OT Schools Without the GRE: Verify the Policy for Your Cycle
If you want to apply to OT programs without taking the GRE, build your list from current program policies. “Not required,” “optional” and “not considered” are different instructions. A useful school list preserves those distinctions and identifies the application cycle covered.
Treat an online no-GRE list as a starting point for investigation. Confirm the policy on the program's official admissions page before deciding how to spend time or money on testing.
Record the exact policy category
| Category | Planning question |
|---|---|
| Required | Which test, score rules, submission route and dates apply? |
| Optional | Under what instructions may scores be supplied? |
| Not required | Does the page also say whether submitted scores are reviewed? |
| Not considered | How should you handle scores already available elsewhere? |
| Conditional/unclear | Which applicant groups or exceptions does the rule cover? |
Leave the policy unresolved if you cannot interpret it. Do not translate “not required” into a claim about how the school weighs an optional score.
Check examples at their official sources
As reviewed in November 2026, Boston University's entry-level OTD admissions page says GRE scores are not required and submitted scores will not be considered. Duke's OTD FAQ also says it does not require or consider GRE scores.
These are two checked examples, not a complete national list. Recheck the relevant pages when you apply and verify the exact pathway rather than transferring the policy to every program at the university.
Keep other testing requirements separate
A no-GRE policy does not answer questions about English-language proficiency or other applicant-specific requirements. Record those conditions independently. Applicants with different educational backgrounds may need different supporting materials.
Likewise, removing the GRE from your plan does not remove prerequisites, experiences, recommendations or school-specific documents. Keep your full checklist visible.
Compare the rest of the program before applying
Testing convenience is one factor in school selection. Review attendance, cost, course requirements, accreditation and the fit with your circumstances. A program that avoids a test may still be impractical because of travel or a prerequisite timeline.
For a fictional shortlist of four schools, three may not require the GRE while one does. You can compare the added testing effort with how strongly the fourth school fits your needs. The right decision depends on the actual program and your priorities; it is not determined by a generic rule that more applications are always better.
Recheck at the right moments
Review the policy when you first shortlist a program, when the relevant cycle opens and before paying for any test or score report. Save the source and date each time a consequential change occurs.
If an old PDF disagrees with a current application page, ask the program which instruction governs your cycle. Preserve the conflict until you have an answer.
Use your verified test-policy column alongside the prerequisite matrix and school-selection table. The goal is a feasible application plan with every requirement accounted for.