Academic Eligibility Requirements

For admission to the Graduate School at Penn State, 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.

Please note that if you are an international student who requires an I-20 visa, you cannot enroll in our MBA program. Student visas are not issued for programs that are delivered predominantly online, as ours is. If you currently reside in the U.S. on a work visa, you can apply.

Admission decisions are based on the complete application portfolio.  Admission to the MBA program is granted jointly by The Graduate School of Penn State University and Penn State Behrend's Black School of Business.

Academic Background and Pre-Enrollment Competencies

Applicants to the MBA program can have an academic background in any discipline. Applicants who expect to graduate with a bachelor's degree may apply for admission to the program in their senior year.

All applicants must have a B or higher grade in specific course work, and it must have been taken within the past seven years. 

Contact Professor Eric Robbins:

  • If your course work falls outside of the seven-year timeframe. He will provide information to get you started on the pre-enrollment competencies. 
  • If you’ve completed course work within the past seven years. Email unofficial transcripts, from all institutions attended and he will inform you which pre-enrollment competencies, if any, may be required.

Applicants will need to complete all pre-enrollment modules prior to enrolling in the program; applications can and should be started in advance to meet application deadlines. Pre-enrollment modules must be completed one week prior to the semester start.

MBA Application Information and Deadlines

Applications for the MBA program are accepted in a fall or spring semester. 

  • For Fall 2022 admission: Applications are being processed now through June 30, 2022.
  • For Spring 2023 admission: Applications are being processed now through November 7, 2022.
  • All application requirements, including references, are due by the deadline.
  • Once your application is accessible, Graduate Admissions will begin assembling your application portfolio and will send a confirmation email.
  • Completed applications are processed on a rolling basis.
  • View semester dates and student action guidelines on Penn State's academic calendar.
  • Pre-enrollment modules must be completed one week before the semester start.

MBA Application Requirements

Review these steps fully before beginning your application. You should apply using Firefox or Chrome. Internet Explorer is not compatible with the Graduate School application. Individuals with international credentials will have additional requirements for application. 

1. Submit Penn State’s Graduate School Online Application.

Before you apply, be sure to have official transcripts from all institutions attended (see Step 3 below for details). In the application, skip any questions that don’t apply, such as junior/senior GPA, GMAT/GRE scores, etc.

2. Upload a Statement of Purpose.

The statement should be one to one and a half pages in length. Once completed, upload your statement your digital application portfolio. (Note: It is recommended that the statement be a TXT or PDF file for ease of uploading.) The statement should address the following questions:     

  • Why have you chosen to pursue an MBA at Penn State Behrend?
  • How will these studies help you achieve your personal and professional goals?
  • How will your participation contribute to the Penn State Behrend MBA program?
  • Indicate your current, or most recent, work and/or internship responsibilities.

3. Upload a copy of an official transcript from each institution attended, except Penn State.  

Per the Graduate School of Penn State University, you must disclose all institutions attended in the Education section of the application.

  • Prior to applying, contact the registrar’s office at all institutions attended, except Penn State. The Graduate School of Penn State University requires that you upload a copy of official transcripts and list all institutions attended, regardless of credits attempted or completed. 
  • An official transcript bears the university logo and includes the registrar’s signature. Transcripts uploaded to the graduate application should be in PDF or TXT format. If you are supplied an official print transcript from one of your previous institutions, you will have to scan it and upload it digitally. If you are supplied an official electronic transcript, you might have to print it out and scan it to be able to upload it to the application portal.
  • Penn State alumni do not need to request transcripts for credits earned at Penn State, but must list Penn State as part of their academic history. Previously submitted transcripts for a Penn State undergraduate application cannot be used for a graduate level application. 
  • For your application, don’t send paper or electronic transcripts to Penn State Behrend or to the Graduate School. Don’t upload advising or unofficial transcripts as there is only one field, per institution, to upload.

4. Submit contact information for three professional references.

  • The MBA program requires three references from academic or professional sources. Current undergraduate students are required to have three faculty, within their discipline, listed as references.
  • References will receive an email directing them to complete a web-based form where they will rank you on 30 qualities. References can add narrative if they choose, but they are not required to submit anything further. 
  • References must complete the form before or by the application deadline, so be sure to allow them plenty of time to complete the process.