Duquesne University
The institution
Founded in 1878, Duquesne University is Tier 1 nationally ranked university (#143 in the 2021 US News & World Report National Universities rankings and #51 in Best Value Schools). Duquesne is a private institution with Roman Catholic roots with a strong focus on educational excellence. Students will benefit from lots of personal attention as the university offers an excellent student to faculty ratio of 14:1 and almost half of classes delivered on campus are to fewer than 20 students!
Each year, Duquesne University welcomes approximately 500 international students from around 85 countries of the world, so you are sure to have a truly global experience.
Majors
As a Tier 1 Nationally Ranked University, you can be sure that Duquesne University offers academic strength across its portfolio of undergraduate and graduate programs.
However, its Bachelor’s degree programs in Biochemistry*, Information Systems Management*, Biomedical Engineering*, International Business and Computer Science* are particularly popular with international students. The BBA in International Business exposes students to real-world business affairs through activities with international businesses and organizations located in the Pittsburgh area.
Popular graduate programs for international students include Analytics & Information Management*, Computer Science* (no GRE required!), Computational Mathematics & Statistics* and Biotechnology*.
Duquesne University features highly in many OF THE us News & World Report’s graduate rankings, including Occupational Therapy (#29), School of Pharmacy (#43), Speech Language Pathology (#55) and the School of Nursing (#62).
Meanwhile its Sustainable Business Practices MBA is ranked #1 in the USA and #4 in the world according to Corporate Knights’ 2020 ranking of Better World MBAs. In addition to teaching you business fundamentals, this program will equip you with the knowledge to help companies tackle global challenges.
Meanwhile, for those who wish to study at Duquesne University but who need to improve their English first, consider one of the program options below:
Gateway Program (Undergraduate)
Your Gateway to a Duquesne degree. Learn English while earning credit toward your undergraduate degree. Students can apply for an undergraduate degree at Duquesne with or without English language test scores. Here’s how it works:
- The Gateway is designed for students seeking admission to Duquesne while improving their academic English skills
- You can be admitted as a degree student for the Summer (May), Fall (August) or Spring (January) semesters, and begin your English coursework immediately
- You will complete English coursework while earning up to a total of 15 credits toward your undergraduate degree (15 credits is equivalent to 1-semester of your Bachelor degree)
- Once you complete the Gateway coursework satisfactorily, you may begin your degree program right away
If you have a TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, or PTE Academic score: Depending on your score you will study for 1, 2, or 3 semesters (4 months, 8 months or 12 months of study). No test score, no problem! You will be tested and placed in appropriate English courses once you arrive on campus.
Pathway Programs (Graduate)
The Pathway Program grants you time to work on your English language, writing, and speaking skills to help you gain full admission to an academic graduate program. As a student in the Pathway Program, you will take English language classes that will prepare you for graduate-level coursework as well as other tests such as the GRE or GMAT needed for full admission into your chosen graduate program. You will also take academic classes that will start you on your academic career path.
Pathway Program Options
- Analytics & Information Management
- Biotechnology
- Business Administration
- Computational Mathematics & Statistics
- Computer Science
- Corporate Communication & Integrated Marketing Communication
- Environmental Science & Management
- Media Arts & Technology
- Music Performance
- Supply Chain Management
What can I expect to learn in the Pathway Program?
You will work on academic coursework and take necessary tests for full admission into the program. You will need to obtain acceptable course grades and meet the required test scores in order to gain full admission into your chosen graduate program. Duquesne’s Pathway Program consists of two components:
- English language instruction, as preparation for graduate coursework
- At least six (6) credits of academic coursework that will be applied to your Duquesne graduate degree program
Scholarships
All applicants for a Duquesne bachelor degree are automatically considered for merit scholarships ranging from $5,000 – $22,000 per year. In addition, supplementary scholarship awards of up to $4,000 per year can be applied for.
24 graduate programs offer 25% tuition scholarships based on merit, including Biotechnology, Environmental Science & Management and the Professional MBA. For the full list of eligible programs and more information on how to apply, go here.
Location
At Duquesne University, you get the best of both worlds. While strolling Academic Walk to get to class, you’ll enjoy a beautiful, safe, self-contained campus with lots of green spaces and a distinctive view of the city skyline.
When you’re ready to take advantage of everything Pittsburgh has to offer, just take a short walk or bus ride as the campus is located in the downtown Pittsburgh area! The PPG Paints Arena – home to the National Hockey League professionals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as big-name music concerts— is just one block from campus. Walk a few more blocks into town and you’ll be in Pittsburgh’s cultural district, where plays, concerts, comedy shows and the ballet await. Prefer to shop or dine out? There are plenty of stores and restaurants downtown and in nearby neighborhoods, like the SouthSide Works or Station Square.
Pittsburgh was recently ranked #6 among best US cities for STEM jobs (STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Many well-known tech employers such as Google, Duolingo and Uber have set up big regional hubs here or, in the case of Duolingo, Pittsburgh is home to their Head Office. There are 20 universities in and around Pittsburgh, making it a great place for student life.
Living costs are also below average for major metropolitan areas in the USA and this has led Pittsburgh to feature highly in many recent rankings among US cities for best places for young people to live, work and study. For example, in 2018 CNBC named Pittsburgh the No. 1 U.S. city for young people based on job opportunities, affordability and liveability.

Campus Life
Duquesne University’s Power Center is a popular place for students to work out and to socialise. The Power Center offers four floors of fitness with over 65 cardio machines, free weights, indoor running track as well as multipurpose, basketball and racquetball courts. Students wishing to enjoy some friendly sporting competition can sign up for Intramural leagues and tournaments in basketball, dodgeball, football (soccer), volleyball and more.
The Union NiteSpot is a popular place for students to hang out. As well as a program of activities that changes on a weekly business, students can play pool, table tennis, watch movies or just chat with friends.
There are also over 250 recognized student organizations to choose from, where you can meet like-minded students and make lasting friendships. Popular organizations to join include the International Students Organization, the African Student Union, Anime Club, Ebony Women: Women for Social Change, the Muslim Student Organization and many more!
Housing
There are 7 residence halls on campus and approximately two thirds of full-time undergraduate students decide to live on campus as they find it a great way to socialize and also to collaborate on study projects.
St. Ann and St. Martin Halls are the two main residence halls for Freshman students (those joining straight from High School). St. Martin Hall accommodates 465 Freshmen students (as well as approximately 20 students from more senior years) in single or twin rooms. St. Ann Hall is exclusively for Freshmen students and it houses approximately 600 students in a mix of single, twin, triple and quad rooms. St Ann Hall has two wings – one for male students and one for female students. Further info about these two halls and the other 5 options which tend to focus on upperclassmen or graduate students, can be found here. Please note that, for the first 2 years of the Bachelor (Freshman and Sophomore years), students are required to live on campus.
Duquesne University campus offers 11 different dining locations, including well-known and popular brands Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A. Students living on campus must enroll in a meal plan.
What comes next?
Seed loves Duquesne University because...
Tier One nationally ranked university offering the benefits of a safe campus, yet just a few minutes’ walk from downtown Pittsburgh
Small classes and a student to faculty ratio of 14:1, so lots of personal attention
Great job opportunities in Pittsburgh’s thriving tech industries
Quick Navigation
Key information:
Location:
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Type of Institution:
University
Suitable for:
High school leavers Transfer students Graduate students
Majors:
80 Bachelor programs (including Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Data Science, Health Science, International Relations, Pharmaceutical Science & Pre-Medical) and 50+ Master’s programs (including Accounting, Biomedical Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), Computer Science, Health Administration, Occupational Therapy & Supply Chain Management)
Annual tuition (in USD):
Bachelor Degree – $14,000 – $40,000 depending on scholarship award
Master’s: $16,000 – $29,000 depending on program
Estimated annual expenses (USD):
Bachelor: $31,300 – $57,300 depending on scholarship award
Master’s: $33,300 – $42,250
Number of students:
10,000
Campus housing?
Yes
Nearest airport:
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
Need more info?

Other US Colleges & universities:
Institutions for Freshmen – those looking for US study options immediately after high school:
- Fulton-Montgomery Community College
- Louisiana Tech University
- McNeese State University
- Ohio Dominican University
- Rowan University
- Santa Rosa Junior College
- Shoreline Community College
- The University of Tampa
Institutions for USA Transfer students – those who want to complete their Bachelor degree in the Unites States:
- Louisiana Tech University
- McNeese State University
- Northeastern University
- Ohio Dominican University
- Rowan University
- The University of Tampa
Institutions for Graduate studies – those looking to apply for a Master’s or MBA in the USA: