Congratulations on your acceptance into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program!
We are thrilled to welcome you to the Baylor Family.
Welcome to the New Student Checklist! Please watch the video from Entry-level OTD Program Director, Dr. Kayla Collins, and review the Checklist for New Students. This will guide you through the steps you need to complete before beginning as an incoming student.
1. Respond to Your Offer of Admission and Pay the Enrollment Deposit
You will need to officially accept your offer in the Baylor GoGrad system. There are two acceptance letters: one from the Baylor Graduate School and one from the Department of Occupational Therapy. To accept your offer, you will need to open both letters in the portal. Once both letters have been opened, the system will prompt you to make a decision on your offer. You have 10 business days to accept or decline your offer of admission.
Once you have accepted your offer, the system will prompt you to pay a seat deposit. To ensure your spot in the Baylor OTD program, you will need to pay the $500 seat deposit (if you have not already done so) within 10 business days after receiving your admissions decision. This deposit will be applied to the first semesters’ tuition. Students are required to pay the seat deposit to hold their spot in the program. If you would like to request an extension for any reason, please reach out to OTD@baylor.edu. Be sure to include the length of the extension and your reason for making the request. Please note that extensions are not guaranteed and must be approved by the Director of Admissions.
2. Activate Your Bear_ID
The next step will be for you to activate your Bear ID. Once you activate your Bear ID and set your password, you will have access to your Baylor email and the systems you will need to register for and manage your classes. Please follow these instructions provided in order to activate your Bear ID.
Please note you will not be able to activate your Bear_ID until your deposit has been processed which may take a few days.
3. Set Up DUO Two-Factor Authentication
Baylor protects its most vital, widely accessed university and personal information resources with Duo Two-Factor Authentication. This additional layer of protection provides insurance against threats to personal information, sensitive research data, and other university information and resources stored within Baylor systems and other online platforms. Please follow these instructions provided to set up the DUO Two-Factor Authentication.
4. Seek and Receive Financial Information
As you navigate financial aid options, Baylor’s One Stop Student Financial Services is available to guide you. To start, read Baylor One Stop’s Graduate Checklist to Apply for Aid and reach out to a One Stop Representative with any questions you may have.
We encourage you to create an account with Scholarship Universe to explore scholarships opportunities from Baylor and outside organizations. For a list of scholarships specifically for OTD students, visit our Scholarships webpage.
5. Add Important Dates to Your Calendar - Class of 2028
Your online New Student Orientation Course will open in June 2026. This is when you will receive access to Canvas and start working through the Orientation Course to prepare for your official start date. Plan on completing the course to include all necessary submissions by August 1, 2026. Virtual Orientation will be held August 31 and September 1, 2026, via Zoom. Your first trimester courses will begin on September 1, 2026. The official, 2-year calendar for your cohort will be published in May 2026 and will be available HERE.
Additional Items
Course Registration
Registration for the Fall 2026 Trimester will open in early July 2026. An announcement with the course list and details on how to self-register will be sent through the New Student Orientation Canvas course as we get closer.
Buying Textbooks
Once you have registered for classes, you can visit the Baylor Bookstore in person (located in the 5th Street parking complex) or online at the Baylor Bookstore Website to purchase your textbooks. More information on purchasing textbooks is available in the New Student Orientation (NSO) course.
Background Checks
Castle Branch is the company we use for background checks. Within the New Student Orientation Course, there is a page titled “Background Check” that outlines all the information you need to order your background check from Castle Branch.
Update Your Contact Information
Help us by providing an update of your local address, phone and/or cell phone numbers, and contact information in case of an emergency. After you log into BearWeb, you will be able to fill out this information in the Personal Information section.
Health Insurance
After registering for coursework for the upcoming trimester, you will receive an email from Academic Health Plans (AHP) which manages Baylor’s student insurance.
For more information please visit: https://graduate.baylor.edu/health-insurance or call the Health Center at (254) 710-1010.
Technology Requirements
Please click here for the technology requirements for the Baylor OTD program.