Media release

07 Oct 2013

Final-year students can go online now to apply for registration as an occupational therapist before they graduate.

Final-year students urged to apply for registration now

Students of an approved program leading to registration as an occupational therapist can go online now to apply for registration before they graduate.

The online graduate application service at the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website enables final-year students to apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their course.

It aims to smooth the path from study to work in five simple steps and online applications are being called for now. All applicants are required to return some supporting documents to AHPRA by mail to complete the application.

Occupational Therapy Board of Australia Chair, Dr Mary Russell, said graduates who intended practising under the protected title of ‘occupational therapist’ must make an application for general registration.

They must also meet the National Board’s registration standards, as detailed on its website, to become a registered health practitioner, she said.

Registration standards that relate to the new graduate are:

• criminal history 
• English language skills 
• professional indemnity insurance, and 
• an undertaking to meet the National Board’s continuing professional development (CPD) requirements, including completing a minimum 30 hours of CPD in each registration year.

‘Graduates need to be a registered health practitioner before they can start practising as an occupational therapist and are urged to apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their course,’ Dr Russell said.

‘It is important that graduates read all the information about what documents must be sent to AHPRA in support of their application.’ 

There are five simple steps to graduate registration:

1. Students apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their program at Graduate applications on the AHPRA website. 
2. Applicants fill out an online application (if eligible) or download an application form. All applications require some documents to be sent to AHPRA by mail to complete the application. 
3. Education providers advise AHPRA when applicants are eligible to graduate. 
4. AHPRA finalises assessment, confirms registration, publishes new graduates’ names on the national register of practitioners and sends out registration certificates. 
5. New graduates registered with the National Board are eligible to start work as soon as their name is published on the national register.

For more information

• Go to Graduate applications on the AHPRA website for FAQ and links to more information 
• For registration enquiries or difficulties in accessing the online application form: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 8708 9001 (overseas callers) 
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200

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