Graduate Admissions

Application Process

1. Select the program

   • View our list of graduate programs.
   • Applicants may apply to only one graduate program and one campus at a time.

2. Determine the supporting materials your program requires.

3. Complete your application online at the Graduate School Admissions and Program Information Portal.
   
   Applicants should determine application deadlines by contacting the individual graduate program. Applications should be submitted as early as possible.
   
   Disregard instructions to send application materials to the Graduate School at University Park.
   
   Educational certification and endorsement applicants: in the electronic application, enter "Certification" in the Graduate Degree Sought field and enter "Teaching and Curriculum" in the Major field. Indicate the type of certification or endorsement (English, social studies, reading specialist, etc. ) in the comment box at the end of the electronic application.

4. Submit two (2) official transcripts from each college or university attended (with the exception of Penn State University), including an explanation of the grading system used.

5. Send the following to Penn State Harrisburg:

   • transcripts
   • supporting materials that were not uploaded in the Portal
   • application fee (if not paid online)
   
   Mail to:
   
   
   Penn State Harrisburg
   Graduate Admissions
   Swatara Building
   777 West Harrisburg Pike
   Middletown, PA 17057

Additional International Student Requirements

1. Completed International application materials must be submitted by the following deadlines. Applications received after the deadlines will be processed for the following semester.

   Semester	Deadline
   Fall	May 31
   Spring	September 30
   Summer	February 28

   Note: Each graduate program reserves the right to set earlier deadlines than those shown above.

2. Complete an application for Visa Document.

3. International applicants must submit two copies of all official, attested transcripts and/or attested diplomas in both English and the language of original, official documents.

4. 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). The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 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.

5. International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have 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.

Certificate Students

A certificate student is one who is engaged in a program of study leading to a certificate or equivalent recognition of accomplishment rather than a graduate degree program at Penn State Harrisburg. Certificate students have the same privileges and responsibilities as graduate degree students.

Institution codes for standardized tests