Physiotherapist vs Occupational Therapist: How to Choose

Physiotherapist vs occupational therapist: the quick comparison

The examples are simple illustrations, not case studies. HPCSA is the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

What does a physiotherapist do?

Physiotherapists assess and treat problems with movement and physical function. The University of Cape Town (UCT) says physiotherapists "help people improve their movement, physical function and overall wellbeing".

At the University of Pretoria (UP), training covers exercise therapy, electrotherapy, massage and joint mobilisation. It also includes teaching good posture in the community.

The University of the Free State (UFS) says physiotherapists work in hospitals and in the community, in areas such as intensive care, older people's care and pregnancy and birth.

Think of physiotherapy as the movement career.

What does an occupational therapist do?

Here's the surprise: "occupational" does not only mean jobs. UFS describes occupational therapy as improving people's participation, performance and function in work, home, school and community life.

An OT looks at the whole person: their body, their thinking, their emotions and how they sense the world. UFS says OTs work with disabled people, older adults, newborns and school-aged children.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) lists these workplaces for OTs: hospitals, schools for children with special needs, community settings, clinics, insurers, children's homes and facilities for older people.

Think of occupational therapy as the independence career.

What do physiotherapists and OTs have in common?

• Both are four-year university degrees. UCT, UP, UKZN and Stellenbosch University (SU) each describe four years of study.
• Both are followed by one paid year of community service. The National Department of Health lists both professions on its community-service programme. The year is "remunerated", which means you are paid.
• Both help people recover or cope after injury, illness or disability.
• Both work in hospitals and in the community.
• Both have limited places. UP selects 60 physiotherapy students a year. Wits has 60 first-year OT places. UP and SU both warn that meeting the minimum marks does not guarantee a place.
• Both ask for Mathematics in the rules we read: UP's physiotherapy rules and SU's OT rules. Check every university you apply to.

How are they different?

• The question they ask. A physio asks: "How can this body move and work better?" An OT asks: "What stops this person doing what matters to them, and how do we get around it?"
• What they look at. Physiotherapy centres on movement and physical function. OT also looks at thinking, emotional and sensory factors, according to UFS.
• Entry rules. Subjects and extras differ (see the next section).
• Demand. Physiotherapist is on the government's 2024 National List of Occupations in High Demand. We did not find occupational therapist on it. The list helps with planning. It is not a job guarantee.

Also thinking about biokinetics? UFS describes it as a third option, focused on exercise, health promotion and final-phase rehabilitation.

What subjects and marks do you need?

Every university sets its own rules, and they change. These examples show how they can differ:

APS means Admission Point Score: the points a university adds up from your matric marks. UP's programme page says Life Orientation is left out of the APS.

Stellenbosch says its OT minimums go up for the 2028 intake. Check the latest rules before you plan.

How much do physiotherapists and OTs earn?

Private-practice pay is not published anywhere official. For government hospitals, here is what one Limpopo Department of Health post (a contract mental-health OT post that closed in October 2026) advertised:

That is about R34,400 a month at Grade 1 (the advertised yearly salary divided by 12). We could not confirm physiotherapist pay from an official advert, so check the latest Public Service Vacancy Circular on the DPSA website.

Moving up takes years. Grade 3 pays R151,701 a year more than Grade 1, but only after 20 years.

How do you choose between physiotherapy and occupational therapy?

1. Shadow both. Ask a hospital, clinic or special school if you can spend a day with a physio and a day with an OT. Wits asks OT applicants for 15 hours with an OT, so start early.
2. Ask yourself two questions.
3. • Do you love how the body works, sport, exercise and fixing movement? That leans physio.
   • Are you curious about why someone can't dress, learn, work or play, and how to find a way around it? That leans OT.
3. Check your subjects now. The rules we read (UP physiotherapy, SU OT) both ask for Mathematics. If you're in Grade 10 or 11, don't drop it.
4. Compare at least three universities. Look at subjects, marks, extras (like the NBT) and closing dates.
5. Talk to a career adviser. DHET's Khetha helpline is 086 999 0123.
6. Plan for community service. Placements are in health facilities approved by the Minister of Health, and the programme aims to move health workers to under-served areas. You may live away from home for the year.

Read the full career profiles for physiotherapist and occupational therapist, browse universities and colleges, and see how to pay for your studies.

Still undecided? Read our guide on how to choose a career path.

Warnings before you apply

• ⚠️ Closing dates are mid-year. UP says 30 June. Wits OT says 30 June of the year before you start. SU says 31 July for most applicants (categories B1 to B3), so check your category. If you write matric in 2027, you apply in 2027. Miss the date and you wait a full year.
• ⚠️ Don't pay anyone who "guarantees" a place. Selection is done by the university, not by an agent.
• ⚠️ Ask if the programme is accredited by the HPCSA. UKZN says its OT degree is accredited, so its graduates can register.

Frequently asked questions

Is physiotherapy or occupational therapy harder to get into?

Both are competitive and take small groups. UP selects 60 physiotherapy students a year and Wits has 60 first-year OT places. Meeting the minimum marks does not guarantee a place, so apply to more than one university.

Do I need Mathematics for physiotherapy or occupational therapy?

At UP (physiotherapy) and SU (OT), yes. Other universities may differ, so check each one's rules.

How long does it take to become a physiotherapist or OT?

Four years of study, then one year of paid community service.

Does occupational therapy only help people get jobs?

No. UFS describes OT as improving participation in work, home, school and community life.

Do physiotherapists and OTs earn the same?

We only found official pay figures for OTs in government hospitals (see the table above). We could not confirm physiotherapist pay from an official source, and private-practice pay is not published.

What can I do after community service?

The law says you become eligible to practise your profession once the year is done. Where you work is up to you.