A university education can be life-changing for individuals and society. However, prospective students, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, sometimes simply cannot assemble the resources they need to give them an opportunity to access a great Pitt education.
Ensuring access to—and affordability of—that education is a significant priority for the University and for Office of the Provost. The office is deeply committed to exploring ways to address challenges and opportunities in allocating need-based financial aid and lowering student debt.
Pitt Success Pell Plus Program
The Pitt Success Pell Match Program invests in both current students and prospective students across all five Pitt campuses who demonstrate the greatest need.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about eligibility and other aspects of the program at the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid's Pitt Success Pell Plus Program page.
Provost Academy
The Provost Academy is a summer bridge program designed to help set a student up for success in the first year. The Provost Academy strives to give students a head start on the learning environment at Pitt with a focus on making connections with university faculty, staff, and students through interesting academic projects and classroom learning, community field projects, resource/opportunity workshops, and evening social activities.
Through participation in the Provost Academy students also become more familiar with the campus and the city of Pittsburgh, in addition to the academic climate.
Kessler Scholars Program
The University of Pittsburgh is part of the national Kessler Scholars Collaborative along with 15 other institutions. Together, these schools are transforming the undergraduate experience for first-generation college students. Students who join the Kessler Scholars Program are part of a powerful network of first-generation leaders, connected across multiple institutions throughout their undergraduate college experience and beyond.
TRIO McNair Scholars Program
The Pitt TRIO McNair Scholars Program, a grant funded program from the U.S. Department of Education, provides structured educational experiences that are designed to motivate, prepare, and support first-generation, limited-income, and underrepresented college students in their efforts to pursue postbaccalaureate degrees.
Student Success Hub
Coinciding with National First-Generation College Student Day in November 2022, the Student Success Hub was launched as a place where all students can find resources, programming, and advising to help them throughout their college career along with a network of campus collaborators willing to provide that help.
University Educational Outreach Center
Launched January 2022, the University Educational Outreach Center (EOC) is dedicated to building pathways to college, including the potential to enroll at the University of Pittsburgh or other colleges and universities. The EOC's flagship programs include Investing Now, Pitt Horizon Scholars, Pittsburgh Admissions Collaboration, and Pittsburgh Public Scholars.
Pitt2Pitt Scholarship
The Pitt2Pitt Scholarship gives graduating Pitt undergraduates and Pitt alumni the opportunity to receive up to a $7,500 tuition scholarship per year when they enroll in a participating Pitt graduate or professional program. Eligible students are able to choose from the 80+ graduate and professional programs offering the Pitt2Pitt Scholarship, including flexible part-time, online, and hybrid options.
Provost’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship
The Provost’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship, formerly the Provost’s Dissertation Year Fellowship, provides dedicated time for research doctoral students to focus full-time on finishing their dissertation during their last term of doctoral studies. The fellowship supports doctoral students who have exhausted existing sources of funding and anticipate completing their dissertation in the term in which they receive the fellowship.