Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
Degree Level Undergraduate
Year 2023
You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
Degree Level Undergraduate
Year 2023
Entry Scores
2023 Guaranteed Entry
Year 12 (Grades-based): NA
View Guaranteed Entry Info
2022 Cut-Offs
Year 12 (ATAR-based):
- Internal: 95.80
TAFE/RTO: Adv Dip
View full entry requirements
The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.
Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:
Recent secondary education
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent
AND
Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjects.
OR
Higher education study
OR
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
OR
Work and life experience
1Results in Clinical Sciences - 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). 2UNSTOPPABLE® is a Kellogg Company trade mark used under licence. 3Ranked #46, 2022 THE Young University Rankings, Ranked #29, 2021 QS Top 50 Universities Aged Under 50.
Start your unstoppable career in occupational therapy, and be at the forefront of helping people of all ages to actively participate in society, irrespective of limitations.
Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives, every day. With UniSA, you'll learn how to help people overcome constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations.
You can also use your qualification as a pathway to further learning, including Master of Research and doctoral studies.
Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.
All students enrolled in a program leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant national board. The student registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the program. On successful completion of the program, full AHPRA registration is undertaken.
The first year will focus on core health subjects including anatomy, physiology, and an introduction to occupational therapy practice and evidence.
From second and third year, you‘ll focus on the application of your skills in mental health, occupation rehabilitation, chronic conditions, community focus, primary health care and participatory community practice.
In addition to field placements, you‘ll attend workshops in a range of industry settings. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit regional settings in your third year, on the annual Country Road Trip.
Throughout your degree you’ll be exposed to many different hands-on activities, such as:
You can gain an extra qualification and broaden your career prospects by completing a Diploma in Languages.
Graduating with an honour’s degree will set you apart from the crowd, ensuring you have a competitive edge and are well-placed for a career in industry, research or further postgraduate study.
You’ll learn from a university with more than 50 years’ experience in occupational therapy education and research. You’ll spend more than 1,000 hours completing practice placements in metropolitan, rural or regional settings, providing you with the opportunity to consolidate and apply your knowledge and skills.
UniSA’s curriculum is based on innovative, current, and above-world-class research1, meaning your degree is industry-informed and relevant for work today.
Students who successfully complete this degree will be eligible to register as an occupational therapist through the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia / the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
1Results in Clinical Sciences - 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).
Gain insight into the rewarding careers of UniSA occupational therapy graduates, Rochelle Mutton and Jordan Liseno. Rochelle is the Owner and Director at Motivate Kids and employs Jordan as part of her growing team.
As an occupational therapist, you’ll make a real difference in people’s lives. You’ll help people overcome any barriers they have – whether it be physical, environmental or emotional – to doing any activity big or small, and empowering them to live their best lives.
A successful occupational therapist is professional, an excellent communicator, observant, logical, a critical thinker, and evidence based. You’ll be the type of person who enjoys working with people; and be mentally, emotionally and physically capable. This field of work is immensely rewarding and can offer exciting challenges, assisting people in the everyday occupations of life.
You can gain employment in a range of settings, including:
Some key areas of activity where Occupational Therapists provide support include:
This degree prepares you for working overseas, as the qualification is recognised in most countries. Your research honour’s degree will also prepare you for a career in research or academia.
This program is accredited by the Occupational Therapy Council (Australia & New Zealand) Ltd.
This program is approved by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia for the purpose of professional registration as an occupational therapist in Australia.
This program is approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists
Applying to study with us:
Please note that all pathways are competitive and no guaranteed due to limited places. A competitive Grade Point Average (GPA) and other entry criteria (including prerequisites) apply. For more information, visit unisa.edu.au/study or contact our Future Student Enquiries Team at unisa.edu.au/enquire or on (08) 8302 2376.
This degree is available for deferment. This option is made available by responding to your offer during the application process via the SATAC website. Applicants who receive an offer into a midyear degree are eligible to defer for six months.
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
$5,000 scholarship for South Australian students with an ATAR of 99 who enrol to study a UniSA undergraduate degree.
Up to $10,000 per annum (full time) for South Australian students who obtain an ATAR of 99.95 or IB equivalent and enrol to study at UniSA.
Our campuses are home to fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops and laboratories, as well as spaces that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
As an occupational therapy student, you'll have access to:
You’ll also get to use a range of on-campus spaces including modern lecture theatres, libraries, collaborative teaching rooms, and relaxed student lounges.
I am a graduate of this program and bring more than 30 years of hands on and research experience to my role. I am an active member of the national occupational therapy community with excellent industry networks.
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Applications for admission into the University of South Australia’s undergraduate and most postgraduate degrees are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Visit satac.edu.au and follow the links.
For the MBA degrees please apply through the UniSA MBA Application Portal. Applications for a small number of degrees are submitted direct to UniSA through our Apply Online portal. It will be noted on the degree page if you need to apply via Apply Online.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Master of Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit unisa.edu.au/resdegrees.
Undergraduate
Yes. The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be given equal consideration is in early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers (mid January). Some degrees will not make any offers after the main offer round. Please click here find all of the key dates for applications here.
Postgraduate
Most postgraduate degrees do not have a closing date for applications. However, there are exceptions, so it is best to check – either on the SATAC website, Apply Online or the degree homepage. Postgraduate offers are normally ‘rolling’, meaning they may be sent out at any time up until the program starts. This also means that applications may close at any time without warning, if the quota is filled earlier. For this reason, postgraduate applications should be submitted without delay. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquiries team on (08) 8302 2376 or via the online enquiry form.
Credit transfer or advanced standing
You may be eligible to receive a credit transfer or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving a credit transfer will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
Recognised prior learning
If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning for this experience. Receiving recognised prior learning will normally reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and can reduce the duration of the degree.
How do I get credit?
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director who will discuss your prior learning and experience with you to ascertain what credit you may be eligible for.
Many of our credit transfer arrangements are listed on our online Credit Assessor.
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
If you are interested in studying an MBA please contact admissions@unisa.edu.au and our Future Student Enquiries team will contact you regarding your enquiry.
Alternatively, you can complete a MyCareerMatch career profile. MyCareerMatch is an online career profiling tool that you can use free-of-charge through UniSA. MyCareerMatch specialises in career profiles and provides you with a personalised career report outlining information about your personality style and a list of career options, which are complementary to your natural strengths and talents.
We have many events throughout the year where you can speak with a lecturer or tutor about your degrees of interest. You can find out what is happening at UniSA by visiting our events page or by signing up to our mailing list, so you're the first to know about careers events, information sessions, degree requirements, scholarships and more!
There are also many career counsellors external to the University that you can discuss your career options with. If you are unsure where to start your search, you can contact the Government's Work Ready team (formally Skills for All). Visit skills.sa.gov.au or call 1800 506 266.
You may also find Job Outlook a helpful resource in your decision-making.
It can be difficult to decide what degree you would like to do and where. You might find information from government organisations will help to weigh up your degree and provider options.
Find a course or a provider
TEQSA is a regulatory body for higher education providers. Use the TEQSA national register of higher education providers to search for a course or a provider. Compare courses and providers for undergraduates and postgraduates using the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) online comparison tool.
More information on university admission
Visit the SATAC website to find out important news, events and information on applying to university in South Australia. Visit Study with Us to find out everything you need to know about studying at UniSA, admissions and the application process.
Questions about your application
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application you should contact the Future Students Enquiries team in the first instance.
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy students Rachel and Tyla share their experiences of their rural placement project in Clare Valley, supported by UniSA’s Department of Rural Health.