Frequently Asked Questions About Working and Studying in the USA
Can I attend an occupational therapy program abroad and then work in the United States?
Yes. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) maintains minimum standards of education that schools in member countries must meet in order to be approved by WFOT. There is a list of approved schools on WFOT's Web site. You must attend and graduate from a WFOT-approved school. In order to return to the United States and apply to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam. For information about the exam, contact NBCOT by calling 301-990-7979 or visit their Web site.
Can I complete fieldwork abroad?
Yes, but only your Level II fieldwork. There are some countries that have occupational therapy schools that will assist United States students with fieldwork placement abroad. Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE) standards require supervision by an occupational therapist who has graduated from a program approved by WFOT, and has at least 1 year of experience in practice. For further information visit the WFOT Web site.
What level of supervision should a foreign-trained occupational therapist working in the United States have?
See the alternate resource in this section titled "Information for Internationally-Trained Therapists."
The documents below may also be useful and are found under Related Content in the right column in Frequently Requested Documents:
- Guide for Supervision of Occupational Therapy Personnel in the Delivery of Occupational Therapy Services
- Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics
...and in Licensure:
- State-by-State OT Law Database (AOTA members only)
