Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for U.S. Applicants

In addition to successful completion of an undergraduate degree in CSD, all applicants must have successfully completed 3 credits in the following non-CSD areas prior to starting the graduate program:

1) Biologic Science; 2) Physical Science; 3) Behavioral Science; and 4) Statistics (not research design)

YES, there are requirements.

Applicants without a Communication Science and Disorders major from an accredited university must complete coursework in the following areas:

1) Hearing and Speech Science;

2) Anatomy and Physiology of the Hearing and Speech mechanism;

3) Transcription Phonetics;

4) Language Development; and

5) Linguistics

You must also complete one 3-credit non-CSD course in the following areas: 1) Biologic Science; 2) Physical Science; 3) Behavioral Science; and 4) Statistics (not research design).

All prerequisite courses are to be completed prior to start of the program. Specific questions about prerequisites should be directed to Jennifer Coyle.

All applications for the AuD degree must be submitted through the Communication Science & Disorders Centralized Application Service, known as CSDCAS at the following portal: https://portal.csdcas.org/. As part of the application you must:

• Answer short essay questions
• Provide 3 letters of recommendation (it is recommended that two are from CSD professors);
• Send an official transcript to CSDCAS; and
• All applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher by start date of classes in August.

Detailed application instructions may be found at CSD AuD Admissions.

The application deadline is January 15, 2021.

The Admissions Committee will only review verified applications received from CSDCAS. A CSDCAS application for the University of Pittsburgh is considered complete when 3 letters of recommendation are received and all transcripts are received and verified by CSDCAS. Fall grades should be submitted to CSDCAS when the Academic Update becomes available.

All applicants will receive an application decision (Offer made, Wait List, Denied) by March 5, 2021.

Yes, we strongly recommend that you “Submit” your application before December 15, 2020 to allow sufficient time for CSDCAS to verify your transcript which can take 4-6 weeks.

Yes. CSDCAS will open the portal to allow you to complete an Academic Update for 2 weeks in mid-January. This is a separate verification process from your initial transcript verification.

Please check with CSDCAS for the exact dates the portal will be open for this update.

All applicants will receive an application decision (Offer made, Wait List, Denied) by March 5, 2021.

After faculty review of your application, select candidates will be invited to interview. Details on interviews will be provided in the Spring semester.

Contact Dr. Sheila Pratt for any additional program information.

Yes! To schedule an in person tour, please reach out to csdadmissions@shrs.pitt.edu

On average, applicants who are accepted to our AuD program have an overall GPA of 3.66, a CSD major GPA of 3.79.

A successful candidate to the AuD program at the University of Pittsburgh will have a strong academic record.  Beyond academics, we also appreciate applicants with varied and rich cultural and extracurricular experiences.  Please be sure to highlight the unique qualities and experiences that will make you an excellent clinician and citizen of the CSD community, including (but not limited to) those that demonstrate resilience, community engagement, research and non-traditional forms of learning.

Although GPA and letters of recommendation are very important, the Admissions Committee is equally interested in an applicant's answers to the essay questions and relevant experiences.

Applicants are not required to have clinical observation hours to be reviewed for admission to our programs. However, you are required to complete a minimum of 25 hours of observation prior to starting clinical practice in our program. AuD students are required to have 10 (of the 25) hours observing an ASHA certified audiologist. 

The AuD program is a four-year program. The first three years are resident at the University of Pittsburgh. The fourth year is a full time clinical externship that may be in cities other than Pittsburgh.

The AuD program of the University of Pittsburgh has been ranked 6th in the current rankings of U.S. News and World Report.

The AuD program of the University of Pittsburgh is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA).

Click here for current tuition and fee rates.

To estimate costs for the AuD program, you need to know that you will be classified as a graduate student in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in a “First Professional” degree program.

The next category you will have to determine is if you are considered a PA resident or not; the tuition eligibility guidelines can be helpful.

All AuD students will be charged tuition for:

1. 6 academic terms, over 3 academic years at the flat full-time rate;

2. 2 summer sessions at the per credit rate (12-15 credits each);

3. Extern year, minimally 3 semesters at the per credit rate (5 credits each).

Please also be advised that students should anticipate costs related to laboratory fees, physical examinations, medical requirements (e.g., TB, Flu Shots), security clearances and any drug screens required by their preceptorship sites. These fees vary by program and the assigned clinical site but are approximately $150-200/year.

Information on student loans can be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid at the University of Pittsburgh. There are a limited number of merit-based scholarships that become available over the course of your program. Students are notified of opportunities as they become available.

We do not offer graduate assistantships or teaching assistantships to AuD students.

Our primary clinical affiliation is with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. We also have strong clinical relationships with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the VA Medical Center, various school districts and early intervention agencies as well as private practice offices. Students may also have clinical experiences at the Western PA School for the Deaf and DePaul School for Hearing and Speech.

Externship placements are available throughout the United States.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide their own transportation to clinical sites. Placements during the first year of the program are generally reachable by public transportation. However, students in their 2nd and 3rd years will often be placed in sites that will be easier accessed with a car. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you arrange access to a car by your second year in the program.

Students without a car will have greater difficulty completing clinical requirements and may be delayed in graduation.

The University does not offer housing for graduate students. However, you can get information on housing near the University of Pittsburgh at:http://www.ocl.pitt.edu. AuD students will also have an upper class mentor from the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) that can help you with finding housing.