QLD Allied JobsHow to become an occupational therapist in Queensland
To work as an occupational therapist in Queensland you need an occupational therapy degree accredited by the Occupational Therapy Council and approved by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, then registration through Ahpra.
Facts checked against the linked sources on 21 October 2026. Requirements change, so confirm with the source.
Steps
1. Complete an accredited OT degree
Most people do a four-year bachelor (pass or honours). Graduates of another degree can do a graduate-entry masters instead.
2. Apply for registration with Ahpra
Final-year students can apply online to Ahpra before they finish. You must meet the Occupational Therapy Board’s registration standards, including English language skills, criminal history and professional indemnity insurance.
Source: Ahpra, Graduate applications
3. Choose a setting
OTs work in hospitals, paediatrics, mental health, NDIS and disability services, aged care, hand therapy and schools. Queensland Health pays on the HP scale; private employers must pay at least the award.
Queensland universities
| University | Program | Campus |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Queensland | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours); Master of Occupational Therapy Studies | St Lucia |
| Griffith University | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy | Gold Coast and Nathan |
| James Cook University | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) | Townsville |
| CQUniversity | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) | Rockhampton and Bundaberg |
| Australian Catholic University | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy | Brisbane |
| Bond University | Master of Occupational Therapy | Robina |
| University of Southern Queensland | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) | Ipswich and Toowoomba |
Queensland campuses listed on the Occupational Therapy Council’s accredited programs page. Some programs are accredited with conditions; the page shows each one’s status. Source: Occupational Therapy Council, Accredited programs, checked 21 October 2026.
Typical pay
Queensland Health’s health practitioner scale starts at $42.28 an hour (HP3, pay point 0, $83,824 a year). In the private and not-for-profit sector the award minimum for a first-year bachelor graduate is $34.44 an hour, and most employers pay above it. See the Queensland Allied Health Pay Report 2026 for all pay points, sources and what live ads state.