A view from the Pattee mall facing Schwab Auditorium and Old Main
How to Apply
Degree Admission
Admission is granted jointly by the Graduate School and the program in which the applicant plans to study. Because the admissions process is decentralized, an applicant must apply for admission to a particular program of study.
Applicants may apply to only one graduate program and campus at a time. The Graduate School will not consider concurrent applications for admission to more than one program and does not act upon an application without a program's recommendation. Holders of a doctorate are not encouraged to apply for a second doctoral degree.
To apply to a graduate degree program at Penn State, check the instructions on each program's individual Web site. Programs' sites can be located through our list of Graduate Programs of Study.
Currently, the graduate degree application fee is $45 and is non-refundable. Effective October 1, 2008, the graduate degree application fee will be $65, non-refundable. This fee will be in effect for all degree applications submitted beginning October 1, regardless of the intended date of enrollment.
Nondegree Admission
If you do not intend to pursue a graduate degree but want to take graduate-level courses for personal enrichment, professional development, instructional II public education certification, or later want to apply for degree status, you can seek admission as a nondegree student. In general, nondegree applicants are not required to submit transcripts, however, under certain circumstances and depending on which campus location you choose, you may be asked to submit them. Nondegree applicants must have received from an accredited institution a baccalaureate degree earned under residence and credit conditions substantially equivalent to those required by Penn State. International applicants whose first language is not English or who have not received a baccalaureate or master's degree from an institution in which the language of instruction is English must submit a TOEFL score of 550 (paper test), a score of 213 (computer-based test), a total score of 80 with a 20 on the speaking section (internet-based test), or a minimum composite score of 6.5 on the IELTS.
Changing from graduate nondegree status to regular status requires a new admission application. If you choose to enter Penn State as a graduate nondegree student, you must realize that no more than 15 credits of course work accumulated in nondegree status can count toward a graduate degree. However, admission as a nondegree student neither guarantees nor implies subsequent admission to a degree program. You should also be aware that nondegree students are not eligible to receive fellowships or graduate assistantships and preference for courses is given to degree students. Programs control access to some courses.
For nondegree admission, you may apply online (electronically) for all campuses or for the Harrisburg and Great Valley campuses you may download and complete the Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) application and return it to the address listed at the top of the application. Two types of downloadable applications are available - 'Print out only' or 'Type on and Print.' You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the nondegree downloadable application. If you do not currently have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click on the icon below which will take you to the Adobe site to obtain the free software.