The Program
The curriculum aims to equip graduates with comprehensive entry-level skills for diverse practice environments, including schools, hospitals, community settings, and long-term care facilities. It emphasizes exposure to emerging and non-traditional areas within the community. Students are prepared to serve various populations- infants, children, adolescents, adults, senior- in physical, mental, and health wellness domains, fostering adaptability and broad competency across multiple practice areas.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is a daytime, two-year associate degree program which begins each spring semester. Program curriculum is developed under the guidelines of the American Occupational Therapy Association and includes academic and technical courses. In the final semester, students are placed in local healthcare facilities for a minimum of 16 weeks (full-time) to complete fieldwork requirements.
Students earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree upon successful completion of the program. Students then become eligible to take the national certification examination through the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT). Graduates of the program who pass the certification examination may apply for state licensure to practice as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and thereby use the designation of COTA.
Students in the OTA program at Lone Star College-Kingwood are eligible for (and encouraged to obtain) student membership in the Texas Occupational Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association allowing students across to the benefits of membership.
The educational experience will include classroom instruction, laboratory activities, pre-clinical and clinical work. Many clinical facilities will require students to successfully pass a background check. Students will be trained to work with all age groups in a variety of health care settings.
Applicants must first apply to and be accepted by Lone Star College before applying to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program apply for admission to Lone Star College.
Download the Application Packet: Review the complete packet before beginning the OTA application. It contains application instructions, required forms, observation requirements, professional recommendations, and applicant scoring information.
- Applicants must be 18 years old to apply.
- Applicants must be a student or show acceptance to Lone Star College.
- Complete pre-requisite courses with a 2.5 GPA and no grade below a C. See curriculum for details. Advanced placement courses will not substitute for any pre-requisite or co-requisite course.
- Be able to perform the Essential Job Functions.
- Complete the Health Science Reasoning Test-Associate Degree (HSRT-AD) according to the testing instructions and deadline provided by the OTA Program.
- Complete the OTA application Application dates are from June 1-September 30, 2026.
- Deadline: Please note that the application for the LSC-Kingwood Occupational Therapy Assistant program is always the first business day in June to the last business day in September.
- Submit all official transcripts from all colleges attended other than Lone Star College with the OTA program application.
Application Deadline: The completed application and all required documents must be received by the published deadline. When the deadline falls on a weekend or college closure, the application is due on the last college business day before the deadline.
Applicant Responsibility: Incomplete applications will not receive an individual departmental reminder. Each applicant is responsible for confirming that the OTA Department has received all required application materials. Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission. Qualified applicants are ranked according to the published OTA admission criteria. Admission is competitive and based on available program capacity.
Applicants are initially ranked using the Phase I criteria listed below. The maximum Phase I score is 100 points. Applicants may use the OTA Application Score Sheet to estimate their points. The OTA admission committee verifies all documentation and calculates each applicant's official score.
Phase I Scoring Categories
- Prerequisite course grades: Maximum 40 points
- Additional degree-plan course grades: Maximum 40 points
- HSRT-AD score: Maximum 4 points
- Highest degree or qualifying certificate earned: Maximum 4 points
- Qualifying health care work experience: Maximum 2 points
- Required observation experiences: Maximum 6 points
- Courses repeated within the OTA degree plan: Maximum 4 points
Qualifying Work Experience- Applicants may receive points for documented experience as an occupational therapy technician or aide. Other qualifying health care technician experience may also receive points. Applicants requesting work-experience points must submit a completed Work experience Form.
Required Observation Experiences- Applicants must complete 10 total observation hours under the supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapist assistant:
- 5 hours in an adult practice setting
- 5 hours in a pediatric practice setting
The following requirements apply:
- The adult and pediatric observations must be completed in two different practice settings.
- Observation hours must be unpaid job-shadowing experiences
- Paid employment hours cannot be counted as observation hours.
- Each observation must be supervised by an occupational therapist (OTR) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA)
- The supervising practitioner must document the hours and sign the appropriate observation form.
Download the OTA observation forms and site information for the required adult and pediatric forms and a list of potential observation sites.
Advancement to Phase II- Applicants are ranked according to their verified Phase I scores. Up to 40 of the highest-ranking applicants may advance to Phase II of the admission process. Applicants selected to advance will receive instructions through the email address provided in their application. Applicants are responsible for monitoring their email and responding by the stated deadline. Final admission decisions are based on completion of all required phases and submission of all required documents.
What is the HSRT-AD exam? The Health Science Reasoning Test- Associate Degree (HSRT-AD) is required for consideration for admission to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
The HSRT-AD is designed for certificate and associate-degree health science programs. It measures the critical-thinking and reasoning skills used to make reflective decisions about what to believe or what to do. The questions use health sciences and clinical-practice situations, but applicants do not need previous occupational therapy or specialized medical knowledge.
Test Information
- The HSRT-AD contains 35 multiple-choice questions
- Applicants have 50 minutes to complete the test.
- The test is scored on a 100-point scale.
- The HSRT-AD measures analysis, inference, evaluation, induction, deduction, and numeracy.
- Applicant must read the information presented and answer questions using evidence and reasoning.
- All information needed to answer the questions is provided within the test.
Testing Policy
- The HSRT-AD may be taken only once during each OTA application cycle.
- Taking the HSRT-AD more than once during the same application cycle, including testing through another campus, will invalidate the application.
- The HSRT-AD must be completed by the published application deadline.
OTA Applicant Ranking Points- The OTA program converts the applicant's HSRT-AD overall score to application-ranking points using the following scale. The maximum number of application points available for the HSRT-AD is 4. HSRT-AD score conversion for OTA application-ranking points
| HSRT-AD Overall Score | Application Points |
| 89-100 | 4 points |
| 81-88 | 3 points |
| 72-80 | 2 points |
| 63-71 | 1 point |
| 62 or below | 0.5 points |
Testing Locations- HSRT-AD testing for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is conducted by appointment at designated Lone Star College testing centers. Applicants are responsible for contacting the testing center to schedule an appointment https://www.lonestar.edu/117802.htm.
- Kingwood
- Tomball
- Houston-North
- Cy-Fair
- Montgomery
- North Harris
What to Bring- Bring a valid photo ID and proof of payment for the HSRT-AD on the day of testing.
Questions and Accommodations- For questions on the application process or if ADA accommodations are needed, please contact kc-occupationaltherapy@lonestar.edu or 281.312.1708
Conditional Acceptance- Applicants selected for admission receive conditional acceptance into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Final admission is contingent upon completing all program and clinical-site requirements. Conditional requirements may include:
- A clear criminal background check.
- Eligibility to participate in required clinical and fieldwork experiences.
- Completion of all required health and immunization documentation.
- Attendance at the mandatory OTA program orientation.
Students are responsible for all costs associated with background checks, health requirements, immunizations, and clinical-site requirements. Some clinical facilities may require additional drug screening at the student's expense.
Transfer Applicants- The OTA program may consider a transfer applicant based on:
- Available program seats
- Availability of appropriate fieldwork placements
- The applicant's reason for requesting a transfer
- Previously completed coursework
- Other factors affecting successful program completion
The OTA faculty reviews transfer requests and determine whether an applicant is eligible for admission and whether previously completed coursework may be accepted.
Requirements After Acceptance- Accepted students must complete and upload all required documentation into the program's designated tracking system by the deadline provided during program orientation.
Required documentation may include:
- Criminal background check
- Physical Examination completed by a licensed physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
- Bacterial meningitis vaccination documentation, when applicable.
- Tuberculosis screening
- Hepatitis B vaccination series or required documentation
- Varicella-zoster immunity documentation
- Measles, mumps, and rubella immunity documentation
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccination documentation
- Any additional documentation required by the program or clinical partners
Hepatitis B Information- Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the Hepatitis B vaccination series as early as possible because completing the series may take several months. Hepatitis B documentation is required for students participating in healthcare education programs and clinical experiences.
Medical Exemption or Waiver Process- A student who cannot meet an immunization requirement for a documented medical reason must:
- Request and sign the required Health Occupations immunization waiver.
- Obtain documentation from a healthcare provider explaining why the student is not an appropriate candidate for the required immunization or titer.
- Submit the waiver and supporting documentation to the OTA program director.
- Upload the required documentation into the program's designated tracking system.
Clinical Placement Notice- Clinical partners establish their own health, immunization, background checks, and placement requirements. A waiver accepted by the college does not require a clinical partner to accept a student. A student who does not meet a clinical partner's requirements may be denied placement. If the student cannot complete required clinical or fieldwork experiences, the student may be unable to continue in or complete the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).
Most states, including Texas, require licensure to practice. Texas licensure is based on successful completion of the NBCOT examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT examination or attain state licensure. Any form of charges or conviction results on a criminal background check may be cause for exclusion from admission to the program. To ensure your ability to sit for the exam it is recommended you contact NBCOT at (301) 652-AOTA and ECPTOT the occupational therapy licensing board at (512) 305-6900 and discuss your situation.
Legal Information
Lone Star College Policy is consistent with Texas law as to requirements and admission of any resident or non-resident student. For admission and tuition purposes, residency is defined within Texas Education Code §54.052. In addition, LSC will notify students prior to, but not as a condition or requirement of admission, that health care facilities will require students to have a Social Security number or a Visa as a condition of being assigned to a clinical facility. Students who are unable to complete the LSC health program clinical skills requirement will not be able to complete the program due to a lack of clinical placement.