University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA

Quick Facts

Address: 907 William Pitt Union, 3959 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260

School Type: 4 Year Public State-Related University

Student Body: 25,679 Undergraduate Students

On-Campus Housing: Yes

Application Deadline: Rolling

✓ Identifies & Tracks Foster Youth
✓ Specific Programming for Foster Youth
✓ Beneficial Programming for Foster Youth
✓ Year-Round Housing Available

Campus Programming

Pitt Horizon Scholars

The University of Pittsburgh’s Horizon Scholars program provides holistic support to current students with lived experience in the foster care system, empowering them to successfully navigate their academic journey at Pitt. Horizon Scholars is specifically designed to address the systemic barriers and unique challenges that often impact student persistence, retention, and degree completion. Our comprehensive suite of services includes housing assistance, academic support and planning, financial wellness education, access to employment, social and emotional support, resource navigation, and mentorship, the program fosters student success and a strong sense of belonging from enrollment through graduation.

Program Components

The program will take a curricular approach, and foster community while building critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration among students.
Through a variety of engaging activities and assessments, students will develop essential skills to support their sense of belonging and academic success.
Horizon Scholar Forward Focus Meetings: Your personalized session to plan, connect, and take action. These will be facilitated by Resource Advisors. The Horizon Scholar Forward Focus Resource Meetings are a core component of the Horizon Scholar mentorship experience, high-impact individual meetings held at key points throughout the semester that are designed to foster academic success, personal growth, and a strong sense of belonging.
Exploring the Horizon Workshops: Where potential meets direction building life-skills. Through a range of academic and personal success Exploring the Horizon Workshops, students will engage with topics tailored to their backgrounds and needs, with the goal of promoting holistic development and achievement at Pitt.
Horizon Hangs: Promoting a culture of belonging through meaningful peer engagement. Horizon Hangs is a relaxed social series created to provide Horizon Scholars with opportunities to unwind, connect, and develop authentic relationships in a welcoming environment. The series emphasizes informal interaction, engaging activities, and peer bonding to help students feel a strong sense of belonging within the community while reinforcing their support networks.

Guiding Principles

All students should have opportunities to pursue their talents, passions, and goals.
Students bring their own unique combinations of identities, experiences, strengths, and opportunities for growth.
Horizon Scholars program is designed to empower students to have the skills, agency, social supports, and problem-solving skills to direct their futures.
Students need to be “met where they are” to build upon their existing skills and approaches to life, while providing guidance and supports as needed.
As with all students, supporting Horizon Scholars will involve a collaborative approach that activates segments of the university community to serve as mentors, peer support and campus resources. As a community, we recognize the need to support each other to grow, learn, Staff Mentor, and succeed.
Our approach balances personalized attention with systemic consistency. We aim to create a support experience that is flexible enough to honor individual needs, yet standardized enough to be fair, dependable, and scalable.

Who are Horizon Scholars?

Our program is grounded in the belief that students who have experienced disrupted caregiving, housing instability, or inconsistent adult support and who demonstrate remarkable resilience in the face of these challenges deserve a consistent, equitable, and structured foundation of support throughout their college journey.

Interested in learning more about the Horizon Scholars program? Please be sure to complete the form below!

Complete the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Resource Interest Agreement Here
This form lets you share your areas of interest and the types of resources you’d like to explore during the academic year. It helps staff understand what supports may be most useful to you.

Apply to Join the Horizon Scholars Community
Complete the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Horizon Scholar Intent Agreement Here
This form confirms your intent to participate in specific resources or programs. It indicates your commitment to engaging with the opportunities available.

Disclosure Statement
Please note that completion of the Fall 2026–Spring 2027 Horizon Scholar Program Interest Agreement, and the Fall 2026–Spring 2027 Horizon Scholar Program Intent Agreement is entirely voluntary. Students are not required to complete these forms if they do not wish to participate in the resource opportunities or related meetings.

Choosing not to complete the agreements will not negatively affect your standing as a student, your access to academic programs, or your ability to utilize the general services available to all students. These agreements are designed solely to assist in tailoring additional support and opportunities for those who express interest.

We encourage students to complete the forms if they feel that participation may be beneficial to their academic, personal, or professional development. However, if you are not interested at this time, no further action is required on your part.

Interested students can also contact the Educational Outreach Center at eocinfo@pitt.edu or (412) 648-1900.

University Educational Outreach Center

Supports equitable pathways to college for underserved and historically underrepresented scholars.

Pitt K12 Hub

The Pitt K12 Hub is an online one-stop shop to browse Pitt-wide programs and activities preparing the next generation of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) majors and professionals.

Student Success Hub

The Student Success Hub exists as a space for students to collaborate with each other and with Pitt resources.

Study Lab

Study Lab is home to a generous staff of experienced professionals and students, who serve as guides and mentors throughout student’s academic journey. Services include academic coaching, peer tutoring, and study skills tools and resources.

Division of Student Affairs, Care & Resource Support

Care Managers: Care Managers are a centralized case management team that educates and connects students to a variety of campus and community resources to help them meet their needs. Students can refer themselves or be referred by faculty, staff, or a peer.

Pitt Food Pantry: The Pitt Pantry serves to increase food security among the Pitt community. Students are encouraged to visit the Pitt Pantry to supplement their nutrition with healthy foods at no cost.

Counseling Center

The mission of the University Counseling Center (UCC) is to create an inclusive space and provide high quality services that support the emotional well-being of Pitt’s diverse student body. UCC services are provided by a multidisciplinary staff of licensed mental health professionals. The Personalized Care Model utilizes a multimodal approach to help students connect with available resources, supports and services that appropriately match their needs.

Disability Resources and Services

It is the mission of Disability Resources & Services (DRS) to fulfill the University’s commitment to an inclusive and accessible campus environment by partnering with individuals with disabilities and the University community to provide equal access to employment, classes, programs, and activities. Disability Resources and Services can support students in securing accommodations, accessing resources and understanding your rights as a student.

Office of Vice Provost and Dean of Students, Emergency Funding and Meal Assistance

The fund provides financial support for degree-seeking students of Pitt with unanticipated and insurmountable expenses related to emergency situations that may result in students facing financial hardship.

Thrive @ Pitt

Thrive @ Pitt is a comprehensive online resource that highlights the Eight Pillars of Well-Being: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, financial, occupational, and social. Each pillar has its own dedicated page and features programs to enhance student wellness at each of Pitt’s five campuses.

Supplemental Information

University of Pittsburgh has four regional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown and Titusville. Learn more here.

Email fieldctr@sp2.upenn.edu!