Carnegie Mellon University Launches Partnership with Schoolhouse.world To Expand Educational Pathways
Sal Khan, CEO of Khan Academy and Schoolhouse.world, highlights new partnership during Commencement keynote address
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A new partnership between Carnegie Mellon University and Schoolhouse.world, an educational nonprofit organization founded by Sal Khan of Khan Academy, aims to help learners and educators embrace new pathways to opportunity.
The organizations are joining forces to broaden access to CMU as well as bring new opportunities for CMU students to gain hands-on experiences as tutors on the Schoolhouse platform. The partnership was announced as part of Khan’s visit to Carnegie Mellon as the 127th Commencement keynote speaker on Sunday, May 11.
“Carnegie Mellon University is deeply committed to fostering access and opportunity, and we also applaud Sal Khan's record of creating innovative and high-quality educational experiences that are broadly available to learners around the world, including Khan Academy and Schoolhouse.world,” said CMU President Farnam Jahanian(opens in new window). “Our new collaboration seeks to unite our institutions around our shared commitment and further democratize learning, benefiting Carnegie Mellon students, high school students around the world and society at large.”
Similar to Khan Academy’s mission to expand learning, the Schoolhouse.world(opens in new window) digital platform offers free educational services worldwide with a focus on high school-level curricula, including algebra, calculus, statistics, computer science and the sciences. The organization focuses on creating tutoring opportunities for learners around the globe.
“This partnership represents a breakthrough in how we think about service, education and impact,” said Khan, who also received an honorary degree at CMU’s Commencement ceremony. “By enabling college students to earn course credit while volunteering as STEM tutors on Schoolhouse.world, we’re not only giving tutoring the academic recognition it deserves, but also expanding access to free learning for students around the world. Together, we’re showing what’s possible when institutions champion both equity and innovation. Carnegie Mellon is leading the way, and I hope their example inspires more universities to follow.”
The collaboration will take a multipronged approach to expanding educational opportunity.
Through this collaboration, Carnegie Mellon will now consider a Schoolhouse portfolio — a record of tutoring certifications and volunteer hours — as part of its holistic undergraduate admissions review process. This creates a new, formalized pathway for applicants to demonstrate not only subject mastery in areas like math and science, but also their commitment to peer learning and service that CMU is now equipped to recognize.
Additionally, students who earn certification through Schoolhouse.world will be eligible to take placement exams in foundational STEM courses at CMU, such as biology, chemistry, physics, calculus and computer science. Those who pass can advance directly into higher-level coursework — and in the future, may even earn CMU credit for their certified expertise.
And for CMU students, a new for-credit course — Tutoring, Teaching and Leading Through Education — will launch in Pittsburgh in the 2025-26 academic year, beginning with a focus on mathematics. It gives undergraduates hands-on experience tutoring on the Schoolhouse.world platform while learning about the broader impact of mentoring and the role of peer instruction in shaping learning outcomes. CMU will provide the academic framework — instruction, assessment and credit — while students provide real-world support to learners across the globe.
"Carnegie Mellon has a longstanding commitment to advancing equitable access to education,” said James H. Garrett Jr(opens in new window)., CMU provost and chief academic officer. “I am thrilled about our partnership with Schoolhouse.world, which represents a significant opportunity to enrich the educational experience of both our outstanding students and future scholars."
The partnership is the latest development in Carnegie Mellon's journey to advance access, opportunity and affordability, including a deep and distinguished legacy in learning science(opens in new window). The university's premier leadership in learning engineering is driven by the philosophy that technology is not just an educational tool but can measurably improve learning outcomes.
The partnership with Schoolhouse.world is one of several ongoing efforts by the university to broaden access to the highest quality education for deserving, talented and high-achieving students at all levels, including:
