Information for Students Beginning January 2025
Congratulations on your acceptance to Baylor Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program!
Please look at the following Checklist for New Students. It will inform you of the various steps that you must take before you begin 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
Financial Aid Counselors are available to assist you through the One Stop Student Financial Services Office as you navigate the Financial Aid process (onestop.web.baylor.edu/contact-us). The Office of Student Financial Aid will work with you to determine your eligibility for scholarships, grants, and loans. To be considered for need-based financial aid and deferred repayment on federal and state student loans, students will need to complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. There is no fee to file a FAFSA. Baylor's Title IV School Code: 003545.
All Baylor students can access Baylor’s Scholarship Universe. Here, you can create an account and connect with a huge repository of scholarship opportunities. Additionally, OTD students can learn more about scholarship opportunities on our External Scholarships page.
5. Add Important Dates to Your Calendar
Your online New Student Orientation Course will open September 23, 2024. 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 December 1, 2024. Virtual Orientation will be held on January 6, 2025, and January 7, 2025, via Zoom. Your first trimester courses will begin in January 2025. A specific date will be announced soon. The official, 2-year calendar for your cohort will be published in September and will be available HERE.
Additional Items
Course Registration
Registration for the Spring 2025 Trimester will open in early November 2024. An announcement with course list and details on how to self-register will be sent through the Student Recourse Center (Canvas) 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. Will be sent out towards the end of November.
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: www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=959184 or call the Health Center at (254) 710-1010.
Technology Requirements
Please click here for the technology requirements for the Baylor OTD program.