International Applicant Requirements

Your Application Checklist

Please submit the following application components. The online application should be completed online and all supplemental documents should be mailed together in one envelope.

Mail all supplemental documents to:

Penn State Smeal MBA
Admissions Office
220 Business Building
University Park, PA 16802

United States GPA Conversion Tables

For help converting your Undergraduate GPA to the U.S. 4-point scale please see our GPA conversion tables.

Penn State Graduate Admissions Process

Admission is granted first by the Penn State Smeal MBA program and then by the Penn State Graduate School. The MBA program recommends admission to the Graduate School and the Graduate School then verifies authenticity of documents, checks minimum requirements, and makes the final admission decision.

• The Graduate School does not act on your application without a recommendation from the Penn State Smeal MBA program.

Application Fee Waivers

The Penn State Smeal MBA Program offers financial support and fee waivers equitably as a need-blind, merit-based award program. We offer scholarships based on the total strength of candidates’ applications rather than on financial need. We want to ensure that we’re applying fair practices with every candidate. We also try to keep our application fee low compared to the industry so that it does not become a barrier to application. Therefore, Application Fee Waivers are only offered in the following cases. If you qualify under one of the following, please e-mail smealmba@psu.edu with your qualification status to request a fee waiver code.

1. Penn State Alumni
2. Active duty U.S. military within the last three years
3. Individuals reapplying to the Penn State Smeal MBA program from a previous year

GMAT Scores

GMAT/GRE scores, in combination with the undergraduate academic record, are an indicator of an applicant’s ability to manage the academic rigors of the MBA Program.

GMAT
Penn State Smeal MBA, Full-Time Code: ZZ8-HD-34

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) is suggested for all Smeal MBA candidates. Official score reports must be sent directly from Pearson-VUE. Your GMAT score must be less than five years old at the time you apply. We urge all applicants to take the test before February 1st of the year of your intended enrollment. For more information and testing locations, visit http://www.mba.com.

GRE
Penn State All Campuses, Full-Time Code: 2660

As a pilot test in 2010-2011, the GRE (General Record Exam) will be accepted in lieu of the GMAT. The GMAT continues to be the preferred exam for MBA entry, and is the primary exam required by most other internationally-ranked MBA Programs. Official score reports must be sent directly from ETS and must be less than five years old at the time you apply. We urge all applicants to test prior to February 1st of the year of your intended enrollment. For more information and testing locations, visit: http://www.gre.org.

Transcripts

Only the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution can be considered for admission into Penn State. Official transcripts must be submitted from each educational institution attended. Transcripts are reviewed for course content, academic performance, and any trends in academic progress. Transcripts may be digitally duplicated and submitted online for the purposes of initial application review, but originals must follow.

International applicants whose transcripts are not in English should submit both the originals as well as translated transcripts along with an official copy of the bachelor's degree and graduation certificate. Contact Penn State’s Office of Graduate Enrollment Services to determine if your degree is equivalent to a U.S. four-year baccalaureate degree before submitting an application.

Applicants from India are eligible to apply who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or the master's degree examinations following a three-year bachelor's degree. Those completing the Chartered Accountancy final examination and awarded an Associate Membership (following a three year bachelor's degree) are also eligible. Three-year bachelor's degrees followed by a post-graduate diploma may be acceptable if the diploma program is one year full-time in length and offered by an Indian University that is recognized by the Association of Indian Universities. Professional programs offered by external organizations are not eligible.

The Graduate School at Penn State will not review academic credentials of a prospective student until an application is officially submitted. If you feel strongly about having your credentials verified before completing and submitting your application you may have your credentials reviewed by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Approval from ECE will assure you are academically eligible for not only our program, but most other U.S. Institutions as well. Please note the Penn State Graduate School does not accept credential reviews from World Education Services (WES), only reviews done by ECE.

English Proficiency Exams

TOEFL

Penn State Smeal MBA, Full-Time Code: 2660

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of all applicants from all countries whose official language is not English. Required scores:

International candidates may be exempt from the TOEFL if any of the following apply:

1. The candidate has received a degree from a US college or university. This does not include individuals whose international university instruction was taught in English.
2. The candidate has 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, and Wales.
3. The candidate is a U.S. Permanent Resident.

For more information or to find testing locations, visit: www.toefl.org, or call
1-607-771-7100, or write:

TOEFL/TSE Services-Princeton
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
USA

IELTS

The Penn State Smeal MBA program will accept the IELTS as a test of English proficiency. However, we do prefer the TOEFL exam.

Test Dates: IELTS offers you the choice of up to 48 fixed test dates each year.
http://www.ielts.org

How to Apply: You must apply to a test centre to take an IELTS test prior to the test date. Applications are made on an IELTS Application Form which you can send or take into a test centre, along with the test fee and two passport sized photographs. You will also need to include your passport number, or in some circumstances a national identity card number, on the application form – check with your test centre. Once you have applied, the test centre will confirm your IELTS test date and time.

http://www.ielts.org/pdf/IELTS_Application_Form.pdf

Penn State Graduate Admissions Process

Admission is granted first by the Smeal MBA Program and then by the Penn State Graduate School. The Smeal MBA program recommends admission to the Graduate School and the Graduate School then verifies authenticity of documents, checks minimum requirements, and makes the final admissions decision.

• The Graduate School does not act on your application without a recommendation from the Smeal MBA program.
• Questions regarding the status of your application should be directed to the Smeal MBA Program by checking your online application under "Track Status" or at smealmba@psu.edu.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

The Smeal College of Business has a strong commitment to ethics and integrity as reflected in our Honor Code. The admissions committee will not tolerate any form of plagiarism or appearance of impropriety in an applicant’s materials.

Plagiarism Includes:

• Copying sentences, phrases or paragraphs exactly as they appear in the original source
• Copying sentences and putting them in a different order
• Copying sentences and replacing a few words with synonyms
• Copying sentences and adding a few of your own

Paraphrasing Includes:

• Re-stating the author’s idea in your own words, using your own voice
• Summarizing the author’s main points in your own words

(Source: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/content/dam/psul/up/lls/documents/PlagiarismHandout2012.pdf)

Should you have any questions about what constitutes adherence to our policies, please consult the Plagiarism Handout linked above. If you still need clarification, please contact us at smealmba@psu.edu.

Agents and Consultants

Penn State recognizes that agents or consultants are retained in many parts of the world to assist students in applying to colleges and universities in the United States. However, Penn State does not partner with agents to recruit students nor administer the application process. Agents/consultants retained by students to help with the application process are not recognized as representatives of the University and do not have a contractual agreement or partnership to represent Penn State. Please ensure that any agent/consultant engaged adheres to principles of ethics in the admission process including guidelines regarding academic integrity. To ensure academic integrity, all essays will be confirmed through Turnitin for Admissions authenticity software.

Visa Materials

The U.S. Department of State requires that international applicants provide evidence of sufficient funds to cover all expenses for at least one calendar year before a visa will be issued. The amount required this year is $58,000 U.S.

For the most current figures, additional information, or special assistance, visit the Penn State Office of Global Programs.

You may also call or write:

Office of Global Programs
The Pennsylvania State University
410 Boucke Building
University Park, PA 16802-5900

E-mail: International@IP.psu.edu
Phone: US 814-865-6348

Additional Resources

Education USA: http://educationusa.state.gov/