International Applicants

The School of Nursing welcomes applications from those who reside outside of the United States. The specific admission criteria and documentation requirements for international applicants to each of our degree programs are provided below

For Applicants to the BSN program

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (entry from high school or equivalent). Individuals applying to the BSN program MUST apply through the University’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (OAFA), in collaboration with the University’s Office of International Services (OIS). In addition, OIS facilitates required documentation for visa applications to those offered admission.

For Applicants to the following programs:

In addition to completing and submitting the appropriate application and required additional application materials (such as essay, résumé) for the School of Nursing, international graduate student applicants must provide the following documentation. Applications will be reviewed after all required documentation is received.

Academic Transcript Requirements

Official transcripts of all original language academic records for all post-secondary educational endeavors are required. If original documents are issued in a language other than English, certified English translations must also be submitted. Applicants who have completed the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree or higher at an institution outside of the United States are required to provide official third-party course-by-course evaluations of those academic credentials, verifying Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. These evaluations must be completed by an accredited organization.

For your convenience, here are a few of the organizations which provide official course-by-course evaluations:

International Education Research
World Education Services, Inc.
Educational Credential Evaluators
CGFNS International -- must include computed equivalent grades [course-by-course] and computation of GPA

Language Verification Requirements

International students must possess proficiency in English at a level to enable them to succeed in graduate-level studies. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo English Test (DET) must be taken if the applicant’s native language is not English. Results must be sent directly from TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo to the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. Copies are not acceptable. The institution code for the University is 2927 and the department code for the School of Nursing is 43. Your application will not be considered until you have achieved at least the minimum score.

Exemptions to TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo requirements
TOEFL - minimum composite score of 100, with sub-scores of 21 or higher.
IELTS – minimum overall band score of 7.0, with a speaking band score of 7.0 or higher and other band scores of 6.0 or higher.
DET – minimum score of 125.
All admitted international graduate students are to take the English Language Proficiency Test offered by the University’s English Language Institute.

Licensure

Upon admission to the MSN or DNP program, the student is expected to have a valid nursing license in Pennsylvania or in the state in which he/she will be completing clinical/practicum requirements. To be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in Pennsylvania, the applicant must obtain the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) certification.

Upon admission to the PhD program, the student is expected to submit a valid nursing license from their home country. Even though not required, PhD students are recommended to obtain a nursing Licensure in Pennsylvania in the event that the license is required for teaching and/or research assignments.

Other

Conditional admission is not available. International applicants must apply for admission, meet the criteria for admission, and be offered admission.

If prerequisite courses are required, they may be taken only at an accredited college or university in the United States. Courses from international institutions are not eligible to fulfill the prerequisite courses.

Upon admission:

Once students are admitted to a degree program and have accepted the offer of admission, they will be contacted by the Office of International Services (OIS) at the University of Pittsburgh to acquire the appropriate visa documentation.

Students must submit evidence of financial resources, sufficient to cover the total cost of the student’s full-time program, to OIS. (International Graduate Student Financial Information ) Students may not register until non-academic clearance has been issued by OIS.

The School of Nursing reserves the right to require, at the student’s expense if necessary, individual curriculum adjustments whenever particular deficiencies or needs are found even after arrival and enrollment. This could include enrollment in courses prerequisite to the regular course of study or additional course work in English as a second language.