Occupational Therapy Assistant

Specific Admission Requirements for Program
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is a limited-access program. All applicants must meet weighted Admission requirements by May 15 to advance to the next phase of consideration for admission to the program. However, meeting admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the OTA program. An applicant who receives notification that she/he was not admitted to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program must resubmit the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Application by the published application deadline in order to be considered for admission to the next available class. These applicants should check with Admissions to determine if HGTC Admission information requires updating. A waiting list of applicants is not maintained.

• Criminal Background Check 30 days prior to starting clinical each semester beginning in the second semester; felony or misdemeanor convictions could result in applicants being ineligible to complete the program.
• Urine Drug Screening 30 days prior to starting clinical each semester beginning in the second semester.
• Submit a Health Sciences Division Student Health Record Form indicating the candidate can perform the physical tasks required in the program prior to second semester.
• Proof of CPR certification for Health Care Providers prior to second semester.
• Experience Documentation form submitted to Office of Admissions reflecting a minimum of 20 hours with a certified occupational therapist or certified occupational therapy assistant. The applicant is responsible for arranging the observation experience at any site that provides occupational therapy services.
• GPA of 2.5 or higher on all required General Education and support courses, with "C" or higher in each course. These courses include: BIO 210 and BIO 211 (5 year time limit), ENG 101, MAT 120 or MAT 110, PSY 201 and Humanities. Minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA must be maintained with no academic or disciplinary suspension at time of admission or program entry.
• Note: The OTA program does not accept experiential credit for courses with an OTA prefix. 
• To be licensed as a Occupational Therapy Assistant in the state of South Carolina the graduate must pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination and apply for Occupational Therapy Assistant licensure with the Labor and Licensing Regulation Board of South Carolina. The cost of completing the NBCOT examination and application for licensure is not included in the cost of tuition for the program.

Course Sequence and Progression Requirements

A minimum grade of "C" or better is required for all OTA-prefixed courses for progression and graduation. 

The associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 501E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

For more information about HGTC's accreditations, click here.

Admissions Information

• OTA Application Process
• STEPS Session

Student Resources

• Student Manual
• Observation Experience Documentation Form
• *Virtual Observation Hours (Observation hours may be completed in person, or virtually through the link.  *The virtual option does have an associated cost.)
• Clinical Requirements
• Background Check
• Cost of Attendance
• A.A.S. Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Specific Cost
• FERPA

Additional Resources

• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
• South Carolina Chapter (AOTA)
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
• NBCOT Program Data Results

For more information about careers, visit O*Net Online for an overview of South Carolina and National earnings statistics, and Career Services for more employment resources.

On a typical day, an occupational therapy assistant will perform components of a variety of treatment procedures, including:

 Employment can be found in the following settings:

• HGTC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Fieldwork Manual

Applicants to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program should be aware a current, unrestricted license or certification may be required to practice in the state in which you intend to reside/practice. Each state is unique in its licensure requirements. Students are encouraged to reach out to the program chair for more information and assistance with understanding professional licensure.

• Student Outcomes Information
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy - School Performance