OTACAS Program User Guide

This guide provides you with documentation, reference guides, and direct links that answer common admissions questions about the OTACAS Applicant Portal, Configuration Portal, and WebAdMIT. It also contains resources that may help you work more efficiently throughout your admissions process. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact a member of your account team.

Cycle Timeframes

Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal opens in mid-July and closes in mid-July. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the OTACAS Application Cycle Dates page.

Configuration Portal

Between late March and mid-June, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The account team reviews submitted configurations in June.

WebAdMIT

You can view new applicants and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in mid-July.

Program Participation Requirements

AOTA requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from AOTA and OTACAS, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.

Applicant Portal

The first three sections of the OTACAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).

You can access the OTACAS application and OTACAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).

For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:

Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the OTACAS Complete application status.
OTACAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.

You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to OTACAS Customer Service.

Configuration Portal

Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the account team before it is available to applicants.

WebAdMIT

Review the WebAdMIT Help Center for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:

Data Dictionaries and Master Code Lists: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager and Report Manager, including associated lookup tables.
Deferring Applicants On Demand: learn how to transfer deferred applicants from one cycle to the next.
Integration Help Center and WebAdMIT API: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.

The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the Applicant Portal, Applicant Gateway, Configuration Portal, Liaison Letters, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.

For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.

Cycle Enhancements

2026-2027

The table below contains enhancements for OTACAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
CAS Applicant Portal	User Interface	The application is updated to a new, mobile-first, and modern applicant portal that we call CAS 3+. Visit the CAS 3+ Upgrade page to learn more about its key benefits and a preview of the upgraded application.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Dashboard	The background image was updated.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Coupon Codes	You can offer organization-specific coupon codes to applicants. Applicants can only use the coupon for a program at your organization.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Verification	Programs can now choose to require verification of all coursework and official transcripts.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Official Transcripts	If applicants click the button to request an official transcript through National Student Clearinghouse, their CAS will automatically be prefilled in National Student Clearinghouse's request form.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Configuration Portal	Branding	Pixel tracking can be enabled on the Add Programs and Program Materials sections to gain more insight into your program or organization's applicants. You can insert your tracking ID into the CAS Configuration Portal to establish standard tracking pixels from the major ad providers, including Google, Meta, and LinkedIn.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	GPAs	You now have access to a GPA by School calculation for verified coursework, visible in the GPA Overview panel on the Applicant Details page. This GPA can be used in Scoring models, data extractions, etc.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Export Manager	The Hispanic field in WebAdMIT aligns with the Do you consider yourself to be of Hispanic/Latino Origin? optional question from the CAS Applicant Portal. Currently, when users export this field from WebAdMIT, an applicant’s response populates as: Yes (if the applicant selected Yes) or No (if the applicant selected No or didn’t answer the question). A new Hispanic (Yes / No / Blank) field has been created to accurately reflect an applicant’s response to this Do you consider yourself to be of Hispanic/Latino Origin? question: Yes (if the applicant selected Yes), No (if the applicant selected No), or Blank (if the applicant didn’t answer the question). The Hispanic (Yes / No / Blank) field is available in the: Applicant Header List Manager Export Manager Race and Ethnicity subpanel under the Personal Information panel (note that this field is labeled as Hispanic) The original Hispanic field is still available in WebAdMIT.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Deferred Applicants	CASs can transfer deferred applicants on demand.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2025-2026

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
CAS Applicant Portal	Extended Profile	The Program Plan/Intent to Apply question was moved from the Personal Information – Other Information section to the Extended Profile. The question also includes the current year as an answer option.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Biographic Information	A new My Name question was added and allows applicants to report a different first and middle name. The Former Name question was updated and applicants can no longer report a nickname. A new Phonetic Pronunciation of Name question was added.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Race & Ethnicity	A new Additional Information question was added.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	The COVID-19 question was removed. The current year was added to the What year did you/do you expect to receive your GED? question.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Academic History – High School Attended	The instructional text was updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended	Applicants are required to upload their unofficial domestic transcripts and/or foreign evaluations before they submit their application to your program.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
CAS Applicant Portal	Supporting Information – Release Statement	The release statement was updated to include code of conduct information.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page Email Templates Export Manager List Manager	The Title field is no longer collected in the application and will be removed from WebAdMIT. You will need to update any lists, exports, emails, and other integrations to account for this field removal.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page Export Manager List Manager	The Refugee answer option was removed from the Visa Information question in the application; the correct option, I-94 Refugee, remains available. You should update any lists, exports, and other integrations to account for this answer option removal.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	The CAS Custom Questions panel has subpanels by question block, so you can more easily find applicant data and restrict your users' access to it via Work Groups.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch