For admission to the Graduate School, applicants must hold either a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or a post-secondary degree that is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate degree earned from an officially recognized degree-granting international institution.

Admission is granted jointly by the Penn State Graduate School and the academic program at Penn State Great Valley. The Admissions Committee reviews applications and makes decisions based on the quality of an applicant's credentials relative to other applicants.

International applicants should review the International Applicant Guidelines before applying.

  1. Start the online application process. In the Graduate School Application under Select Admission Type, you must choose Great Valley as your Campus. Please select the program of choice from the drop down menu. 
  2. Scan and upload a copy of the official transcripts from all institutions attended. Documents must be in either PDF or TXT format. If you have an electronic copy of your transcript, you cannot upload it directly, as the document will not appear in the application. You must print a copy of it, scan it, and then upload it to the application. Penn State alumni do not need to provide transcripts.
  3. Upload a copy of a current resume.
  4. Enter the contact information for one or two professional or academic references depending on the program of interest. Upon submission of the application, references will receive an email request to complete a brief online recommendation regarding the applicant’s commitment to success in the program.  All references must submit the recommendation form in order for an application to be complete.  
  5. Submit a non-refundable application fee of $65, payable by credit card online or by check or money order payable to the Pennsylvania State University.

The following items may be required for admission. Check specific program requirements for details.

  • Official GMAT or GRE results.
    • Scores must be submitted directly from the testing agency. 
    • For TOEFL and GRE, use code 2660.
    • For GMAT, have scores sent to Great Valley - The Pennsylvania State University - School of Graduate Professional Studies.
    • For the IELTS, an institutional code is not required. Please contact the test center where you took the IELTS and request that your test scores be sent to Penn State University electronically using the IELTS system.
  • A one-page written statement of intent to highlight one’s academic background, work experience, skills, strengths, academic interests, and professional goals.
  • Answers to essay questions outlined in the online application.