• ​Grade Expectations:
  • An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average (G.P.A.) of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale. 
    • Applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0-3.19 and a prerequisite GPA of 3.2 or higher may petition to be considered for the graduate program. Students will complete this petition during the application by uploading an essay saying why they should still be considered.
• Prerequisite coursework GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale
  • The prerequisites will appear differently on a student's degree evaluation (in major courses or major supporting requirements). Please see the list of prerequisites underneath the curriculum section.
  • Grade of C or higher (Pass/Fail or S/U grading is not acceptable) in all prerequisite courses
  • No more than one prereq course may be repeated, and it may be repeated only once.
  • If two or more prerequisite courses have a grade below C, the student is ineligible for admission to the entry-level OT graduate program
  • Must have completed five out of the eight pre-requisite courses at the time of application., including at least two from the sciences (A&P, stats, etc). All prerequisite courses must be completed before enrollment in the OTD program
  • AP Scores accepted for General Psychology & Statistics. Applicants must submit College Board scores directly to St. Kate's.

¹Students who have earned 90+ credits when they are ready to apply for a dual degree program will need to petition the Graduate Admissions Office prior to applying to the dual degree program. To complete the senior petition, the following steps must be completed in order:

• Meet with your academic advisor or TRIO Success Coach to create a graduation plan for both a dual-degree major and a non-dual degree undergraduate major
• Meet with your Financial Aid counselor to review the plans created with your advisor and discuss any financial implications
• Write an explanatory statement (maximum 500 words) explaining why you should still be considered for admission to the dual degree program
• Email the Graduate Admissions Office (graduateadmissions@stkate.edu) your explanatory statement and degree plans

​To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following application requirements:

• Submission of admissions application
  • The final deadline for applications is October 1st of a student's junior year
  • Admissions decissions will be sent out by the end of December that same year
• If a student is accepted, they will begin their first year of graduate classes (the dual degree year) the following fall, during their senior year.
  • For example, if a student applies by October 1st, 2026, they will start the program in Summer 2027 and take a year's worth of graduate classes, provided they are accepted. 
• No GRE required
• Volunteer Hours - 50 cumulative hours in two or more settings serving vulnerable, disabled, or disadvantaged individuals or populations, and that address health, rehabilitation, disability, quality of life, and/or community issues.
• Submit Admission Essay
  • The admission essay should be no more than 2,000 words in length. The admission committee considers both the quality of content and written communication skills. The admission essay should address the following topics:
  • Topic 1 (maximum 1500 words): Address why you selected OT 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. 
  • Topic 2 (maximum 500 words): Tell us how your personal qualities, experiences, and values relate to the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health's mission: "The Henrietta Schmoll School of Health educates diverse learners and engages clinical and community partners to influence health, health systems, and health policy. The School is distinguished by an emphasis on relationship-centered care, socially responsible leadership, and interdisciplinary initiatives
• All applicants with a cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 3.19 and a prerequisite GPA of 3.2 or higher must also include an explanatory statement in their application
  • ​Please include an explanation of factors that affected previous academic performance, as well as your plan to ensure academic success in a graduate program.
  • This statement should be limited to 400 words and is in addition to the personal statement described above. 
• Submit Resume
  • Should highlight both work and volunteer experiences (including the requirements in the section above) and leadership roles. The résumé should also include the student's education, honors and awards, skills, and activities related to their professional and volunteer experience. Please include the following:
    • Facility name and location
    • Type of work or volunteer setting
    • Position title
    • Supervisor
    • Phone number
    • Dates of employment and estimated hours
    • Five primary responsibilities and the percentage of time devoted to each
    • Type of clients (age range, disabilities, diversity of background)​
• Provide three recommendations
  • One must be a recommendation from a supervisor in a work, internship, or volunteer setting
  • The two remaining recommendations must be from academic reference (professor, advisor, etc.)
  • Students will provide the contact information of their recommenders, who will then be contacted to submit their letters
• Submit transcripts
  • The Office of Graduate Admission will access a current copy of the applicant's St. Catherine transcript via the Registrar Office; students do not need to order their St. Catherine University transcript to be sent to St. Catherine University
  • Please submit any other transcripts that are not currently on file with the university; if students are unsure if a transcript is on file, they may contact their admissions counselor for clarification
  • All transcripts must be up to date and include your name, name of the institution, and all courses taken with grades and degrees received (if applicable)
  • Electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing college or university to St. Kate's (at graduateadmission@stkate.edu) to be considered official
  • 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 (address below)

Once you’ve submitted your online application form, you will have access to your Application Status page to upload any supporting documents (instructions for accessing the status page are emailed at the time you applied). 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.