In addition to the application materials required of all students, international students are required to submit an official score report from the TOEFL or the IELTS exam.
The University of Pittsburgh requires a minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the written test, 213 for the computer test, or 80 on the Internet test for all foreign students. Foreign students with a TOEFL score lower than 550, 213, or 80 are not eligible for admission. TOEFL must be taken within last 2 years of the application to GSPH. The minimum acceptable score on the IELTS is Band 6.5, and applicants must take the academic writing and reading modules of the test. In general, we do not require the TOEFL of permanent residents, but the departments reserve the right to ask for TOEFL scores if they feel that they are necessary for the evaluation of the application.
TOEFL and IELTS results are to be submitted directly to the Graduate School of Public Health from the Educational Testing Service. Copies of test results are not accepted. Please use the ETS code for SOPHAS (5688) or for the University of Pittsburgh, (2927) with no department code, when submitting the official scores.
There are only two circumstances under which the TOEFL or IELTS exam will be waived. An exam will be waived if an applicant has obtained a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a U.S. accredited institution or if he/she is a citizen of a country in which English is the official language, unless the department requests an exam score. If neither of these circumstances applies, the TOEFL or IELTS exam is required. Please click here to view a list of countries from which a TOEFL or IELTS score is required.
Prior to their initial registration at GSPH, students who have not already earned a degree in the US, whose native language is not English and whose TOEFL scores are not higher that 600 on the PBT, 250 on the CBT, or 100 on the IBT, and those who have not scored above Band 7 on the IELTS must be tested for English proficiency by the University's English Language Institute (ELI). Students should make their own arrangements to schedule the test of English Language Proficiency (TELP). If the test results indicate the need for language training, the student must be guided by the recommendation from ELI. No new student can be officially registered until he/she complies with these procedures.
Students must also meet the requirements of the Office of International Services (OIS) and the Office of International Admissions. More information about these requirements can be found at the OIS Website. International Admissions first reviews applications from prospective students with education outside the United States. This review may take two to four weeks, after which the applications are forwarded for departmental review.
Review by departmental committees takes on the average four to six weeks. As soon as an application is returned to the Office of Student Affairs, the applicant will be notified of the admissions committee's decision. If accepted, the international student will be required to provide a supplemental packet, Certificate of Financial Responsibility, and bank statements for the I-20 processing. Information on this requirement will be submitted to the student when accepted. Please be sure to note the application deadlines for international students on our web site to insure that your application is received in a timely manner.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Student Affairs at 412-624-3088 or by email with questions regarding your application.