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The University of Pittsburgh is a participating institution in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), an interstate agreement that makes it easier for students to take online courses in another state.

As a result, pursuant to regulations and policies set forth by SARA, Pitt is eligible to enroll students from ALL 50 states and the District of Columbia.

NOTE: California is currently not a participating member of SARA; however, Pitt is still able to offer online education and field experiences in that state.

Application Information

School of Education

You can apply to School of Education programs through the Graduate Programs Application.

School of Nursing

You can apply to the School of Nursing programs through the Nursing Online Application.

University Center for Social and Urban Research

You can apply to the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology through the UCSUR Online Application.

School of Law

You can apply for the Health Care Compliance Online program through the Health Care Compliance Online Application.

You can apply for the Human Resources Law Online program through the Human Resources Law Online Application.

Graduate School of Public & International Affairs

You can apply to the Master of Public Policy and Management Program through the MPPM Online Application.

State Authorization

Pitt Online - SARA logoThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania earned SARA membership on January 1, 2017, and the University of Pittsburgh became a SARA-member institution on 3/17/2017. By participating in SARA, Pitt is able to work with students in all other SARA states to some degree. The full list of SARA States and Institutions is available on the Council’s website and receives frequent updates. All participating institutions have agreed to comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education, as well as participation in experiential activities in other SARA-member states. Please note that SARA does not cover professional licensure certification issues (see section below).

Commonly Asked Questions

  • If I don’t live in Pennsylvania, can I enroll in a Pitt Online program? If you are a student living anywhere in the United States, you are eligible to enroll in a Pitt Online program.
  • How does this impact Pitt Online programs that contain field placements? If you are enrolled in a Pitt Online program that includes a field placement experience (such as a clinical assignment, internship, externship, residency, etc.), you are able to complete the placement experience in any state – so long as the experience is associated with the corresponding Pitt Online course or program for which you are enrolled.
  • I currently live outside of the United States. May I still enroll in a Pitt Online program? Pitt’s participation in SARA does not impact potential students living in foreign countries. At this time, Pitt has minimal policy restrictions on student enrollment from foreign countries. Please contact us at online@pitt.edu if you have a specific inquiry about your eligibility.

Professional Licensure

Every state has their own requirements for degrees that lead to professional licensure and certification. SARA membership does not include reciprocity for licensure or certification issues with other states. Pitt’s licensure programs meet Pennsylvania licensure and certification requirements only. Completion of these requirements does not guarantee compatibility with other state licensure certifications. Before enrolling in an online licensure program at Pitt, research whether the licensure will be compatible with those of your home state.

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