Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy Course Requirements at Wits
University of the Witwatersrand · Health Sciences
The Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy is a bachelor's Degree offered by Wits for 2027 learners, taking 4 years to complete. This page covers the Grade 12 subjects and admission score you need to qualify, what the course involves, where you can study it, the careers it leads to, and how to apply.
Grade 12 Required Subjects to study Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at Wits
National Senior Certificate; English Home Language or First Additional Language at Level 4, Mathematics at Level 4, and Life Sciences and/or Physical Sciences at Level 4; a completed job-shadowing certificate (minimum 16 hours) is required. Applicants must sit the National Benchmark Test (NBT); the Faculty ranks candidates using a Composite Index built from (1) a 60% weighting on the matric average across English, Mathematics, the best of Physical Sciences/Life Sciences, and the best two other subjects, and (2) a 40% weighting on NBT scores.
About this course
Occupational therapy students learn to use meaningful, culturally appropriate activities to help people who are temporarily or permanently limited by illness, injury or disability regain independence and quality of life. The four-year curriculum combines medical sciences and psychology with occupational science and hands-on therapy practice applied to both physical and psychiatric conditions. A minimum 16-hour job-shadowing placement with a practising occupational therapist is required for admission.
Possible careers
How to apply for 2027 studies
Apply directly through Wits's own application system at www.wits.ac.za/applications; this listing does not process applications.
Course intelligence for Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy
Data-driven planning insights for this specific course: job market outlook, NSFAS funding, and how competitive admission is likely to be.
Job market outlook
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy doesn’t currently appear on the national scarce-skills list as an Occupational Therapist. That’s not a red flag on its own, most jobs in South Africa aren’t on that list, it just tracks where employers reported the strongest hiring pressure. Your own results, experience and network will matter more here than national demand trends.
NSFAS funding
As a Bachelor's Degree at Wits, a public institution, this course generally falls within NSFAS’s undergraduate funding scope. Funding is means-tested and not automatic, so confirm your own eligibility at nsfas.org.za before relying on it.
Admission chances
This course sits in the middle for competitiveness. With its published admission requirements, you have a reasonable chance if you apply in good time, though it’s not a sure thing. Don’t leave your application to the last week.
These insights are estimates generated from South Africa’s National List of Occupations in High Demand (DHET, November 2023 draft), NSFAS’s published funding rules, and this university’s general applicant demand. They’re planning guidance, not a guarantee. Always confirm funding and admission specifics directly with Wits and NSFAS.
- Applications for 2027 studies
- Open: 1 April 2026
- Close: 30 September 2026
View all Courses at Wits
- Duration
- 4 years
- NQF Level
- 7
- APS / Points
- No standard APS - Wits uses a Composite Index (60% matric average across 5 subjects + 40% NBT scores) to rank applicants.
- Campus
- Parktown Health Sciences Campus, Johannesburg
Related courses
Source: university-of-the-witwatersrand.json, last verified 2026-08-22. Requirements and fees change. Always confirm current details directly with University of the Witwatersrand before applying.