FAQs for International Applicants

What English Language Proficiency should I demonstrate?

Graduate students must possess sufficient knowledge of English to study without being hindered by language problems, to understand lectures, and to participate successfully in class discussion. International applicants must submit either the TOEFL or the IELTS (taken within two years of the date of application). Contact Educational Testing Services directly to request that an official score report be sent to the School of Computing and Information. The institution code for the University of Pittsburgh is 2927. A minimum score of 550 (paper-based) or 80 (Internet-based) on the TOEFL is required for admission to all graduate programs in DINS. Students may choose to take the International English Language Testing System exam (IELTS) in place of the TOEFL. Students should receive a minimum result of Band 6.5 on the IELTS.

Exceptions: International students who completed a degree at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States are not required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score. Students from certain English-speaking countries are also exempt. Permanent residents are exemptHowever, the Department reserves the right to ask for TOEFL scores if deemed necessary for the evaluation of the application. Please note: degrees where anything less than the entire degree was completed in-residence within the English-speaking country will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Students in these circumstances may be required to complete the TOEFL or IELTS with the required minimum score upon review. Prior to registration, students with TOEFL scores of less than 100 (Internet-based), 600 (Paper-based) or less than Band 7.5 on the IELTS must take this additional test of English language proficiency: English Language Proficiency Test. If remedial courses in English as a foreign language are recommended, the student must complete the remedial course during the first term of study.

Does my transcript need an external evaluation?

All degrees obtained outside of the U.S. will be evaluated for equivalency to U.S. educational standards by the School of Computing and Information/University of Pittsburgh. Therefore, all international applicants must provide an official English-language translations of all pertinent transcripts. All transcripts from non-U.S. institutions, for undergraduate and graduate study, will be reviewed by the School/University of Pittsburgh in terms of: the U.S. degree to which your degree is equivalent – Bachelor’s, Master’s, etc., the overall grade point average for your studies (converted to a U.S 4.0 scale), and a course-by-course grade equivalency evaluation for every class taken. If you completed your degree in the U.S. but also took coursework outside of the U.S., you do not need to have an evaluation by an external agency. However, you need to provide a certified English translation of the coursework taken outside of the U.S. if the record was issued in a language other than English.

Please note: the Admissions Committee may request an external review of your transcript, the cost of which is the responsibility of the applicant.

What information should I know about my student visa?

This section pertains to actions you must take after you have been admitted to the program, and have officially accepted our offer of admission. In order for your student visa document (Form I-20 or DS-2019) to be issued in time for your studies, you will need to provide additional financial information directly to the Office of International Services (OIS) at the University of Pittsburgh. Please access and read the International Graduate Student Financial Information form to determine what you need to prepare.

Please note: you will not be able to submit your financial information unless you have been admitted to our School and you accept that offer of admission. At that point, OIS will contact you directly via the email address you have provided to us in your application, and they will share a link to use to submit your financial information. You must accept any offer of admission you receive by the deadlines stated below in order for your visa to be processed in time. OIS will then give you a deadline by which to submit your financial information as well.

What are the tuition rates for your programs?

The University of Pittsburgh has different tuition rates for undergraduates, graduates, in-state and out-of-state (also international) students. It also varies across schools. Check the latest information for the School of Computing and Information here.