As an international student, you provide us with a unique perspective. To help us efficiently evaluate your application for admission, we need some additional information:
Please make sure the name on your application matches the name on your passport. If it is different than how it appears on your transcript, please notify us.
Please provide all required documents applicable to your situation.
Please provide an e-mail address that we can use as the primary way to communicate with you. Be sure that we have a current e-mail address at all times, and that Penn State (psu.edu) is indicated as an eligible sender to the account.
Academic Records
All documents should be submitted in the original language. All documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified line-by-line, literal English translation.
All documents submitted for review must be official, that is, they must be either originals or copies certified by authorized persons. A "certified" copy is one that bears an original signature of the registrar or other designated school official, an original impression of the institution’s seal, or signature/seal of the examining board. Uncertified or notarized copies are not acceptable.
Secondary School Records
Secondary records are required for both first-year and transfer applicants. Transcripts of course work and grades are required for four years of secondary school study. Records should list subjects studied each year and the mark or grade of proficiency earned in each. A key to the marking system with minimum passing mark should also be included. If you complete secondary school in a country where a secondary school leaving examination (GCE, GCSE, CXC, French Baccalaureate, Abitur, etc.) is administered, you will be required to provide the results of the examination.
Post-Secondary
If you attend a post-secondary institution outside the United States, we require official transcripts which include all subjects studied each year and the grade/mark earned in each subject. A key to the marking system with minimum passing mark should be included. In addition, we require course descriptions of all classes you have taken and intend to take prior to the semester in which you hope to enroll at Penn State. If descriptions are not available, please provide 3 to 5-sentence descriptions of each course. Include the content, scope, credits/number of hours for each course or the number of hours per week, and the number of weeks per semester.
If you attend a post-secondary institution in the United States, official transcripts should be sent directly from the institution to Penn State.
Standardized Tests
SAT or ACT
The SAT or ACT is required if your native language is English, or if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. It is optional if your native language is not English and not required if you have completed a year of post-secondary course work. Please visit The College Board or ACT, Inc. to arrange to take the exam.
The code for Penn State that should be listed on the registration form for the SAT is 2660 and for the ACT is 3656. Generally, U.S. embassies and U.S. Information Service (USIS) offices have information on testing dates and places. Please request that your SAT or ACT test scores be sent directly to us.
TOEFL
The score on the TOEFL is used to determine a student's English language proficiency. The code for Penn State that should be listed on the registration form for TOEFL is 2660. All international students whose native language is not English must provide a TOEFL score:
A minimum TOEFL score of 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL, 213 on the computer-based exam, or 550 on the paper exam (score reports must be official and cannot be more than two years old);
A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test;
SAT score of 530 or higher on the critical reading or writing section;
IGCSE score of A, B, or C on the English language exam, or;
IB score of 5 or higher on the English language exam.
Applicants who have been in a U.S. college or university and have completed two years of full-time academic course work and have a grade of C (2.0) or higher in a standard English composition course will also meet the language proficiency requirement.
Financial Information
The Application for Visa Document must be completed and submitted.
Because Penn State cannot offer financial assistance to undergraduate students from other countries, an international applicant must certify that sufficient resources are available to cover expenses. International Student Services (ISS) issues the appropriate form once a favorable financial review has been completed.
International Student Application and Instructions
Penn State Undergraduate Admissions strongly prefers that all students apply using our web application.
We have additional information about the admissions process, including deadlines and visa information, available:Information for International Students [PDF 185 KB].
In addition, we have the Application for Visa Document available: Application for Student Visa [PDF 64 KB].
