Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) is a top-tier public research university, ranked 89th in the World University Rankings 2025 and 96th in the U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings 2025. With an acceptance rate of around 55%, the university is a popular choice for international students seeking high-quality education in fields like business, engineering, and computer science. Penn State enrolls students in fall, spring, and summer intakes, ensuring flexible entry points for diverse academic needs.
To apply, international students must meet specific requirements, including a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 80 or IELTS score of 6.5, along with submitting standardized test scores like the SAT/ACT for undergraduates or GMAT/GRE for certain graduate programs. Additional documents include academic transcripts, personal statements, and proof of finances, making Penn State accessible for those prepared to meet its robust academic standards.
Explore: Pennsylvania State University Rankings
- Top Programs at Pennsylvania State University for International Students
- Pennsylvania State University Application Deadline
- Pennsylvania State University Graduate Admission
- Pennsylvania State University MBA Admissions
- Pennsylvania State University Undergraduate Admission
- Pennsylvania State University Selection Criteria
- Pennsylvania State University Admission Decision
- FAQs
Top Programs at Pennsylvania State University for International Students
Here’s a quick overview of some of the top programs at Pennsylvania State University for international students, along with their duration and tuition fees for international students:
| Course Name | Duration | Tuition Fees (USD) | Tuition Fees (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Science [M.S] Computer Science | 2 years | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master of Science [M.S] Psychology | 2 years | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master Data Analytics | 2 years | $46,899 | ₹40,80,213 |
| Master of Arts [M.A] Engineering Management | 2 years | $44,996 | ₹39,14,652 |
| Master of Project Management | 1 year | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master of Science [M.S] Health Policy and Administration | 2 years | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master of Management [M.I.M] Management and Organizational Leadership | 2 years | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master’s in Business Analytics | 1 year | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master of Finance [M.Fin] | 1 year | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
| Master of Science [M.S] Computer Science and Engineering | 2 years | $46,790 | ₹40,70,730 |
Pennsylvania State University Application Deadline
The table below showcases the application deadlines for international students applying to Pennsylvania State University for the 2025 academic year:
| Admission Term | Admission Type | Application Available | Complete Application Deadline | Admission Notification | Deadline for Accepting Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall / Summer | Early Action | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025 | By December 24, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
| Fall / Summer | Priority Admission | August 1, 2025 | February 1, 2025 | By April 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
| Spring | Regular Admission | June 1, 2025 | October 1, 2025 | Rolling (by November 1) | November 15, 2025 |
Also Check: Penn State University Acceptance Rate
Pennsylvania State University Graduate Admission
The table below outlines the key graduate admission requirements for international students applying to Pennsylvania State University:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Portal | Applicants can apply via MyPennState to submit an online application for the courses of their choice. |
| Application Fee | Students need to pay a non-refundable fee of 75 USD (₹5,912 INR). |
| Application Requirements | A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. |
| An overall scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale). | |
| Official transcripts. | |
| GMAT/GRE scores. | |
| English proficiency test scores: TOEFL iBT: 80, IELTS: 6.5 | |
| Special program requirements: SOP, Resume/CV, essays. |
Pennsylvania State University MBA Admissions
The table below highlights the key admission requirements for the MBA program at Pennsylvania State University for international students:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Portal | Applicants can apply via MyPennState to submit an online application for the MBA program. |
| Application Fee | Students need to pay a non-refundable fee of 75 USD (~₹5,912 INR). |
| Academic Requirements | Academic transcripts. |
| GPA: Minimum 3.4/4 (89%). | |
| GMAT: 666 or above (recommended) or GRE: 314 or above (recommended). | |
| Supporting Documents | LOR for USA. |
| Resume. | |
| Essay and statement of interest. | |
| Video application. | |
| 1-3 yrs of work experience | |
| English Proficiency | TOEFL iBT score: Minimum 80. |
| IELTS score: Minimum 6.5. |
Pennsylvania State University Undergraduate Admission
The table below provides a clear overview of the admission requirements for international students applying to undergraduate programs at Pennsylvania State University:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Portal | International applicants must apply via MyPennState for undergraduate courses. |
| Application Fee | 75 USD (₹5,912 INR) Non-refundable. |
| Admission Requirements | School records including each subject studied with marks or grades earned each year. |
| A key of the marking system with minimum required passing score. | |
| Examination results of the secondary school leaving exam. | |
| Copies of diplomas or certificates. | |
| Standardized test scores. | |
| Minimum required scores proving English language proficiency. | |
| Course descriptions of all classes taken (post-secondary institutes). | |
| Supporting Documents | Academic transcripts. |
| An audition (for fine arts or music courses). | |
| Portfolio review (if applicable). | |
| Geographic and cultural background. | |
| Personal statement. |
Pennsylvania State University Selection Criteria
Pennsylvania State University evaluates applications holistically, considering more than just academic achievements. They assess high school grades, GPA, test scores, and other key aspects like auditions or portfolio reviews for creative programs. Applicants’ geographic and cultural backgrounds, personal statements, and activity lists are also taken into account.
Beyond academics, the university values leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, and a demonstrated passion for their field of study. These attributes help showcase the applicant’s well-rounded personality and ability to contribute meaningfully to campus life.
Pennsylvania State University Admission Decision
Pennsylvania State University generally takes about 4-6 weeks to review applications and make admission decisions after all required documents have been submitted. During this period, the university carefully evaluates each application to ensure a comprehensive review. If applicants do not receive a decision within the stipulated time, it is recommended to first check their application status on the MyPennState portal. Should there still be no updates, reaching out to the admissions office directly for assistance can provide clarity and ensure there are no outstanding requirements.
Once international students are admitted to Pennsylvania State University, they will be contacted by the Directorate of International Student and Scholar Advising (DISSA). Students need to provide proof of their financial resources. DISSA handles the visa eligibility documents, but students must also coordinate with the admissions office for further steps.
Also Check: Pennsylvania State University Reviews and Ratings
Additionally, Penn State uses an online system called iStart to guide newly admitted international students. Through iStart, students will complete eForms with necessary personal and immigration details. After submission and review, the I-20 or DS-2019 forms will be issued for visa processing. Students must pay the SEVIS fee at least three days before their visa interview and schedule an appointment with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, where they will submit their documents and receive a visa stamp once approved.
FAQs
Ques: Are interviews required for admission to Penn State?
Ans: Interviews are not generally required for most programs, but specific graduate programs or competitive scholarships may request them.
Ques: What are the housing options for international students?
Ans: Penn State offers on-campus housing for undergraduate students and limited graduate housing, along with resources for finding off-campus accommodations.
Ques: Can I defer my admission to Pennsylvania State University after being accepted?
Ans: Yes, admitted students at Penn State can request to defer their admission for up to one year, subject to university approval.
Ques: Does Penn State offer scholarships for international students?
Ans: Yes, Penn State offers merit-based scholarships like the Provost’s Award, International Student Grant, and Academic Excellence Scholarship, along with limited need-based financial aid, depending on the program and campus.
College Student Profiles
Pennsylvania State University Program Fees & Deadlines
| Program | Important Dates | Fees | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
M.B.A 2 years | USD 51,596 /Yr | - | |
| USD 48,682 /Yr | Duolingo-120 | ||
B.S Art Education 4 years | USD 45,874 /Yr | - | |
B.A Arts Administration 4 years | USD 43,280 /Yr | Duolingo-120 | |
B.S BioRenewable Systems 4 years | USD 45,874 /Yr | - | |
B.S Business 4 years | USD 48,682 /Yr | - | |
B.S Business Economics 4 years | USD 48,682 /Yr | - | |
B.A Criminal Justice 4 years | USD 43,280 /Yr | Duolingo-120 | |
| USD 45,874 /Yr | - | ||
| USD 48,682 /Yr | - |
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16 Reviews Found
Likes
- It has one of the biggest Alumni system in the entire US
- There so many resources for your specific needs
- It is easy to get jobs on-campus
Dislikes
- The food is not that great on-campus
- Housing can be expensive, even though it is a college town.
- The gyms and libraries are not 24/7
Scholarship
- No, I did not receive any scholarships in the course so far and I don't expect any scholarships because it's hard for international students to get scholarships at Penn State.
- I didn't get any. No, as far as I know they did not receive anything either.
- I'm not sure about the number, but I'm assuming Pennsylvanian residents get scholarships a lot in general.
Likes
- Large, lively, and friendly campus life and community that always makes students feel a part of the college
- Beautiful Campus and locations with the arboretum, wintery landscapes, line shrine, secret pond, etc.
- Rich Culture, College traditions, and Unique History such as THON, State Pattys, etc.
Dislikes
- Extremely high winds at times, making it very difficult to walk at times
- Getting the exact class you want may be difficult due to the massive student class size
- Expensive tuition and living costs, especially for off-campus
Scholarship
- I did not apply or try to get any scholarships and am also not aware of anyone else that has gotten scholarships.
- While I am aware that Penn State has a handful of scholarships, Penn State is also known for having very limited scholarships, few recipients, and of low amounts. The only financial aid I received was through FAFSA (only for US citizens).
Likes
- On campus opportunities are good so you don't have to work in mess or do labor intensive jobs
- The campus is really big and it's very clean and beautiful
- The football team of Penn State is amazing thus good football matches
Dislikes
- They don't teach any industry related technologies and only focus on Machine Learning and computer fundaments
- The course requires a lot of your time thus you can't really focus on jobs search
- State College city is really cold and the weather is really harsh
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Likes
- It has a well renowned CS department.
- The department is selective with a limited number of students.
- Getting a student job is easy as compared to different universitites
Dislikes
- Recently the federal funding has been paused for the university.
- The city has nothing much to do other than the campus.
- It gets super cold in the winters
Likes
- The campus is really beautiful.
- The college town is very safe.
- The college is well renowned for no issues in visa interview/ immigration.
Dislikes
- The fees are still high even though it is a state university.
- The selection of courses are a bit limited.
- The college being in college town gets ghosted in the winter and summer breaks.
Scholarship
- No scholarships for my course. You can search for various available scholarships but the Pennsylvania state university does not provide any for my course. None of my batch mates received any scholarships.
- You can get part time jobs to support yourself. But no official scholarship. The scholarships are not that common here. You can get your tuition waived off if you work as a Research Assistant under a professor (which is really rare) for MS students.
Likes
- The Size of the campus 19051$
- The diversity across the campus you have people from all around world
- The various options for extra curriculars
Dislikes
- Sizes of class for some courses exceed 500-600 students per class
- Some classes are very poorly structured
- Main campus has very little to do like places to visit or hangout we only have clubs, lasertag and bowling
Scholarship
- I did not receive any scholarships I wish I did. As far as i know NONE from the university but there are external scholarships linked to the university eligibility depends from scholarship to scholarship.
- Yes my roommate received a scholarship of around 7000$-8000$ but he was an american citizen but also indian. American citizens have a lot more options for scholarships compared to international students. As far as i know none of the international students from my batch received a scholarship.
Likes
- Flexibility in choosing courses.
- Ability to try out whatever courses I wanted for the first week, without them affecting my grades or billing.
- Huge push towards research, leading to collaboration with professors and fellow students.
Dislikes
- Slightly on the costlier side.
- Lack of RA opportunities.
- Too many research oriented and too few industry oriented courses when it comes to HCI.
Scholarship
- Not aware of any students in MS Informatics being offered scholarships. Closest thing is Research Assistant, but even those are extremely rare as most Professor give out those positions to PHD candidates.
- I am aware of only one person in my social circle who has gotten funding as a Research Assistant. He doesn't have to pay tuition, and also gets some stipend on top.
Likes
- The campus is enormous. It is about 8000 acres, with its own golf course and a commercial airport. I love the greenery on campus and how there's a spot for everyone. It shares a boundary with downtown State College as well, so there's enough places to hang out off campus too- that's if the ones on campus aren't enough. Food options on campus are plenty, covering pretty much all cuisines in different halls- including Indian cuisine at "Choolah" too.
- With such a big campus, there is an individual building for basically everything. Be it mental health counseling or just an office for inclusivity, they've got you covered! I believe there is a separate building just for yoga and meditation. There is all the types of counseling you'll ever need for every subject, classes or career resources. In fact, it is sometimes overwhelming navigating through so many different places and websites. The Pattee and Paterno Library (a top 10 research library in North America) is humongous, and it is so well equipped for all your study needs that I come to this place just to hang out sometimes (I am writing this review from the library).
- Penn State has the largest living alumni network, closing in on around 800,000 this year. This is definitely an advantage to find commonalities between you and the employers, as I have already found so many people willing to help their fellow Penn State alumnus.
Dislikes
- Being a Mumbaiker, where the minimum temperature rarely touches 18°C at nights in peak winter, sending me to a place where the maximum temperature in summer is 20°C wasn't perhaps the best idea. Currently, I am locked indoors with temperatures touching -12°C. Remember folks, it's not the temperature that kills, it's always the wind. They say next week the temperatures are gonna touch -22°C for a day or two. Good luck to me.
- Okay, I get it, I had just praised how good and big and beautiful the campus is. But sometimes, it's just a pain to walk this much. They do have buses for free which cover the majority of the campus, but there are parts which aren't covered and even if they do, the buses are often overcrowded OR you have a problem with the timings. I was forced into buying an electric standing scooter to save time, set me back around $400.
- Considering how good the courses and professors are, and how good the alumni is doing, it always confuses me why the ranking isn't better. It is very good on a global standard, but I just feel that it deserves to be better. It isn't exactly something to do with the college, but perhaps the people who set the rankings.
Scholarship
- No, there are no particular scholarship opportunities available for international students. Thus, none of my batchmates received any scholarship directly from the university. As for the US citizens, I don't really know much but I know that one of my friends got around $15,000 per semester. If you're an athlete, you don't need to pay any tuition, regardless of your nationality. In fact, top athletes are paid $1,500 per semester for personal expenses.
 - Nandan Sensarma (1).jpeg)
Likes
- Beautiful campus and pleasant weather
- Excellent facilities, the university provides amazing facilities like pickleball court , lawn tennis court , gym and esports arenas to keep students active
- The faculties are highly skilled , knowledgeable and support students.
Dislikes
- I truly enjoy everything about my university , and there nothing much to dislike. Pollock halls are not good.
- The only challenge in the university is that the winters can sometimes be too cold and harsh, although campus is beautiful, getting to class from east to west can be tiring since they are often far apart and requires a lot of walking.
Scholarship
- No I didn’t receive any scholarship from university, I wish I could applied earlier for scholarship.I heard that People do get scholarship of $5000-$10000 per year , but not sure. I dont think any of my batchmates has got the scholarship.
- Many student do get scholarship mostly of merit based, athlete based and financial aid required. Many student get scholarship each year around $5000 per year based on their GPA.
 - PALASH DOSHI.jpeg)
 - PALASH DOSHI.jpeg)
Overview
The major reason for choosing this college was the cost of program - cheaper in comparison with other schools offering similar program. Secondary factors include - brand value, alumni network, geographic advantage. And the reason I chose Engineering Management is because of my interest in tech and skill in management. Also wanted to break into product management. Overall experience was just about satisfactory. Studying at this university and particularly this course had a lot of cons for a few pros. Would recommend to consider only after thorough research.
Scholarship
The Chancellor’s Scholarship - 10000$ for the whole program. Considered by default during the time of application.
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| Program | Important Dates |
|---|---|
| M.B.A | Application Deadline For Fall 2025 Intake (1st Jun 2025) |
| B.S Architectural Engineering | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.S Art Education | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.A Arts Administration | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.S BioRenewable Systems | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.S Business | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.S Business Economics | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.A Criminal Justice | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.S Education and Public Policy | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
| B.S Forest Ecosystem Management | Priority Application Deadline For Fall Intake (1st Feb 2025) Fall Priority Notification By (1st Apr 2025) Application Deadline To Accept Offer For Fall Intake (1st May 2025) Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake (15th Jun 2025) |
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