Admissions
Read more about the international student application requirements at the end of the page.
Application
Prerequisites
- A bachelor’s degree is required.
- No specific major is mandated; however, the degree should include a well-rounded general education with a distribution of courses in the sciences, mathematics, psychology, social sciences and humanities. Please note, the GRE is no longer required for admission. Any received scores will be discarded and not used in application scoring.
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (based on 4.0) in all college-level courses, as well as a 3.0 in prerequisite coursework. Applicants with less than a 3.0 but with other outstanding qualifications will be considered.
- Students can submit their application even if the prerequisite courses are in-progress, as long as the intention to complete them is marked on the application and will be completed before entry into the program.
Prerequisite Coursework:
- Physics with lab, 4 credits
- Biology with lab, 4 credits
- Chemistry with lab, 4 credits
- Psychology (Abnormal or Human Growth & Development), 3 credits
- Mathematics (Algebra or higher), 3 credits
- Human anatomy, 3 credits
- Human physiology, 3 credits
- Statistics, 3 credits
Provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Students can use the prerequisite rubric to identify the prerequisites that must be successfully completed to be considered eligible for entry into the Pitt Prosthetics and Orthotics program. The rubric should also be used as a resource to identify suggested courses that would fulfill the requirement of a given prerequisite.
If you have any questions, contact the program’s enrollment specialist.
Transcripts
Applicants are required to provide transcripts from all U.S. universities, colleges or other higher education institutions attended.
Admitted students will need to submit official transcripts to the SHRS Admissions Office prior to enrolling in classes.
Experience
Demonstrate adequate exposure to the profession of Orthotics and/or Prosthetics through volunteer or work experience. It is recommended that a minimum of 250 observation hours are completed and recorded. This will also allow for the practitioner to write a sufficient letter of recommendation.
Students can submit their application with this as an outstanding requirement, as long as the intention to complete them is marked on the application and will be completed before entry into the program.
The submission of a Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist (CPO) recommendation letter can serve as your shadowing record. However, if you shadow at multiple sites or are looking for tools to track, document and report with students may use the provided resources, here.
- Verification Letter for Shadowing Supervisor – PDF Download
- Shadowing Hour Log (Personal Use) – WordDoc (Microsoft) Download
- Completing and submitting these logs is not a requirement of the application.
Current Pitt Students: View this SharePoint Site for more information about local Pittsburgh shadowing, volunteering and other hands-on opportunities. Pitt Passport required.
Personal Statement
Submit an essay describing why the student is interested in this profession and their long-term goals.
Letters of Recommendation
Submit three letters of recommendation. The recommenders should write to the students’ work ethic, character and provide subject-specific feedback on the students’ performance.
- One (1) academic reference from a college-level instructor
- Two (2) additional letters of reference
- One from a CPO is strongly recommended
- Others in the field (such as a technician)
Application Review Process
Admissions decisions will be made on a rolling basis until all seats are filled; applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. Applicants can expect to hear an update regarding their status no later than March 1. Applications must be verified in OPCAS in order to be reviewed.
All communication regarding the applicant’s application will be emailed to the address on file with OPCAS. We encourage applicants to remain in contact with the program and enrollment specialist if questions arise.
International Student Information
The following requirements are necessary for applicants from outside of the U.S.
For questions about the international student requirements, please reach out to the SHRS Admissions Office.
Verification of English Language Proficiency
The University of Pittsburgh accepts the official results of the Duolingo English Test, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a measure of English language proficiency.
Verification is required unless the following apply:
- The applicant is a citizen of a country whose official language is English.
- The applicant has completed a degree program at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S.
- The applicant is not a citizen of a country whose official language is English but has completed a degree program at an institution outside of the U.S. where the language of instruction is English and where the official national language of the country in which the institution is located is English.
Minimum Scores by Program
On-campus Programs — Duolingo: 120 | IELTS: 6.5 | TOEFL: 80
New TOEFL scale as of January 2026: 4.0 with all sub-scores of 4.0 or higher.
- Athletic Training (MS)
- Health Informatics (MS)
- Health Data Analytics (Certificate)
- Leadership in Health Informatics (Certificate)
- Occupational Therapy (Post-Professional MS)
- Prosthetics and Orthotics (MS)
- Sports Science (MS)
On-campus Programs — Duolingo: 140 | IELTS: 7.5 | TOEFL: 100
New TOEFL scale as of January 2026: 5.0 with all sub-scores of 4.0 or higher.
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS)
- Duolingo sub-score of 140-145 conversation and 130-135 comprehension are required.
- IELTS sub-score of 8.0 speaking and 7.0 listening are required.
- TOEFL sub-score of 26 for speaking and 24 for listening are required.
- New TOEFL scale as of January 2026: 5.0 with sub-scores of 4.0 or higher. Sub-scores for speaking and listening require a 5.0 or higher.
- Communication Science and Disorders (Post-Baccalaureate)
- Communication Science (PhD)
- Dietitian Nutritionist Program (MS)
- Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
- Doctor of Chiropractic (DC)
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Physician Assistant Studies (MS)
- Rehabilitation Science (PhD)
- Speech Language Pathology (MA/MS)
Hybrid and Online Programs — Duolingo: 140 | IELTS: 7.5 | TOEFL: 100
New TOEFL scale as of January 2026: 5.0 with all sub-scores of 4.0 or higher.
- Hybrid
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Master of Rehabilitation Technology (MRT)
- Online
- Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy (CScD)
- Advanced Practice Certificate in Implementation of Evidence in Clinical Practice (Certificate)
- Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)
- Health Informatics (MS)
- Health Data Analytics (Certificate)
- Leadership in Health Informatics (Certificate)
How to Submit Scores
- Duolingo English Test: Scores should be made available electronically to “University of Pittsburgh – School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences”
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Scores should be made available electronically to “University of Pittsburgh Health and Rehabilitation Sciences”
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Scores should be submitted electronically through ETS to institution code “2927”.
Academic Credential Evaluations
Students who have completed the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree or higher at an institution outside of the United States are required to provide an academic credential evaluation from Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. or World Education Services (WES), Inc. with their application.
- A course-by-course evaluation with GPA conversion is required.
- Evaluations are not required for degrees earned in the United States. If you have attended an English Canadian institution, please contact the SHRS Admissions Office.
- Individual SHRS programs may have their own specific Academic Credential Evaluation requirements.