International Student Information
***Rules and Regulations Governing International Students can be found at the University Office of Global Programs website http://www.global.psu.edu/. (This website should be accessed periodically for updates and new information.)
International applicants must hold the equivalent of an American four-year baccalaureate degree. Prospective students must submit official or attested university records with certified translations if the records are not in English. Notarized copies are not sufficient.
English Proficiency--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 (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, which requires an institutional test of English proficiency upon first enrollment and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5. Specific graduate programs may have more stringent requirements.
International applicants 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 are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.
Specific graduate programs may require all international applicants to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score, regardless of their academic background and country of origin.
Information about the TOEFL can be obtained by writing to the Educational Testing Service, Box 6155, Princeton, NJ 08541-6155 or visiting its Web site at www.toefl.org. Local administration at University Park campus of the TOEFL is handled by the IECP (Intensive English Communication Program, 301 Boucke Building). Information about the IELTS can be obtained by contacting IELTS International, 100 East Corson Street, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA 91103 or visiting its Web site at www.ielts.org.
NOTE: Before an international student is formally admitted to the program, all foreign credentials submitted, including the diploma, academic transcripts, etc., will be reviewed by Graduate Enrollment Services for verification of authenticity.
Mandatory Health Insurance
Penn State requires medical insurance for international students and their accompanying dependents (spouses and/or children).
