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Frequently Asked Questions

For Ph.D. students:

Applications received by December 15th are given full consideration for admission and for most fellowships and assistantships. The one exception to "most" is the new (2017) Graduate School Dean's Distinguished Fellowship Program, for doctoral applicants "demonstrating the highest academic caliber, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who will contribute to diversity in graduate education at the institution." Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for that particular fellowship are encouraged to discuss the opportunity with a faculty member or the Director of Graduate Studies, and to submit application materials by Nov. 1. The Graduate School begins considering nominations on Dec. 1, before our regular Dec. 15 application deadline.

For Master's students:

There is no deadline for admissions into the master's program. We use a rolling admissions process. However, it is suggested that students should apply at least eight weeks prior to the start of the semester they wish to attend. Completed applications will be reviewed as they are received.

For Master's applicants, we will e-mail admission decisions approximately two weeks after the completed application is reviewed by appropriate faculty.

For Ph.D. students, admission decisions will be e-mailed one month after closing dates. Note that admission decisions and decisions for funding are separate. Funding decisions typically take place in April for the following academic year.

On average, 35 master's and 15-25 doctoral students are admitted each year.

We accept the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) or the MAT (Miller Analogies Test) for Master's and Doctoral students. Graduate Record Examination (GRE General Test) scores are preferred for Ph.D. applicants. Students applying for scholarships must submit GRE scores. Only scores from the past five years are acceptable.

All test scores should be sent directly to Graduate Enrollment Services (GES). GRE scores should be submitted electronically.

MAT scores are only available in hard copy, so those scores should be sent by postal mail directly from Pearson to Penn State. IELTS and MAT scores should be mailed to:

The Pennsylvania State University
Graduate Enrollment Services
114 Kern Building
University Park, PA 16802

For GRE Scores, Penn State's Institution code is 2660.

Students wishing to send MAT scores should select “Penn State University” or use code 2609.

To learn more about the immigration process, international student organizations, and other issues related to international admissions, please visit the University Office of Global Programs.

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. 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, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the internet-based test. TOEFL computer-based (CBT) scores and TOEFL paper-based (PBT) scores will be valid for two years after the date of test. International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have received a baccalaureate or a master's 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.

All test scores should be sent directly to Graduate Enrollment Services (GES). GRE scores should be submitted electronically.

Penn State's Institution Code is 2660.

Students can be admitted provisionally at the discretion of the emphasis area faculty. Conditions to be met for full admission will be listed in a decision letter. Ph.D. students must complete the conditions before taking the candidacy examination. Master's students have one semester to complete provisional admission requirements.

A limited number of Graduate Assistantships are available to incoming Ph.D. students. Assistantships include a tuition waiver, a student health plan, and a stipend for living expenses in return for research, teaching, or supervision work for the Department. Be certain to mark the appropriate box on the C I application form.

Scholarships and fellowships are also available for Master's and Doctoral students through the College and University. Be certain to mark the appropriate box on the C I application form.

For more information on financial aid, go to:

Please upload the following to the Online Graduate School Application;
 

  1. Non-refundable application fee, payable by credit card online or by check or money order payable to The Pennsylvania State University;
  2. Two current letters of recommendation;
  3. Current résumé or curriculum vitae;
  4. Statement of your goals/objectives;
  5. Official GRE (Graduate Record Exam-General Test) score report or MAT (Miller Analogies Test) score report. GRE preferred for doctoral applicants. Penn State Institution code for GRE is 2660 and Institution code for MAT is 2609.
  6. Two official transcripts in sealed envelopes from all post-secondary schools attended. (Penn State graduates do not need to submit official transcripts.);
  7. A written review (approximately 300 words for master's or 500 words for doctoral applicants) of a pertinent article or report published in a recent professional journal of your choice that deals with a contemporary educational issue. Please include a complete citation of the article selected and limit your summary of the article to one paragraph. Department faculty are most interested in your analysis of and professional response to the argument presented in the article. Upload a photocopy of the journal article to your graduate application.
  8. If you are applying for a Graduate Assistantship, fellowship, or scholarship, provide a recent résumé, a personal statement of interest, and a cover letter describing your teaching, supervisory, or research experience.


International Students must also submit:
 

  1. Two official diplomas from all postsecondary universities attended, in native language and translated in English (photocopies are not acceptable)
  2. Two official transcripts from all postsecondary universities attended in native language and translated in English (photocopies are not acceptable)

 

Please follow the Graduate School's Instructions for submitting transcripts

State College is a university town in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania, which has been rated as one of the least stressful communities in America. For more information, please visit: State College.com

Direct flights from University Park Airport are available to and from Washington, DC, Detroit, and Philadelphia. New York City, Baltimore, Buffalo, Washington, DC, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia are within 3 or 4 hours driving time.

Most graduate students prefer to live off campus, although there are residence hall rooms on campus for single students and married student housing for families. Contact Housing at University Park for assistance. Local bus routes are extensive, providing service to campus and other points in town.

Thank you for your interest in studying with us! Applicants with appropriate academic and professional backgrounds are carefully considered for admission, subject to the availability of program resources. Most application materials are submitted online through the Graduate School application website. Our program admissions requirements:
 

  • Either (1) a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or (2) a postsecondary degree that is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate degree, from an officially recognized degree-granting international institution.
  • A written statement of purpose (your goals and objectives relative to graduate studies).
  • Contact information for two references. The application system will contact your referees to request the actual letters of reference.
  • Recent scores (no more than five years old) for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Applicants for the doctoral degree are stronglyencouraged to take the GRE. Students with excellent academic records who wish to be considered for fellowships, scholarships, and assistantships should take the GRE, as must applicants to the Language, Culture, and Society (LCS) emphasis area. At the discretion of an emphasis area, a student may be admitted provisionally for graduate study without these scores, subject to scheduling and taking the exam.
  • Transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended.
  • A written review (approximately 300 words for master's or 500 words for doctoral applicants) of a pertinent article or report published in a recent professional journal of your choice that deals with a contemporary educational issue.  Please include a complete citation of the article selected and limit your summary of the article to one paragraph. Department faculty are most interested in your analysis of and professional response to the argument presented in the article. Upload a photocopy of the journal article to your graduate application.
  • Most international applicants are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores, with some exceptions (see above).
  • Payment of a non-refundable graduate application fee.
     

Please note that you may apply to only one Penn State graduate degree program and campus at a time. The Graduate School will not consider concurrent applications for admission and does not act upon application without a specific program's recommendation to offer admission. Individuals who already hold a doctorate are discouraged from applying for a second doctoral degree (see the Graduate School's Policy on Second Doctorates).

Applications for M.S. and M.Ed. studies are considered as they are received and coursework may begin in the Fall or Spring semesters or the Summer Session. Most doctoral programs begin in the Fall, and Ph.D. applications should be submitted by December 15 if you wish to be considered for fellowships and assistantships.

When you apply, you will electronically upload copies of transcripts for all of your post-secondary studies, as well as copies of an official English translation if English was not the language of instruction. Applicants who accept an offer of admission will be notified by the Graduate School that official transcripts and related documents must be received via post to finalize the offer of admission. Offers of admission will be revoked if requested documents are not received by the Graduate School within specified deadlines, or if documents differ from the copies uploaded by the applicant prior to the offer of admission. For applicants whose degree conferral is in progress at the time of uploading copies, the deadline specified for receipt of official/original documents will allow for the passage of the reported date of degree conferral, and that conferral must be confirmed on the official/original documents received by the Graduate School, in order for the offer of admission to be finalized.

To apply for admission to a different graduate degree program at Penn State, review the instructions on the respective program's website. A list of degree program web sites may be found on the Graduate Programs of Study web page. The website of each graduate program will lead you to the Graduate School online application.

If you wish to apply only for Level I Instructional, Supervisory, Educational Specialist, and Administrative certification (issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education upon the recommendation of the University), but not for a graduate degree, choose "Pennsylvania Educators Level I Certification" as your degree selection. Additional information regarding certification may be found at The Penn State College of Education or by calling (814) 865-0488.

The application requirements and review process for graduate studies in Curriculum and Instruction through the World Campus is identical to that of residential study at University Park; however, you will indicate "World Campus" as your desired campus in the online application. For more information, including further admissions requirements for international applicants, please consult the Penn State Graduate Degree Admissions Bulletin.