Freshman: Deadlines | Requirements | Additional Requirements | Special Programs

NOTE: Applicants who are not U.S. citizens, immigrants, refugees or permanent resident aliens, should contact the Office of International Services. All high school graduates who have attended post-secondary institutions, colleges, or universities, except those who took college classes while in high school, are considered transfer students.

Admissions. The University of Pittsburgh practices a rolling admissions policy, meaning we do not hold to a specific deadline by which you must apply. Applicants are considered for and informed of admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Space varies from school to school, so it is advisable to submit your application as soon as possible. We continue to admit students until the class is full or until notified by the dean of the school that we must close admissions in order to allow time for orientation and registration. Typically, notification of closure occurs a few weeks before the beginning of the term.

NOTE: Timely application is especially important for students interested in living in one of the University residence halls.

University Honors College (UHC), Academic Scholarships and Freshman Guarantees. For freshman applicants interested in the University Honors College, academic scholarships and/or guaranteed admission to certain graduate programs at the University of Pittsburgh, no separate application is necessary. Simply apply for admission, and your application will receive automatic consideration for honors, scholarships and the guarantees. However, we do recommend that applicants interested in the guaranteed admission programs apply early in the senior year and that those interested in academic scholarships apply by January 15.

Please read these instructions carefully before completing the application form.

1. Complete an Admissions Application. To do so electronically, click here. If you wish to request a paper copy of an application, click here or call (412) 624-PITT. Failure to complete all information requested on your application will delay the processing of it.

NOTE: Applicants may also submit a personal essay. This is optional, except for pharmacy applicants. Often, the Admissions Committee is able to make an admissions decision on the basis of a student~Rs academic record alone. However, admission is a two-way street and not always based solely on academics. If you want to let the Admissions Committee know something more about you, please complete the optional essay question (just send the extra page[s] to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid) or feel free to submit supplemental information of your own choosing. Select one:

2. Have the secondary school counselor forward your official high school transcript showing grades received in all courses from 9th grade on and your rank in class (preferably the end of the junior year for applying seniors).

3. Forward your Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I) or American College Test (ACT) result. (This may already be on your high school transcript.) All testing should preferably be completed by January for September admission. It is not necessary to wait until all of the required tests have been taken before submitting your application. Information about these exams may be obtained from your high school guidance counselor or by writing to:

In some cases the Admissions Committee may request senior college entrance examination test results from students who have taken the boards only in the junior year. If in doubt about retaking them, be on the safe side and call for our advice, or simply go ahead and take them over.

4. The $35 application fee is paid on-line, via a secure server, using Visa or Mastercard. On-line check payment will be available shortly.

1. GED test result. If you withdrew from high school prior to graduation, submit an official high school transcript recording grades to the point of withdrawal, and an official GED test result.

2. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). U.S. immigrants, permanent resident aliens and refugees may be required to demonstrate college-level English competency, if your verbal SAT I or ACT English subscore is low. For information contact:

The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Pittsburgh seeks to recruit highly motivated and talented individuals and to support their pursuit of academic excellence. For more information on programs designed to meet the needs of such students, click on the appropriate link below.

• University Honors College
• Academic Scholarships
• Freshman Guarantees