Graduate admissions to the University of Pittsburgh are handled by the particular graduate school or program; there is no central admissions office for graduate and professional schools at the University. This section details only the University requirements and procedures for admission to the University. Officially, admission may be granted or denied only by the dean of the school, and the issuance of visa documents may be granted or denied for non-academic reasons only by the Office of International Services.
The Graduate Admissions Office of each school provides admissions information for prospective students to that school.
The admissions information in this section is subject to change at any time. It is intended to serve only as a general source of information.
Graduate Admissions
Decisions regarding admission are based on an overall evaluation of all the credentials submitted by the candidate and in accord with the availability of faculty, facilities, and student support necessary to meet the applicant’s expressed academic and research needs and interests. Many departments or programs have a limited number of places available. See also Regulations Governing Graduate Study.
Application Procedures and Deadlines
Prospective students are encouraged to check with the school and program for specific admissions information.
International Students
The minimum requirement for admission to a graduate program is the completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or the completion of education that the University of Pittsburgh deems comparable to a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States.
Applicants are required to submit official original academic credentials. Official original academic credentials that are issued in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. In cases where the transcript (grade report, academic record, examination results, mark sheet) does not attest to the awarding of a degree or an academic qualification, a certified copy of the original certificate or diploma awarding the degree or qualification must also be submitted. Certificates or diplomas that are issued in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
The Office of International Services (OIS) provides immigration-related services for international visitors, students, faculty, researchers, and staff at the University of Pittsburgh. The Office of International Services (OIS) advises international students on how to maintain their immigration status and helps to ensure compliance for both international visitors and the University, with respect to federal regulations. For more information, contact OIS at ois@pitt.edu or call 412-624-7120. Non-immigrant students must meet U.S. Department of Homeland Security eligibility requirements for visa document issuance as determined by the Office of International Services.
Admissions Status
Acceptable students are admitted to graduate study in a specific department or school with “full,” “provisional,” or “special” graduate status depending on their qualifications and objectives. The qualifications described below represent the minimum standards of the University. These may be made more stringent or specific at the option of the department or school.
Full Graduate Status
For admission to full graduate status, an applicant must be a graduate of an accredited U.S. college or university and must be considered qualified for advanced study by the department or school. This normally is demonstrated by a B average (a grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better in the total undergraduate program. If students with less than a B average present alternative evidence (such as completion of an advanced degree or successful relevant work experience) of superior ability, they may be considered for full graduate status on the recommendation of the department of proposed graduate study. Only students with full graduate status may take the PhD preliminary evaluation, take the MA/MS or PhD comprehensive examination, be considered for the award of an advanced degree or certificate, or be graduated.
Provisional Graduate Status
Applicants who are graduates of a recognized college or university but who do not qualify for admission to full graduate status because of deficiencies in either their undergraduate program or their scholastic achievement may be considered for provisional graduate status if strong supporting evidence of their ability to complete a graduate program is provided. Courses taken to remove deficiencies do not contribute toward completion of graduate degree requirements. Transfer from provisional to full graduate status is initiated and recommended by the department and is possible only after removal of deficiencies and other conditions noted at the time of admission and satisfactory progress in graduate work.
A student on provisional or special status or on probation is not eligible to take the PhD preliminary evaluation, to take the MA/MS or PhD comprehensive examination, or to be graduated.
Special Status
Students may be granted temporary admission as “special status” under the following circumstances:
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Students who are seeking advanced degrees but who are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required credentials for admission may be granted temporary admission provided they present acceptable evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study. Regular admission must be accomplished within the first term of registration.
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Students who are not seeking an advanced degree but who have specific qualifications for one or more courses, including courses required for learning or certification, may register for such courses subject to review by the department and the dean of the school. Schools providing such an opportunity may specify the number of credits or courses for which a student may enroll while in this status and should also clearly specify the limitations on transfer of such credits toward a graduate degree if the student is subsequently admitted to a graduate degree program.
Guaranteed Admission and Accelerated Pathway Programs
Undergraduate students can apply for guaranteed admission into select graduate programs. Undergraduate students can also apply to accelerated Bachelors/Graduate (for example, “4+1”) programs, which allow students to complete two sequential degrees on an accelerated timeline per regulations.
Deferred Admission
If a department or school so approves, a student may defer admission for one year without having to complete any additional applications. If approved, the student is sent a new admission letter. Approval of a student’s request to defer admission does not necessarily mean that any financial aid awarded is also deferred.
Readmission
A student who has not registered for at least one credit or full-time dissertation study during a 12-month period will be transferred automatically to inactive status and must file an application for readmission to graduate study (and pay the application fee) before being permitted to register again. Inactive students cannot apply to graduate, nor take preliminary or comprehensive exams. Readmission is not automatic nor does it necessarily reinstate the student to the academic status enjoyed prior to becoming inactive. When readmitted, the student must be prepared to demonstrate proper preparation to meet all current admission and degree requirements.
The University of Pittsburgh will promptly readmit a service member with the same academic status they had when last attending or accepted for admission. This requirement applies to any student who cannot attend school due to military service.
Definitions
Military service (or service in the uniformed services)-Voluntary or involuntary service in the armed forces, including service by a member of the National Guard or Reserve on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days. This does not include National Guard service under state authority.
Service member-someone who is a member of, applies to be a member of, performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an obligation to perform, service in the uniformed services.
Appropriate officer-A warrant, commissioned, or noncommissioned officer authorized to give such notice by the military service concerned.
Armed Forces-the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
Active duty-full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. Active duty includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance, while in the active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Active duty does not include full-time National Guard duty.
Notice and Procedure
The student must notify the school of their military service and intention to return to school as follows:
- Notification of military service. The student (or an appropriate officer of the armed forces or official of the Department of Defense) must give oral or written notice of such service to the University of Pittsburgh Office of Veterans Services (“OVS”) as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances. This notice does not have to indicate whether the student intends to return to the school and may not be subject to any rule of timeliness. (Timeliness must be determined by the facts in each case.) Alternatively, at the time of readmission, the student may submit an attestation of military service that necessitated their absence from school. No notice is required if precluded by military necessity, such as service in operations that are classified or would be compromised by such notice.
- Notification of intent to return to school. The student must also give oral or written notice of their intent to return to their program of study to OVS within three years after the completion of the period of service. A student who is hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness or injury incurred or aggravated during the performance of service must notify OVS within two years after the end of the period needed for recovery from the illness or injury. A student who fails to apply for readmission within these periods does not automatically forfeit eligibility for readmission but is subject to the applicable University of Pittsburgh policies or practices generally governing student leaves of absence, readmission, and/or reinstatement.
OVS suggests that students providing Notification of military service or Notification of intent to return to school do so sending an email to the Director of OVS at the following address veterans@pitt.edu, or orally by calling 412-383-5580, in order to ensure accuracy and expeditious processing, but such notice is not required to follow any particular format. When a student is requesting readmission, they will be required to provide any supporting documentation requested by the University, in accordance with 34 C.F.R. § 668.18(g).
The University of Pittsburgh will promptly readmit the student into the next class or classes in the program beginning after they provide notice of intent to reenroll, unless they request a later date or unusual circumstances require the University of Pittsburgh to admit them at a later date.
The University of Pittsburgh will admit the student with the same academic status, which means:
- to the same program to which the student was last admitted or, if that exact program is no longer offered, the program that is most similar to that program, unless they choose a different program;
- at the same enrollment status, unless the student wants to enroll at a different enrollment status;
- with the same number of credit hours previously completed, unless the student is readmitted to a different program to which the completed credit hours are not transferable; and
- with the same academic standing (e.g., with the same satisfactory academic progress status) the student previously had.
If the student is readmitted to the same program, for the first academic year in which they return, the University of Pittsburgh will assess the tuition and fee charges that they were or would have been assessed for the academic year during which they left the school. However, if their veteran’s education benefits or other service member education benefits will pay the higher tuition and fee charges that other students in the program are paying for the year, the University of Pittsburgh may assess those charges to the student as well.
If the student is admitted to a different program, and for subsequent academic years for a student admitted to the same program, the University of Pittsburgh will assess no more than the tuition and fee charges that other students in the program are assessed for that academic year.
The cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences from the University of Pittsburgh for military service may not exceed five years. Only the time the student spends actually performing service is counted.
Helping students be readmitted and when it might not occur
If the University of Pittsburgh determines that the student is not prepared to resume the program with the same academic status at the point where they left off or will not be able to complete the program, the University of Pittsburgh will make reasonable efforts at no extra cost to the student to help them become prepared or to enable them to complete the program. This may include providing refresher courses and/or other remedial measures as the University deems appropriate under the circumstances.
The University of Pittsburgh is not required to readmit the student if it determines:
- that there are no reasonable efforts it can take to prepare the student to resume the program at the point where they left off or to enable them to complete the program; or
- that after it makes reasonable efforts (those that do not place an undue hardship on the institution), the student is not prepared to resume or complete the program.
“Undue hardship” means an action requiring significant difficulty or expense considering the overall financial resources of the school and the impact of such action on its operation.
The University of Pittsburgh has the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the student is not prepared to resume the program with the same academic status at the point where they left off or that they will not be able to complete the program.
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