PATH TO PITT
Guaranteed Admission Program
International students who are academically prepared to study in an undergraduate program at the University of Pittsburgh but need additional English language training can take advantage of the Path to Pitt program. The Path to Pitt program is an alternative to conditional admission and provides eligible students with an opportunity for guaranteed admission to one of the University of Pittsburgh’s four campuses after successfully completing studies in Pitt’s English Language Institute (ELI).
You will be automatically considered for the Path to Pitt program when you apply to the University of Pittsburgh.
- complete IEP Level 6 with 85% or better in more than half of their IEP courses,
- earn an overall average of 80% in all 5 IEP courses, and
- receive a positive letter of recommendation from the IEP Student Services Supervisor.
Students who fulfill these three requirements will not be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or other language proficiency scores when applying to an undergraduate degree program at Pitt. After being accepted to an undergraduate degree program at Pitt, all students must take the University’s English proficiency test to determine if additional English support courses are required.
“If you are struggling with English, do not worry. There are a lot of people to help you. The entire ELI community is very supportive.”
I finished high school in Iran and I needed to learn English before starting college here in the U.S. I decided to study English at Pitt’s English Language Institute (ELI) since they have a great program that can help the students learn English effectively. ELI definitely helped me prepare to be a successful Pitt student. As an ELI student, I was on campus so I got to see the classroom setting and talk to people about their courses and their lives. That really helped me prepare for my classes. I also got a Pitt ID and I could do a lot of the activities around the campus. The entire ELI community was very supportive. They answered all my questions. Even when they did not know the answer, they tried to find people who knew the answer. I still have a lot of friends from those days. Studying in Pittsburgh also makes you familiar with different cultures and backgrounds. Pittsburgh is a melting pot and there are lots of people with different backgrounds. Don't forget that you get to enjoy their food too.
• The ELI has helped more than 14,000 students from over 130 countries achieve their academic and career goals through English language learning.
• Students that take ELI courses are better prepared and earn higher grades in their degree programs.
• Students at the ELI study English in a university environment, so they learn about American universities while improving English language skills.
• Students who studied English in the ELI for 8 weeks before entering their academic program achieved a higher average GPA than students who did not complete an English study program prior to starting their degree program.
• The ELI is accredited by the Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA), meeting the highest standards of excellence in the field of teaching and administration of English language programs.