Lend a hand in passing the exam

The Need for Support

The majority of our OT students fund their OT education through student loans. The costs of the NBCOT examination are not included in student loans, since students are financing tuition and other expenses during academic semesters. 

This certification examination comes at the end of their academic journey, so the expense often comes as a sticker shock. This additional expense has the potential to become a significant financial burden to some students at the end of their academic journey, prior to gainful employment.

Vision of NBCOT Examination Relief Fund

Annual donor funds provide support to graduating occupational therapy students at SMU to help offset expenses for sitting the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Certification Examination.

Our Goal

Soften the financial burden associated with the NBCOT examination for eligible graduates. The expenses may include the examination registration fee, costs of study materials, and licensing fees. These expenses are not typical part of the student loan but additional expense that most student have not accounted for during their academia.

SMU OT Alumni Testimonials

Lisa Lam, OTD, OTR/L

“Hello, I'm a recent graduate with a doctorate degree in occupational therapy, class of 2021. Having financial support for the board exam will definitely decrease the financial burdens that accumulate while preparing for this exam. This could cover studying materials or anything that students may need to help them pass the exam. For me, passing the NBCOT means that I can utilize the skills and knowledge that I learned in school so that I can help people live as independently as possible.”

Victoria Lopez, OTD/OTRL

“Hello, I'm an alumni from Samuel Merritt’s occupational therapy program class of 2021. Financial support for the national board exam would have been tremendously helpful for me considering the high fee amount just to sit for the exam. Not to mention the study materials and the state licensing fees. I felt pretty limited with the resources that I had compared to some of my peers that could afford to purchase more study materials, but when I found out I passed I felt instant relief. Passing meant opportunity for me. Opportunity to have a career. Opportunity to show my family what I had accomplished and what I could accomplish with higher education, and of course the opportunity to give back to my community.”

Help us address this real, often unexpected, financial burden with a gift to the NBCOT Examination Relief Fund this Giving Tuesday.