Applying to SCI
- How do I apply to SCI?
All graduate students can apply via the GradCAS application.
A playlist of videos outlining the graduate application process is available on our Vimeo account.
If you're a prospective undergraduate student, please review our Undergraduate Admissions page.
- What are admissions requirements? Are there different requirements for each graduate degree program?
View SCI graduate program requirements and procedures in the University catalog. Program specific requirements are linked to on each individual degree page.
- Can I visit SCI?
Attend one of our monthly virtual information sessions. Please contact Jane Smith, graduate admissions manager, with additional questions about visiting in-person.
- Are there any application fees?
There is an application fee of $55 for all Pitt undergraduate programs. Find more information about Pitt undergraduate admissions here.
There is an application fee of $85 for all SCI graduate programs. The fee can be paid when students submit their application in GradCAS.
Currently enrolled Pitt students are eligible for an application fee waiver. All other applicants (including Pitt alumni) are expected to submit a fee with their application unless otherwise directed.
- When is the deadline to apply?
Application deadlines can be found on each of the master's degree, doctoral degree, and graduate certificate pages.
Since Pitt operates on a rolling admission policy, there is no set deadline for first-year and undergraduate students applying to Pitt. Please note: First-year students who complete and submit an application for admission and all required materials by December 1 are automatically considered for University of Pittsburgh academic scholarships.
- What if I miss the application deadline?
Preference is given to those who complete and submit their application by the deadline. Applications received soon after the deadline may be reviewed, but we cannot guarantee that an application will be reviewed after the deadline.
Applications received after the deadline may be deferred until the next available term.
If we are unable to process an application for the requested term and the applicant is otherwise admissible, we may offer admission to the next available term.
Note: to be considered for financial assistance, applications must be received by January 15 for fall and summer terms, and by June 15 for spring term.
- Can I make changes to my online application for graduate studies after it has been submitted?
New or updated test scores, changes to resumes and/or a revised statement of purpose can be emailed to sciadmit@pitt.edu. We cannot guarantee that updated documents will be considered during review of your application.
- If I applied last year and was not admitted, can I reapply?
Yes! You must meet your application deadline, and all application materials must be provided again for the new application. This includes your resume, statement of purpose, test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the application fee.
- What if a required document arrives after a deadline?
Applicants are responsible for ensuring your application is complete and that required materials reach SCI by the stated deadlines. Supporting documents received after the deadline may not be included in the review of your application.
- If I am admitted to SCI, can I defer my admission to a later term?
Students who wish to defer should contact sciadmit@pitt.edu.
- How do I track the status of my application?
Once you complete your application, you will receive instructions from the University to set up a Pitt log-in, that you may use to access the HighPoint Campus Experience(CX) site. Missing required documents are listed in To-Do list; please note due to processing delays this does not update in real time. Once available, you can use this site to view your admissions decision and, if admitted, accept your offer.
- When and how will I be notified if I am admitted?
You will receive your admissions decision directly by email from the School of Computing and Information.
It takes five to ten weeks following your application deadline to receive a decision. This estimate may vary depending on the volume of applications received.
- I have a three-year bachelor's degree from an institution outside of the U.S. Am I eligible for admission?
This may be determined by the School of Computing and Information on a case-by-case basis. Please contact sciadmit@pitt.edu.
It may be requested that you provide an evaluation of your transcript from this degree from an international transcript evaluation service—please note the cost of an evaluation would be your responsibility.
If it is determined that your degree is not equivalent to a four-year bachelor’s degree in the U.S., please speak with sciadmit@pitt.edu for recommendations to reach eligibility for our degrees.
- I am an international student. What is the deadline to accept an offer of admission?
Fall term: June 15
Spring term: November 1
Summer term: March 1
Application Materials
View a summary of application requirements here.
- Do I need a resume and statement of purpose?
Yes! Please provide a resume and statement of purpose for each of our programs you are applying to.
If you revise these documents after submitting your application, email new versions to sciadmit@pitt.edu. We cannot guarantee updated documents will be considered during your application review.
- Do I need letters of recommendation?
Yes! The number of required letters of recommendation is listed in the GradCAS application. GradCAS provides space to submit one additional letter beyond the required number for your program. Please do not submit more than the required number (and the optional additional letter) for your program.
You can make add, update, or change a recommender even after you have submitted your GradCAS application.
- Who should I ask for letters of recommendation?
Recommenders should know you relatively well and be able to evaluate the quality of your previous work, be it academic or professional. Letters that are simple character references do not provide strong support for an application.
For PhD applicants, we are highly interested in your ability to do independent research. You should select recommenders that can best speak to your research experience. Professors who have worked with you in an academic context are a good choice. Employers are sometimes appropriate.
- How should my recommenders provide my letter of recommendation?
After adding them as recommenders on GradCAS, your recommenders should follow the prompts and instructions to submit your letter to your GradCAS application by the provided due date.
- What should I do if my recommender has not submitted my letter and the deadline is approaching or passed?
You may return to the recommendation section of your GradCAS application to update your recommender's information, extend their due date, or resend their letter request.
It is your responsibility to ensure that application requirements are received by the application deadline.
- I have a paper that has not been submitted for publication or was not accepted for publication, but I would still like the committee to consider it. Should I include it in my application?
Yes! Published papers are viewed more favorably in the admissions process, but unfinished or unpublished papers are considered.
If you are notified after you submit your application that a paper has been accepted for publication, please send a copy to sciadmit@pitt.edu.
- Are transcripts required? When should I submit them?
Academic transcripts are required. You may upload digital or scanned copies of your transcripts to your GradCAS application from all prior academic institutions, regardless of whether you completed a degree there or not.
If you accept your admission offer to SCI, you must have official transcripts issued to SCI directly by your academic institution(s). In most cases, transcripts may be issued to us digitally by an institution's Registrar, Bursar's Office, or Student Records Office.
In rarer cases, institutions may issue only one official transcript, or will only issue transcripts directly to you. In this case, please bring the original transcript with you to the SCI records office. We will make copies to verify and will return them to you.
- Are translations of my transcript required?
If your transcript is in a language other than English, it must be translated by a legitimate translation service. Self-translated records are not accepted.
- Where do I mail my transcripts?
At the time you apply, you are only required to provide a digital or scanned copy of your transcripts. If you cannot upload a digital transcript, you may send your official transcripts to:
SCI Records Office
University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information
Information Sciences Building, Fifth Floor
135 N. Bellefield Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260- Is a transcript evaluation required?
Transcript evaluations are only required upon request.
The School of Computing and Information evaluates all transcripts from institutions outside of the United States for equivalency.
In some cases, we may be unfamiliar with the university or university system. In these cases, we may request a formal evaluation of a transcript, the cost of which is the applicant's responsibility.
- My fall semester grades are not on my transcript. Is this ok?
Yes! If you are admitted, you will be required to send us a final transcript with your final grades.
- How should I enter my GPA and College/University Point System in GradCAS?
Please enter your GPA exactly as reported by your college or university. Do not round or convert your GPA.
- I am in an accelerated bachelor and master's degree program. Do I put this in the Undergraduate or Graduate section of Colleges/Universities in GradCas?
Please enter this in both sections in GradCAS.
Financial Aid and Assistance
- How do I apply for financial aid?
Domestic students can use the FAFSA to apply for state or federal aid. Please contact the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid with questions about the FAFSA.
International students obtaining an F-1 visa to study in the United States are required to provide proof of funding for their education. Such proof can come in many forms, such as bank statements of personal funds, loans from within a student’s home country, funding by the student’s home government, etc. The Office of International Services will ask for this information after a student accepts their offer of admission.
- Are there scholarships available?
There are limited scholarships available to SCI graduate students. Scholarships can be searched for through the University's scholarship database, PittFund$Me, after receiving admission to a program.
SCI also offers a limited selection of scholarships based on degree programs. View SCI scholarships here.
More scholarships may be offered by sources outside of Pitt. Resources such as FastWeb, Appily, or Unigo can help to search for additional opportunities.
- Are there assistantships or fellowships?
At the doctoral level, financial assistance is often offered through a graduate assistantship, and sometimes through a fellowship.
At the master's degree level, funding through assistantships or fellowships is rare, and should not be relied upon to fund a master's degree.
Test Scores
- Is the GRE required?
Use of the GRE in application review varies by program within SCI. All graduate programs consider the GRE as either optional or not required.
GRE Optional is used by graduate programs that will consider the GRE as part of an application, if it is provided.
GRE Not Required is used by graduate programs that will not consider the GRE as part of an application.If you have taken the GRE more than once, please enter the scores from your most recent test. The PDF score report you upload to GradCAS should show all your scores for the committee to review.
- Is an English Language Proficiency test (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) required?
International students from countries whose official language is not English must submit an English language proficiency examination. You can take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or the Duolingo English Test.
Minimum required scores are indexed in this table. Applicants with scores below the minimum are ineligible for admission, regardless of the overall strength their application.
- Is an English Language Proficiency test required if I received a bachelor's or master's degree from an institution in the United States?
Waivers of this requirement are ultimately granted by your program’s department.
Computer Science programs: The test will be waived if the applicant has or will have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from the U.S. or a country whose official language is English.
Information Science/Telecommunications programs and Graduate Certificates: The test will be waived if the applicant has/will have a bachelor’s or master’s degree wholly completed within the U.S. or another country whose official language is English.
Library and Information Science programs: The test will be waived if the applicant has/will have a bachelor’s or master’s degree wholly completed within the U.S. or another country whose official language is English.
Intelligent Systems programs: The test will be waived if the applicant has or will have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from the U.S. or a country whose official language is English.
- How do I provide my test score(s)?
All test scores must be uploaded as a PDF document to your GradCAS application. If the scores are not uploaded by the time you apply, you will send test score PDFs sciadmit@pitt.edu. If a test is required, your application will not be complete until you provide test scores to the school.
Upon admission to your program, an official report must be sent to the School of Computing and Information directly from the testing agency.
- What are GRE and TOEFL institution codes?
GRE Codes
Institution code: 2927
Computer science programs code: 0407
Information science programs code: 0404
Library and information science programs code: 4701
Other code: 5199TOEFL Codes
Institution code: 2927
Computer science programs code: 78
Library and information science programs code: 90
Other code: 99- May I submit old or expired TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test scores?
Scores must be no more than two years old. We will not accept an expired score.
- I plan to take a test but my score will not be available until after the application deadline. What should I do?
We suggest that you take any required tests before December. Score reports for December tests do not arrive until January, taking a test in December may cause a delay in the review of your application.