Licensure Requirements

Occupational Therapy is a registered and/or licensed profession in all 50 states. To become licensed to practice as an occupational therapist in most states (including Illinois), a student must graduate from an ACOTE-accredited or approved educational program and pass the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Most states (including Illinois) require status as an occupational therapist registered (OTR) to become a licensed occupational therapist (OTR/L). A prior felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Exam or attain state licensure.

Midwestern University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is designed to meet the educational requirements to meet the licensure requirements to practice as an occupational therapist in the following states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program curriculum has not made a determination if the program meets the requirements in the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Each student should check the additional licensure requirements for the state, district or territory in which they intend to pursue employment.