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; and
4) Language Development

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 SHRS CSD Admissions.

All applications for the SLP 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. 
• 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 SLP Admissions.

The application deadline is January 15 of each year.

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) in the first two weeks of March each year.

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) during the first two weeks of March.

Interviews are not part of the application process.  You can schedule a virtual visit by contacting SHRS CSD admissions.

On average, applicants who are accepted to our SLP program have an overall GPA of 3.76, a CSD major GPA of 3.89. 

A successful candidate to the SLP 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.

The CSD Department requires that students complete at least 15 hours of observation of speech/language pathology and/or audiology services, before participating in patient contact time.  These observation hours should be in your major (SLP or Aud) and should be conducted with a licensed and appropriately certified clinician.  Students who have not completed the observation requirement will begin clinical education with an observation schedule.

The SLP program is a two-year program (5-6 semesters) at the University of Pittsburgh.

The SLP program of the University of Pittsburgh has been ranked 5th in the current rankings of U.S. News and World Report.

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

Tuition rates are established by the University of Pittsburgh. For current tuition and fee rates, please visit the University of Pittsburgh Tuition & Fees web page.

To estimate costs for the SLP 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 SLP students will be charged tuition for:

1. 4 academic terms, over 2 academic years at the flat full-time rate; 
2. 1st summer session at the per credit rate (6-10 credits each); 
3. Some students may require a 2nd summer semester to complete their program.  Credit load is typically 1-2 credits.

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 SLP 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.

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 year 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 through the Off-Campus Living web site. SLP students will also have an upper class mentor.