We welcome your application to start in Fall or Spring in St. Catherine University's Occupational Therapy Bridge program. Start by filling out an online application form, using the link below. To complete your admission file, submit all required items listed on this page by the deadlines indicated.
Please note: The OT Bridge program is only for Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) seeking to complete the Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (MAOT) degree by completing fieldwork requirements in the State of Texas. If you are interested in St. Kate's MAOT/OTD program with fieldwork in Minnesota and no requirement for prior COTA certification; see here for Minnesota MAOT/OTD application instructions.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, all states require licensure to practice, however state licenses are typically based on the result of the NBCOT exam. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT exam or attain state licensure.
If you have questions along the way, don’t hesitate to contact your admission counselor. They’re here to help!
Timelines and deadlines
New students begin the OT Bridge program twice a year: Fall and Spring. We accept admissions on a rolling basis.
Our priority deadline for Fall 2026 admissions is February 1, 2026. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as space is available.
Our priority deadline for Spring 2027 admissions is June 1, 2026. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as space is available.
To be conisdered for admission:
- Bachelor's Degree: A completed bachelor's degree (in any discipline) from an institution that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting organizations (e.g. Higher Learning Commission) or an institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
- Grade Point Average: Preferred cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with 2.7-3.0 GPAs wlil be considerd (see "explanatory statement" section below).
- NBCOT COTA Certification: Current certification as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) from NBCOT.
- One Year of Professional Experience: Applicants must have completed at least one year of experience working as an occupational therapy assistant (a minimum of 20 hours per week) by the start of the program.
Application instructions
Your first step is to complete an online application form. There is no application fee. After submitting the application form, the following items must be submitted before your admission file will be reviewed.
NBCOT certification
Applicants will upload a copy of their initial or current OTA NBCOT certification or provide us with their NBCOT number for verification.
Bachelor's or master's transcripts
To review your admission file, we'll need transcripts from the college(s) or university(ies) from which you earned your bachelor's and (if applicable) graduate degrees. Official transcripts must be sent directly from your bachelor's and graduate (if applicable) degree-granting institution(s).
To be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing college or university to St. Kate's (at admissionsdocs@stkate.edu). Paper transcripts must be mailed in a sealed envelope directly from the registrar of each institution to the Office of Graduate Admission at St. Catherine University (see address below).
Explanatory statement
Applications with a GPA between 2.7-3.0 must submit a statenent explaining their progression in their academic tenure and a commitment to achieving academic excellence.
Current résumé
Submit a current résumé. Please differentiate between paid work experience and volunteer activities. Indicate whether the experience/activity was part-time or full-time in nature, specify the dates of employment/volunteering and list the responsibilities involved.
If you wish to submit the résumé prior to the OT Bridge application, or if you are unable to upload the document to your Application Status page, you may send the résumé as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu with “OT Bridge Résumé” in the subject line.
Recommendation form
On the application for admission form, applicants will provide the name and email of either a supervising occupational therapist, former fieldwork educator or faculty member. St. Kate’s will email the recommendation form directly to the contact provided.
TOEFL/IELTS scores
Applicants whose native language is not English are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the iBT, or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.5. This requirement is waived for applicants who have completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the United States. Official test scores must be submitted to St. Catherine University directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Credential evaluation
Applicants with a college or university degree completed outside of the United States must submit an official course-by-course evaluation from World Education Services (WES) or SpanTran. Original transcripts and official translations of all documents not in English must also be included. All costs related to document translation and evaluation are the applicant’s responsibility.
Submitting materials
Please review all application instructions. Once you’ve submitted the online application, you will have access to your Application Status page to upload any supporting documents (instructions for accessing the status page were emailed at the time you submitted the application). If you are unable to upload electronic documents to your Application Status page, you may send items as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu. Paper documents may be mailed to:
St. Catherine University
Graduate Admission #4027
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their application is completed by the deadline. The Admission Committee will not review your application until we have received all required documents. Fulfillment of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. No credentials will be returned to the applicant.
International applicants
The following information pertains to applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
PLEASE NOTE: Our OT Bridge program is fully online. Therefore, we are not able to issue a student visa or federal financial aid to applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International applicants who are able to fully fund their education with outside funds and do not need a student visa are welcome to apply.
Questions about the application process?
Email your admission counselor at any time, or call us during office hours (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.).