International Students applying to Penn State Great Valley

If you are interested in PART TIME graduate education at a campus that does NOT have campus housing or financial support for international students, here are the steps to follow:

Application deadlines for International students

Individuals requesting student visas (F1) from PSU

• Fall admission:  April 30th of the preceding spring
• Spring admission:  August 30th of the preceding summer
• Summer admission: December 10th of the preceding fall

Individuals in the U.S. on work visas

• Fall admission:  July 15th
• Spring admission:  November 1st
• Summer admission:  March 30th

To apply to graduate programs at Penn State Great Valley, international applicants must submit the following:

• Online application
• Non-refundable $45 application fee, payable by credit card online, or a check or money order payable to The Pennsylvania State University.
• Two official transcripts or attested university records. Please bring your original transcripts/mark sheets and diploma to the Penn State Great Valley Admissions Office with two color copies of all educational documents. If the records are not in English, please include attested translations.  Do not submit notarized copies. 
• Official TOEFL test results with a minimum score of 550 on the paper test, 213 on the computer test, or 80 on the general ibt, and 20 on the speaking portion of the ibt..  TOEFL is not required of students who have a baccalaureate or master's degree from an institution in an English speaking country such as The United Kingdom or a degree from a regionally-accredited American 4-year institution.  (more information...)
• A visa application if you do not hold a green card.
• All additional program-specific requirements (i.e. admissions tests, statement of intent, reference letters, etc.).  Please see the admission page of the academic program you are interested in for those requirements.

Upon receipt of the application credentials, the Graduate School will evaluate your transcript.  International undergraduate/bachelors degrees must be equivalent to the bachelor's degree course work at a regionally-accredited 4-year college or university in the United States.

When your application portfolio is complete, the academic division receiving your application will review the portfolio and make a decision.

Online application

If you are admitted to a graduate program at Penn State, the International Students and Scholars Office (ISS) will process the necessary visa documents. The information required by the International Students and Scholars Office should be sent with your application materials.  International students holding visas must pay out-of-state tuition rates.

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Penn State Great Valley
International Applicant Guidelines

Fast Facts for Submitting Documentation

Penn State Great Valley welcomes international applicants to its diverse student body.  International applicants follow the same application procedures as other graduate school applicants.  In addition, original documents listed below must be submitted for evaluation by the admissions office.  Applicants on a student (F) Visa from another school must request a new "F" visa through Penn State Great Valley.  All international degrees must be equivalent to a United States 4-year bachelor's degree.

To submit the following credentials, all international applicants must contact the Admissions EST.

Documentation Needed	HIB Visa	H4 Visa	F Visa
Original Transcripts / Mark Sheets for all years	X	X	X
Original diploma for all degrees	X	X	X
Transcripts, diplomas, and certificates that are not in English require attested English translation  from your home school, an evaluating agency, or an American college or university's foreign language department.	X	X	X
TOEFL scores are required for applicants whose native language is not English. Minimum score is:  550 - Paper based or 213 - Computer based	X	X	X
Proof of employment with salary	X or Bank statement	X or Bank statement
American bank statement showing $38,700	X or Proof of Employment	X or Proof of Spouse's Employment	X
Proof of American health insurance	X	X	X
Passport I94 page (Original)	X	X	X
Fall Application Deadline	July 15	July 15	April 30
Spring Application Deadline	Nov 1	Nov 1	Aug 30
Summer Application Deadline	March 30	March 30	Dec 10

Permanent Residents 

Follow guidelines for U.S. citizens, and present your original green card to the Admissions Office, along with transcripts and diploma from international universities, for review.  Note:   Notarized copies are not acceptable. You must submit original documents.

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 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 20 on the speaking section for the internet-based test.  The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.  Specific graduate programs may have more stringent requirements. 
 
International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have received a baccalaureate or a masters 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.
 
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 their Web site. Local administration at University Park campus of the TOEFL is handled by the IECP.  Information about the IELTS can be obtained by contacting IELTS International, 100 East Corson Street, Suite 200, Pasadena, CA 91103 or visiting their Web site.