A view from the Pattee mall facing Schwab Auditorium and Old Main
Apply
How to Apply: Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School at Penn State
Important Information for All Applicants
Academic Eligibility Requirements - For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
English Proficiency - The language of instruction at Penn State is English. All international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, which requires completion of specified remedial English courses ESL 114G (American Oral English for Academic Purposes) and/or ESL 116G (ESL/Composition for Academic Disciplines) and attainment of a grade of B or higher. The minimum acceptable composite score for the IELTS is 6.5. Graduate programs may have more stringent requirements.
International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have received a baccalaureate or a graduate degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales.
Please note that specific graduate programs may require all international applicants to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score, regardless of their academic background and country of origin.
Application Fees – All application fees are nonrefundable. A $65 nonrefundable application fee is required for degree admission and postbaccalaureate (including graduate) credit certificate programs. A $30 nonrefundable application fee is required for nondegree admission.
Degree Admission
Admission is granted jointly by the Graduate School and the program in which the applicant plans to study. The program recommends admission and the Graduate School makes the final decision. Because the admissions process is decentralized, an applicant must apply for admission to a specific program of study.
An applicant may apply to only one graduate degree program and campus at a time. The Graduate School will not consider concurrent applications for admission to more than one degree program and does not act upon an application without a program's recommendation. If additional degree applications are submitted, only the most recently submitted application will be reviewed. Holders of a doctorate are discouraged from applying for a second doctoral degree. (See Policy on Second Doctorates).
Applicants to Penn State Harrisburg, Penn State Great Valley, and Penn State Erie should send all supporting admission materials, including transcripts/records, to the admissions office at that location. All other applicants must mail official transcripts/records of all post-secondary institutions attended and other supplemental documents to the graduate program to which they are applying. Transcripts/records must be in the official language of the institution(s) attended, but if that language is not English, an official English translation must also be sent.
To apply to a graduate degree program at Penn State, review the instructions on the appropriate program's website. A list of degree program sites may be found on the Graduate Programs of Study web page.
Individuals applying for Level I Instructional, Supervisory, Educational Specialist, and Administrative certification issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education upon the recommendation of the University must apply using the degree application and choose "Pennsylvania Educators Level I Certification" as the degree. Additional information regarding certification may be found at http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/current-students/undergraduate/certification/post-bacc or by calling (814) 865-0488.
Postbaccalaureate/Graduate Certificate Admission
Individuals must apply using the Postbaccalaureate/Graduate Certificate application. The Graduate School reviews the application for academic admissibility and the certificate program determines acceptance into its program. An admission letter from the Graduate School does not guarantee admission into a certificate program.
There is no special category for a certificate-seeking student. A certificate student’s status will be classified as nondegree unless the student is currently enrolled in a degree program, in which case, the degree status will remain as is. An applicant who is also applying for admission to a degree program must complete both a degree application and a Postbaccalaureate/Graduate Certificate application and pay the application fee for both.
Applicants are strongly encouraged read the admission requirements for the certificate program before applying. Some certificate programs may require transcripts, reference letters, GRE's, statement of purpose, etc.
Nondegree Admission
Applicants who do not intend to pursue a graduate degree or postbaccalaureate/graduate certificate at this time, but want to take graduate-level courses for personal enrichment, professional development, or later want to apply for degree status, may seek admission as a nondegree student. Nondegree students are not eligible to receive fellowships or graduate assistantships. Preference for courses is given to degree students. Programs may control access to some courses.
Admission as a nondegree student does not guarantee admission to a graduate degree or certificate program. A new application and a new application fee are required for a graduate nondegree student who later wishes to apply for a graduate degree or postbaccalaureate/graduate certificate program. Applicants choosing to enter Penn State as a graduate nondegree student must be aware that no more than 15 credits of course work accumulated in nondegree status may count toward a graduate degree.
In general, nondegree applicants are not required to submit transcripts; however, under certain circumstances and depending on the chosen campus location, nondegree applicants may be asked to submit them.