Course summary
Ranked 1st in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2019, our Occupational Therapy programme aims to prepare you for your chosen career as an occupational therapist. Once you have successfully completed the programme you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as well as professional membership of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). With over 50 years of experience in delivering occupational therapy education, our three-year, full-time BSc (Hons) is a stimulating programme that provides the opportunity to engage in both academic study and practice-based placement learning. Our programme is approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), which means that your qualification will be recognised in around 60 countries worldwide, enhancing your opportunities for international employment. As a qualified occupational therapist, you will work in partnership with and empower a broad spectrum of people who, for reasons of ill-health, disability, trauma or adverse social circumstances, face barriers and challenges which prevent them from undertaking the activities (or occupations) that matter to them. . You will receive close academic support from experienced personal tutors and be taught and supported by experienced staff whilst sharing ideas within a close-knit student group. An emphasis on academic study also ensures that you enter the profession as a research-capable practitioner informing current and future occupational therapy practice. We have close working relationships with a range of service providers across Wales and you will benefit from practice placements facilitated by experienced occupational therapy educators who will help support you in becoming the best occupational therapist you can be. A varied profile of placement experience undertaken across the three years of the programme will allow you to integrate academic theory with actual occupational therapy practice and gain insight as to the wide-ranging employment opportunities available to you upon qualification (e.g. within NHS, Local Authority, private and third sector settings). That’s why 95% of our occupational therapy graduates are in professional employment or further study six months after completing the programme (UNISTATS 2018). Distinctive Features The Complete University Guide (2018 & 2019) ranked Occupational Therapy at Cardiff University first in the UK, based on student satisfaction, entry standards, student-staff ratios and graduate prospects. Here are some of the key features which underpin our reputation as a provider of high-quality occupational therapy;
- Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Currently, a full NHS bursary, including tuition fees and a non-repayable bursary for living costs, is available for this programme providing you agree to work in Wales for two years after qualifying. (*please check updates for 2020 entry)
- You will be taught by highly experienced, inter-professional staff group with extensive knowledge and expertise in the fields of occupational therapy education, management and practice.
- You will have the opportunity for international mobility with partners in Sweden, Malta, Ireland and Belgium, Cardiff University has the largest number of Erasmus exchange places for occupational therapy students in the United Kingdom.
- You will get to learn and practice your skills in bespoke occupational therapy facilities in the form of an activities of daily living suite which provides a realistic environment in which to develop and practise a range of practical therapeutic skills. The suite is also home to the Occupational Therapy Clinic which provides specialist assessment, treatment and advice for children with developmental disorders and offers opportunities for student involvement.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Health and Care Professions Council
- Occupational Therapists, College of
How to apply
This course is not accepting applications from students requiring a Student visa. For more information, please contact the course provider.
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- B921
- Institution code:
- C15
- Campus name:
- Main Site - Cardiff
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
An NHS placement is a required part of this course. The NHS only makes placements available to students who are eligible to pay UK fees. Therefore, this course is not available for international students.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - ABB - BBB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM
Access to HE Diploma
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 31 - 32 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Extended Project - A
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level - D
You must also supply a personal statement that is relevant to the profession. If you are applying to more than one professional programme, you should email a bespoke personal statement for each programme to [email protected] at the same time as submitting your application via UCAS. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate that you understand the profession, have an insight into the course itself, and describe any relevant work experience. Only one personal statement may be submitted for each programme. We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects. We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements. ENROLMENT CONDITIONS Before starting your course, you will need to complete an occupational health questionnaire, attend any subsequent appointments and receive all of the necessary vaccinations to undertake clinical placements safely. We won’t make an offer without an interview and no offers will be made until all interviews have taken place. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements at Level 2 (typically GCSE) and Level 3 (typically A-level) in order to be eligible for consideration for interview. If you meet the minimum entry requirements your application will be give a numerical score based on your personal statement. Eligible applicants will be ranked according to this score and the top ranking applicants will be invited to interview Our interview process We use the multiple mini interview (MMI) format, which is a series of short, carefully timed interview stations that you will rotate around in turn. The MMIs help us to determine if you: - can think on your feet - have thought about some of the issues that are important to the profession - can critically appraise information - can communicate ideas effectively. They also focus on exploring the personal qualities and attributes that are important to your future career development. These interviews allow us to meet you in person and assess information that isn’t always readily forthcoming in the application process—they aren’t intended to test the amount of prior knowledge you have about the subject or the profession.
Additional entry requirements
Health checks
Interview
English language requirements
All applicants are expected to have demonstrable English language skills. Most courses ask for GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent, but some courses ask for GCSE English grade B/6 or equivalent.
To find out more, please go to:
https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements/undergraduate
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Republic of Ireland | £9000 | Year 1 |
England | £9000 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9000 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9000 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9000 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9000 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Sponsorship information
Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.
Provider information
Cardiff University
PO Box 921
Cardiff
CF10 3XQ