In addition to the application requirements, individuals with international credentials must comply with the Graduate School's Minimum Requirements for Admission.
If you are an individual who will require an I-20 (student) visa, you cannot enroll in our Master of Business Administration, our Master of Professional Accounting, and our Master of Manufacturing Management programs, since they are offered 75% online. If you reside in the U.S. on a work visa, you can apply for these programs. You’ll be required to submit additional information during the admission and application process.
Applicants to the Applied Clinical Psychology program who require an I-20 visa should submit a complete application by mid-February for fall admission.
View the Graduate School's Admission Eligibility (by Country), English Proficiency Requirements, and the academic documents that are required, to verify your eligibility for graduate study at Penn State.
TOEFL or IELTS scores
The TOEFL, Test of English as a Foreign Language, or IELTS, International English Testing System, must be taken by applicants for whom English is not their first language. This is not required of any student who has a bachelor's or master's degree from an institution in an English-speaking country or a regionally accredited American four-year institution. International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement if they 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.
- To submit scores to Penn State, select "Penn State" as your choice for ETS. Penn State's Institution Code is 2660 (all Penn State locations). The Department Code is 02.
- The Graduate School at University Park receives score reports monthly. Applicants must demonstrate a TOEFL score of 80 (IBT exam), 550 (paper-based exam), or 213 (computer-based exam) to be admissible to the program. A minimum of 19 is required on the Speaking Skills section of the Internet-based exam. The IELTS minimum score is 6.5.
- Penn State Behrend doesn't offer an Intensive English Communication program.
- Applicants cannot be considered for admission unless the minimum requirements stated above, are met.
Academic Background
You must supply transcripts/marksheets and diplomas from any institutions attended.
Your international records will be considered complete and official if:
- each document is an original or an attested copy that is certified by the issuing institution;
- it is a comprehensive record of all study completed, in the form of a transcript or yearly marksheets;
- it includes all degree certificates conferred;
- each document is submitted with an officially certified English translation.
The University reserves the right to request official credentials or additional supporting documentation at any time during the admission process as deemed necessary.
If admission is offered and accepted, you will be contacted by the Graduate School with instructions on submitting official documents.
Translations to English should be conducted by Educational Credentials Evaluators Inc.
Please note: Individuals who are already in the United States on a work or dependent visa will need to provide scanned copies of their original passport, visa, and I-94 to the International Student Services staff at Penn State University’s Office of Global Programs, located at the Penn State University Park campus.