Course overview
Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who may have experienced injury, illness or disability. They help people to engage in occupations or activities that are meaningful to them and to achieve independence, better health, wellbeing and satisfaction in their lives.
In this course, you will learn to identify the physical, psychosocial, cognitive, behavioural and environmental factors that can help or hinder participation in everyday activities. You’ll also gain the collaboration skills needed to provide cross-disciplinary care focused around the client and their needs.
Career outcomes
Occupational therapist roles across Australia are expected to grow by almost 33% by 2035.¹
Careers
- Occupational therapist
Industries
- Acute care
- Disability services
- Injury management
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Rehabilitation
- Aged care
- Child health
¹ Source: Jobs and Skills Australia – Employment Projections.
As an occupational therapist, you can work across a range of industries in different roles.
Working with children: Help children achieve their developmental milestones such as fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Educate and involve parents, carers and others to facilitate the normal development and learning of children.
Rehabilitation and aged care: Help clients regain or enhance their daily lives after an event such as hip replacement or stroke. Assess and modify clients’ home and community environments to improve their safety and independence.
Acute care: Assess clients’ cognition, function and psychosocial needs. Monitor clients’ function and progress, prescribing adaptive equipment to ensure safety upon discharge from hospitals.
Injury management: Use specialised assessments to determine the functional requirements of various jobs, and clients’ capacity to return to work. Design and coordinate graded return to work programs. Educate clients in safe work practices. Modify the work environment to suit the needs of individuals to prevent or minimise injuries.
Mental health: Design individual and group programs and activities to enhance clients’ independence in everyday activities. Develop coping strategies for clients in overcoming their mental health issues.
Professional accreditation and recognition
This course is recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Graduates using the titles registered health practitioner or occupational therapist must be registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
Why study at Curtin?
Work experience
Build your practical expertise through 1,000 hours of fieldwork placements. You can even travel while you learn, with our Health Science Global Experiences.
Professional recognition
This degree is recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
Highly ranked course
Of WA's public universities, we rank first for graduate salary and equal first for full-time employment for undergraduate rehabilitation. (Good Universities Guide 2026)
Hear from our students
"What drew me to Occupational Therapy is its versatility and the ability to practice in many areas – including aged care, working with kids, disability, mental health, neuroscience and hand therapy. This means I can explore different specialties and find the one that resonates most with me. We have amazing facilities available to us, including the lab rooms, OT-specific rooms and study spaces. Most classes are very interactive, and the support provided by the tutors is invaluable."
Becca Codd
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
Your student experience
Work-integrated learning at Curtin: explore a Universe of opportunity
Develop real-world experience before you graduate. Learn how work-integrated learning helps you build career skills and connect with industry early.
How Curtin can help me get career-ready
At Curtin, we’re here to support you in boosting your employability and achieving your professional goals.
Discover why international students love Western Australia
Choosing where to study for your degree is a major decision. You want to enjoy your university years in a place that is welcoming, offers unique experiences, and will give you a globally recognised degree.
Course structure
Practical learning
Throughout your studies, you’ll learn in laboratories, simulation learning spaces and resource rooms tailored for gaining occupational therapy skills. You’ll also complete approximately 1,000 hours of fieldwork in clinical and industry settings.
In your third and fourth years, you'll participate in group professional projects. High-achieving students may have the option of an honours project, working under staff supervision to complete, and potentially publish, a small research study.
Detailed course structure and unit information
For detailed information and course structure, visit our Handbook.
Entry requirements
To apply for entry into this course, you must have met:
- the course ATAR (Australian Tertiary Academic Rank) or equivalent recognised overseas qualification
- any course-specific requirements
- the English language requirement.
Academic equivalences
You’ll need to demonstrate ATAR equivalence using a recognised qualification. The table below shows common qualifications recognised by Curtin and their indicative equivalent cut-off scores for this course.
Admission cut-off scores by qualification
Australian Qualification
Score
ATAR
83
Equivalent qualification
GCE/STPM/HKALE (A-levels - best of 3)
9.5
HKDSE
19.5
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
31
Canadian Provincial High School Diploma
74
ATAR (including WACE/SACE/HCE/VCE)
83
WAUFP (CPS)
62
India (CBSE) %
74%
India (HSC) %
74.5%
Sri Lanka GCE A level
9.5
Qualification not listed?
Find your qualification by searching for your home country to find the score you’ll require to demonstrate ATAR equivalence.
Select country:
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Australia
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Bangladesh
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Botswana
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Brazil
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Brunei
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Canada
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India
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Indonesia
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Iran
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Japan
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Kenya
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Korea
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Malaysia
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Mauritius
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Norway
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Oman
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US
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Zambia
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Zimbabwe
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Other
Course-specific requirements
You’ll also need to meet any specific requirements to be eligible to apply for this course.
Get credit towards your degree
You may be able to receive credit for recognised learning (CRL) from past study or professional experience, which could reduce the time it takes to finish your course.
Check the Handbook for course-specific details about credits.
Additional information
Notes about this course
Make sure you check the course notes for any other important information.
Fees
2026 International indicative fees
Indicative year 1 fee
$45,726*
Total indicative course fee
$182,904*
2027 International indicative fees
Indicative year 1 fee
$48,012*
Total indicative course fee
$192,048*
Important information about fees
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Fees are indicative only.
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*First-year fees are based on a first-year full-time study load of 200 credits. Your fees will vary depending on the units you choose.
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Tuition fees may increase by up to 8 percent each year and are subject to legislative changes.
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This indicative fee does not include other fees like administrative and incidental fees (such as lab coats or art supplies) or the cost of your textbooks. Visit fees and charges for more information.
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These fees apply to international students enrolled at one of Curtin’s Australian campuses. For information about fees at Curtin’s global locations, visit the relevant campus website.
Scholarships
Get the support you need to succeed with our diverse range of scholarships. Whether it’s financial support, assistance with relocation, or recognition for your academic achievements, we have scholarships tailored to your unique needs.
Curtin Global Future Leaders Scholarship
Curtin Global Future Leader Scholarship provides eligible students a one-off credit of AUD$12,500 against the tuition fee of the course they are undertaking.
Curtin English Scholarship
When you complete a Curtin English course as a pathway into a Curtin University degree course, you will receive a one-off credit of up to AUD$7,496 towards your tuition fees.
How to apply
Follow these steps to make sure you’re eligible, prepared and ready to apply for your course.
Check entry requirements
Entry requirements differ by course and your previous work and study experience.
Prepare your documents
The documents you need may vary depending on your course and application pathway.
Check application deadlines
Deadlines vary by course and whether you’re applying as a domestic or international student.
Your application pathway
Apply through an agent
A registered Curtin agent will lodge your application to Curtin on your behalf. They can also answer any questions you may have about applying, courses, student visas and scholarships.
Apply directly to Curtin
Depending on your country’s requirements, you may be able to apply directly to Curtin without using an agent.
Application deadlines can vary by course. Make sure to check application deadlines before you apply.
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