TOEFL, IELTS, & Duolingo
The University of Pittsburgh admissions committee reviews applicants holistically, taking into consideration academic records, SAT/ACT results if applicable, and English language proficiency (ELP) through TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo results. There are some instances where the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo exam requirement may be waived.
For the Pittsburgh campus, a 100 or higher TOEFL composite score with subscores of 21 or higher is considered competitive, a 7.0 IELTS with subscores of 6.0 or higher, or a 120 or higher Duolingo score.
Applicants are reviewed holistically, however, and those with a 95-99 TOEFL and a solid academic record will be given strong consideration in the admissions process for the Pittsburgh campus. Applicants with TOEFL scores between 80-94 (6.5 IELTS) will most often be considered for admission to a regional campus at Bradford, Greensburg or Johnstown. We recommend that students rank the campuses on their admission application in order of preference.
The University of Pittsburgh only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores.
All new international students who are admitted and pay an enrollment deposit will be tested for English language proficiency after they arrive on campus. If Pitt’s English Language Institute recommends some study in English as a Second Language (ESL), based on the student’s test results, the student will be required to take the recommended classes.
Waiving the requirement is done on a case by case basis and the Admissions Committee has the discretion to require a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo exam from any student at any time. The exam may be considered for a waiver for the following reasons:
- You have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S.
- You are a non-citizen (or non-passport holding) student that has attended a U.S. high school for four years or one of the English language proficiency exempt countries, below, and have an SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 560 or higher (21 ACT English subscore) or,
- Your SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score is 660 or higher (27 ACT English subscore), regardless of where you are attending or have attended secondary school.
English Language Proficiency—Exempt Countries
- Australia
- Canada (all provinces exempt Quebec)
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Nigeria
Select countries in the Commonwealth of the Caribbean:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- British Virgin Islands (Anguilla, St. Kitts, and Nevis)
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Grand Turks and Caicos Islands
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Source: List recommended by presenters at AACRAO international credential evaluation conference.