Occupational Therapy Assistant

Tuition RATES

NOTE: Subject to incur 3% rate increase annually, however fees are subject to change.

Tuition rates include the cost ($2,577.11) of 16 prerequisite credit hours and one summer session($356.76).  However, prerequisites may be available tuition-free if a student is enrolled in Dual Credit. To find out more, visit: https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/special-programs-for-students/high-school-programs/dual-credit/.  

Under the Summer-Flex Scholarship option, eligible students may be eligible for summer courses without paying extra. To find out more, visit: https://www.ivytech.edu/tuition-aid/financial-aid/scholarships/summer-flex-scholarship/

According to FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), cost of attendance is defined as total amount of attending the program, which includes tuition and fees, books, supplies, transportation, loan fees as well as fees associated with distance education.

View full cost of attendance

Total Cost of Attendance for OTA Program:

FEES

Estimated Loan Fees are added to the cost of attendance for semesters when students or parents accept direct loans. These are fees charged by your lender, not by Ivy Tech. Loan fees are subtracted from the loan before it is disbursed to you.

If assessed, the following fees will be added to the cost of attendance:

• Additional Program Fees
• Consumable fees

ADJUSTMENTS

• Adjustments may be made to the cost of attendance for students enrolled in certain programs or courses.
• Cost of attendance estimates can vary depending on a student's living situation. For students who live with parents and do not have dependents themselves, a lower cost of attendance is estimated for food, housing, and personal expenses. When estimating your cost of attendance, keep in mind that living expenses are estimated and would be incurred regardless of whether or not you're enrolled in college.
• Estimates can also vary depending on a student's enrollment status. The costs below are based on full-time enrollment for the fall and spring semesters. For estimates for other enrollment levels, contact your local bursar's office.

The Ivy Tech Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program can be a challenging, yet rewarding, program. Before you apply, review the following requirements and expectations for students in the program.

Upon completion of the required pre-requisites and one college-required course (16 credits total) students may begin the application process required for consideration for admission into the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program for the inaugural class beginning Fall 2026.

NOTE: OTA is a selective admission program, which means not all students who apply to the program will be accepted. Therefore, individuals must apply to the OTA program through the online portal. Students interested in the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program must apply to Ivy Tech first using the Ivy Tech general application. In this application, students will apply for the Healthcare Specialist program with an interest in Occupational Therapy Assistant.

NOTE: The online application cycle for fall programs opens on March 15th of each year and closes May 15th of each year, and the deadline for completing the TEAS exam required for admission is April 30th of each year. To be eligible to apply for the inaugural Fall 2026 OTA class, students will need to complete the following by the stated deadline:

• Submit your OTA application with required supporting documentation as outlined in the overview packet applicants will receive (on or after March 15th, 2026, but before May 15th 2026).
• Complete the TEAS exam by April 30th.
• Attend a mandatory OTA info session
  NOTE: NOTE: All required pre-req classes must be completed by the end of spring semester of the year you are applying.

Time Commitment

The OTA  program requires a major commitment of time and energy. Students must be enrolled as a Full-Time student with daytime courses. Students may also need to schedule additional general education courses as needed each semester. It is essential that you plan for the same amount of study time as class time per week. OTA course schedules and assignment due dates will not be adjusted to accommodate individual work schedules.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all class meetings, or other activities assigned as a part of a course of instruction. Attendance is necessary to maximize student-learning opportunities. Students who are absent are responsible for missed material. Clinical courses require that the student be present to effectively evaluate successful achievement of clinical course objectives and concepts, as clinical course objectives cannot be accomplished or evaluated outside the clinical setting. There are no make-up sessions for missed clinical hours; therefore, regular clinical attendance is mandatory for successful clinical course and program completion.

Additionally, students must be prepared to provide their own transportation to and from clinical sites within an hour-and-a-half drive from their campus in order to complete clinical hours.

Mandatory Drug and Criminal Background Screenings

All OTA program clinical affiliates require mandatory drug and criminal background screenings before allowing students to participate in clinical courses at their facilities. Results of these screenings could impact your ability to complete clinical courses and therefore, your ability to meet the program's requirements for completion. Requiring criminal background and drug screenings ensures students meet the same standards as healthcare facility employees. Annual criminal background and drug screenings are required for all OTA students.

OTA Program Student Requirements

The following are required for participation in clinical activities:

• Annual criminal background and sex offender registry screening
• Annual drug screening
• Physical examination and verification of essential functions
• Annual flu vaccination
• Required documentation of immunity to communicable/infectious diseases and background/drug screenings prepare students to meet the requirements of healthcare facilities to allow for clinical placement
• Annual TB skin testing or other documentation for positive tests per CDC guidelines
• Documentation of current CPR Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers from the American Heart Association (AHA).

Students interested in applying for admission to the OTA program should begin locating childhood immunization records early to ensure complete vaccination and physicals are submitted by established deadlines.

Students with disabilities are required to contact the college Disabilities Support Staff at the campus of interest for assistance in requesting accommodations (if applicable).

Cost of Attendance...Lower Cost, Great Value—That’s the Ivy Tech Difference!

Getting your degree at Ivy Tech allows you to avoid or significantly decrease student loan debt while earning a credential that’s respected by employers.  Tuition and fees are set by the State Board of Trustees and are subject to change, but two recent programs have been established to assist students with tuition and textbook costs:

•  textbooks means all required textbooks are one price.
•  tuition means the student gets the same tuition rate if you enroll in 12 or more credits per semester

Expenses for the OTA student may include fees, educational materials, uniforms, and other materials/equipment for use in the clinical and classroom area. At the time of participation in any required onboarding/acceptance into the program, the student will incur expense associated with obtaining the required physical examination, immunizations, tuberculosis testing, and Healthcare Provider CPR certification (American Heart Association or American Red Cross), criminal background check, drug screen and clinical tracking system. Students should also anticipate costs associated with applying for licensure/certification upon program completion.

Financial Aid

Connect with the Financial Aid team at your home campus to find out if you can receive financial aid for the program of your choice. Make sure that you have completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by the established deadlines to be considered for financial aid assistance.

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What is Selective Admission? 

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program is a selective admissions program. Due to the nature of this program and the high number of applications received, we are only able to accept a small number of students each year. 

Weighted Point System

A weighted point system is used to evaluate applicants for admission. Student applications are assigned points based on their grades in prerequisite courses. Point totals for applicants receiving admission offers will vary between campuses. Point totals are not shared.

If there is a tie, the tie breaker will be determined by the student's Ivy Tech GPA from the spring semester.

General Education Weighted Point System

When multiple course attempts are reported on applicant transcripts (including transcripts from other colleges and universities), the highest earned grade of the first three attempts will be used for the selection decision score through the application period. Points for courses transferred from other institutions will be awarded from the grade recorded on the transcript from the other institution provided transfer credit appears on the Ivy Tech transcript.

This Ivy Tech associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.  In addition, students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork within eightt months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.