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School of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences

Rehabilitation Science (PhD)

Format(s)
On-campus
Degree Type
Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science
Duration

8 years (with approved credit transfer)
10 years (without credit transfer)

Request Info
Format(s)
On-campus
Degree Type
Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science
Duration

8 years (with approved credit transfer)
10 years (without credit transfer)

Request Info

No enrollment specialist is assigned to this program or its parent.

estimated program costs

In-State Tuition

These estimated tuition rates are based on the 2024-25 Academic Year tuition. This does not include costs for mandatory fees, university fees or other costs such as textbooks, supplies, laptop, etc.

$30,894

Full-Time Two Terms

$15,447

Full-Time Per Term

$1,255

Part-Time Per Credit

Out-of-State Tuition

These estimated tuition rates are based on the 2024-25 Academic Year tuition. This does not include costs for mandatory fees, university fees or other costs such as textbooks, supplies, laptop, etc.

$53,456

Full-Time Two Terms

$26,728

Full-Time Per Term

$2,186

Part-Time Per Credit

University Tuition and Fees Breakdown

visit website

Funding resources

Program-specific Funding Resources

Financial assistance is often available from a variety of sources, including graduate student assistantships and teaching assistantships.

These assistantships typically require 20 hours per week of research, teaching, or clinical service in exchange for a tuition, health insurance, and an annual stipend. Other forms of financial assistance, including fellowships, may be available through individual faculty grants. Applicants interested in financial support should indicate this on their applications for admission. Acceptance into the PhD program does not assure that a student will be offered financial aid. Depending on the availability of financial aid, the offer of financial support to an applicant may be deferred until a later date. Since financial aid is limited, applicants who desire financial aid are encouraged to apply early.

SHRS Doctoral Student Award

The Doctoral Student Award provides funding to SHRS PhD students to support projects that are related to their dissertation research.

Department-specific Funding Resources

The Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology offers competitive fellowships to MS students and postdocs.

  • View this scholarship page in late Fall of 2024 for possible scholarship opportunities for the 2025 school year.
  • Student Research Opportunities
  • AccelerATe

RST students are encouraged to apply for external funding. Below is a list of nationally competitive fellowships and funding databases. The links provide a basic summary of each fellowship. If you have specific questions regarding one of these fellowships, please contact the sponsor.

Available Scholarships


AccelerATe

A diverse and well-trained workforce is critical to meet the needs of a growing number of individuals who can benefit from Assistive Technology (AT), a number expected to double from one to two billion people by 2050. To ensure that AT is appropriate for those who need it, the workforce must promote excellence in AT education, design, provision, manufacturing and research. To help fuel this workforce growth, the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology (RST) is offering the AccelerATe Scholarship.

Scholars will receive a one-time maximum scholarship award of $5,000 (U.S.) to offset costs associated with RST degree-granting programs including the master’s in either Rehabilitation Technology (RT) or Prosthetics & Orthotics (P&O).

Eligibility

  • Demonstrate financial need for the scholarship
  • Be from a group that is under-represented in STEM or health care fields and/or have demonstrated leadership supporting disadvantaged groups, such as racial/ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, individuals with disabilities, or those in low-resource settings.

How to Apply


Prospective students who submit an application to the Master of Rehabilitation Technology (MRT) and Prosthetics & Orthotics (P&O) programs will receive detailed information on how to apply for an AccelerATe Scholarship.

Application Requirements

Financial Needs

In a few sentences, provide insight as to why you qualify for this scholarship based on financial need.

Diversity and Inclusion

Submit an essay of no more than 400 words answering the following questions:

  1. How have you served as a role model for groups under-represented in STEM/health care?
  2. What activities did you participate in and how did your efforts support diversity and inclusion initiatives?
  3. How have your experiences and challenges related to diversity and inclusion shaped your career goals?

Selection of Awardees

Awardees will be selected by the RST Selection Committee.

Expectations of AccelerATe Scholars

  • Maintain a good academic standing of at least a 3.0 GPA in your program and make continuous progress towards your degree.
  • Participate in RST’s diversity and inclusion activities.
  • Provide a half-page, written overview of your career goals and how the AccelerATe scholarship supported those goals following completion of your graduate degree program.

The AccelerATe Scholarship is sponsored by the Kaufman family.

 

Schoolwide Funding Resources

Matriculated SHRS students at the undergraduate and graduate level have the opportunity to apply for the following scholarships and financial award opportunities. Some awards are offered through the University and others are school-wide.

Merit Scholarship

The merit scholarships comprise three awards administered under a common application process. The purpose of these scholarships is to acknowledge and aid students who demonstrate high-level scholastic achievement and financial need. Multiple scholarships are awarded per year, pending available funds.

Current SHRS students can review eligibility and criteria for this scholarship on the Current Student Hub.

Selection of Awardees Details

Awardees will be selected by the SHRS Executive Committee. The amount of the awards will depend on available funds and the student’s financial needs and essay composition.

  • Students only need to apply once and will automatically be considered for all three awards.
    • Anne Pascasio Scholarship
    • SHRS Alumni Endowed Scholarship
    • UPMC Endowed Scholarship
  • Students can only receive the scholarship once as an undergrad and once as a graduate student.

Awards for the 2024-2025 term will be announced in mid-January 2025 and be applied to the student’s spring bill.

The Dr. Timothy C. and Mrs. Cynthia B. Sell Student Award

Donors Dr. Timothy Sell and Mrs. Cynthia Sell have established an endowed fund to promote diversity and inclusion within the SHRS student body. The SHRS Faculty Executive Committee will choose the award recipient(s) in mid-January and the award will be applied to the student’s spring tuition bill. Awards will be presented annually pending receipt of qualifying applications.

Current SHRS students can review eligibility and criteria for this scholarship on the Current Student Hub.

Selection of Awardees Details

Awardees will be selected by the SHRS Executive Committee. The amount of the awards will depend on available funds and the student’s financial needs and essay composition. Awards will be announced in mid-January and be applied to the student’s spring bill.

 

University Scholarships and Resources

  • Pitt Alumni Association Scholarships
    The Pitt Alumni Association manages multiple scholarships that students may be eligible to apply for.
  • Honors College Scholarships
    The University Honors College (UHC) advises undergraduates, seniors and alumni who are interested in pursuing national and international awards. These opportunities both recognize past accomplishments and give students enriching educational experiences beyond the classroom. The UHC provides guidance and support on scholarship, fellowship and grant competitions.

PittFund$Me

PittFund$Me connects students with real, relevant scholarships.

Current Pitt Students – How to Apply

Current Pitt students can access PittFund$Me by following this process:

  1. Login to your MyPitt account and search for PittFund$Me. Select the icon and you will be directed to your Student Dashboard.
  2. Once in the system, you will be asked a series of basic questions that will match you to scholarship opportunities from the University of Pittsburgh and outside organizations (all external scholarships have been fully vetted for legitimacy so that you can apply confidently).
  3. The more questions you answer, the more scholarships you can be matched to (you will only see Pitt scholarships when they are open and if they require an application).
  4. For matched scholarships, click the Apply button to navigate to the external organization’s website where you can submit your application.

You’ll be able to manage all of your applications in your personalized dashboard, and Pitt will post alerts for new scholarships that might be interesting to you.

Learn more here.

 

Search for a Scholarship

Use the Pittsburgh Foundation Scholarship search.

University Financial Aid

Visit studentaid.gov to access the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Pitt Federal School code – 008815

Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
University of Pittsburgh
139 University Place, Thackeray Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Office Hours:

Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Contact Information:

Email: finaid@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-624-7488
Website: https://oafa.pitt.edu/contact-us/

Resources


NOTE: Providing your social security number to the University of Pittsburgh in your application for admission is optional. Some SHRS graduate applications do not ask prospective students for their SSN. However, please be advised that you must provide your SSN to the University of Pittsburgh if you are completing the FAFSA or expecting a 1098-T to submit to the IRS for tuition-related expenses. Please click here for information on how to provide your SSN to the University of Pittsburgh if your application does not give you the option to include it with submission.

International Student Financial Information

The Office of International Services (OIS) provides a financial document to inform international graduate students of the financial requirement in order to issue a student visa document (Form I-20 or DS-2019). The document is updated annually.

See the International Graduate Financial Information 2025-2026 here.

  • International students are not eligible for Federal Student Financial Aid through the University of Pittsburgh.
  • International students are eligible to work on campus.
    • Please find additional information on the Office of International Services website.
    • International students may be eligible for a limited number of graduate student researcher positions (these positions are typically awarded to students in our Doctor of Philosophy programs) as well as certain SHRS scholarships.
      • Check out the SHRS scholarships below for eligibility requirements and guidelines.
Learn more about the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology

Related Programs:

Male and female student analyzing data from a smart device.

Rehabilitation Science (PhD)
Female technician adjusting a prosthetic leg.

Prosthetics and Orthotics (MS)
Students and instructors working on a powered wheelchair.

Rehabilitation Technology (MRT)

No enrollment specialist is assigned to this program or its parent.

Learn more about the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology

Related Programs:

Male and female student analyzing data from a smart device.

Rehabilitation Science (PhD)
Female technician adjusting a prosthetic leg.

Prosthetics and Orthotics (MS)
Students and instructors working on a powered wheelchair.

Rehabilitation Technology (MRT)

Get More Information

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Field Descriptions
Field of Study (Intended Major)

  1. Certificate
  2. Certificate - Hybrid/Online

Concentration
  1. Doctorate - Rehabilitation Science
  2. Doctorate - Physical Therapy - Entry-level DPT
  3. Master's Degree - Physical Therapy - Post-professional Master of Science
  4. Master's Degree - Health Informatics
  5. Master - Hybrid/Online - Health Informatics - Online
  6. Master's Degree - Dietitian Nutritionist Program
Term
  1. Fall - Spring - Summer
  2. Fall - Spring
  3. Fall
  4. Spring
  5. Summer
Hidden Info