and prove the value you can bring to your chosen university.

In this article, we’re going to talk you through how to write a postgraduate personal statement that stands out and gives you the best chance of being offered a place on the master’s programme you’re applying for. 

Shona Barrie – Director of Admissions, University of Stirling

You’ll have already written a personal statement for your undergraduate study, so you’ll know the importance of preparation. There are two things to think about when you’re planning:

• The practical and factual information you need to get across.
• Then, the more emotional, human parts of you that make you different to everyone else. 

Before you start writing, take some time to think about the key things you’d want your chosen university to know about you, and get them down on paper.

Questions to focus your mind

• Why have you chosen this master’s programme?
• Why are you passionate about this subject matter? 
• How has your undergraduate study influenced your decision to apply?
• Have you got any work experience that might help you?
• What life experiences have you had that you could talk about?
• What achievements can you talk about to support your application?
• Why do you want to study at this particular university?
• What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Three top tips

Be specific.

Remember that a postgraduate personal statement needs you to talk specifically about the university you’ve chosen.

Demonstrate experience

Universities will be looking for postgraduate students who are able to demonstrate expertise in a particular subject – so include that.

Show what you've learnt

Tell the university about your university life as an undergraduate and include any clubs or societies you were involved in.

Admissions tutors will be reading a lot of personal statements so it’s important to grab their attention right from the start. 

You can find a full guide on How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber but here are the main things for you to think about. 

• Don’t overthink the opening . Just start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject, showcasing your knowledge and understanding, and sharing your ambitions of what you want to achieve.
• Avoid cliches . Remember, this opening part is simply about introducing yourself, so let the admissions tutor reading your personal statement get to know you. 
• Keep it relevant and simple . You’re limited on how much you can include so avoid long-winded explanations. Why use 50 words when ten can make your point?

Talking about the course

Now you’re ready to start talking about the course and subject you’re applying for.

There are four main areas you’ll need to cover in this section of your personal statement. 

• Why are you applying for this master’s?  Think about your undergraduate study and how this master’s will develop your expertise further. Do you have career aspirations this course will help you achieve?
• Why does the subject interest you? This is your chance to show your passion and really demonstrate who you are. If you have work or volunteering experiences related to the subject, include them here.
• Why do you think you’ll be an asset to the university?  Your personal and practical skills combined together create a unique picture of who you are and why you’ll be a successful postgraduate student, so include both. 
• How does your previous undergraduate study relate to the course? Showcase your enthusiasm for your current study and take the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge now, and how you want to build on that. 

Next, you’ll need to write about your personal skills and achievements.

Universities like to know the abilities you have that’ll help you on the course, or generally with life at university. Don’t forget to include evidence to back up why you’re so passionate about the programme you’ve chosen.

Your personal skills and achievements

Be bold and talk about the achievements you’re proud of., include positions of responsibility you hold, or have held, both in and out of school., what are the things that make you interesting, special, or unique .

Your work experience and future plans are important to include in your personal statement. You should share details of jobs, placements, work experience, or voluntary work, particularly if it's relevant to your course. 

• Try to link any experience to skills or qualities that’ll make you successful on your course.
• If you know what you’d like to do after as a career, explain how you plan to use the knowledge and experience you’ll gain.

It’s always good to connect the beginning of your statement to the end and a great way to reinforce what you said at the start. You want to see the ending as your chance to end in a way that’ll make the university remember you. 

This final part of your personal statement should emphasise the great points you’ve already made and answer the question of why you should be offered a place on the course. 

Read our full guide on How to finish your statement the right way .

Aakriti Labra – MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology, University of Surrey

Now you’ve written your postgraduate personal statement, you’ll need to do a couple of final things before you submit it. 

• Have you proofread your personal statement? Don’t just rely on spellcheckers. We’d recommend reading it out loud as that’s a great way to spot any errors as well as checking it sounds like you. 
• Have you asked for feedback? Ask friends, family or your undergraduate university tutors to have a read through your personal statement and take their feedback on board.
• Check out our personal statement dos and don'ts Have a look at the common pitfalls against your final draft to make sure you haven't made any obvious errors!

Postgraduate

More advice.

Use the UCAS’ personal statement tool alongside this guide to help you structure your ideas.

Do you want to understand the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement? Take a look at our guide here.

Why study a postgraduate course? Find out here.  

What funding is there for postgraduate courses?  

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