Penn State engineering graduate admission for international students runs through the Fox Graduate School application, with each department at University Park setting its own deadline and GRE rule. The international fee is $85, the GRE is optional or not required in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical and Civil Engineering, and the dates that matter for fall 2027 are 1 December 2026 in Mechanical Engineering and 15 December 2026 in Aerospace, Electrical and Civil.
Applicants who earned their degree in Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya do not need TOEFL or IELTS, because those countries are on Penn State’s exemption list. Research students (thesis MS and PhD) can get assistantships that pay a stipend, cover tuition and subsidise 80% of health insurance. Course-based MEng students usually pay their own way. All facts below were checked on Penn State pages on 29 October 2026 unless another source is named.
Penn State engineering ranking
In the U.S. News 2026 Best Graduate Schools edition, released on 7 April 2026, the Penn State College of Engineering climbed three places to No. 28 in Best Engineering Schools. VnExpress International’s top 30 list (9 April 2026) shows the place shared with Ohio State, UC Santa Barbara and NC State. Penn State News says the college is No. 14 among public universities.
The specialty ranks from the same edition are worth knowing if you are choosing a field:
| Graduate specialty (U.S. News 2026) | Penn State rank |
|---|---|
| Nuclear engineering | No. 10 |
| Industrial and manufacturing engineering | No. 13 |
| Agricultural engineering | No. 13 |
| Aerospace engineering | No. 13 |
| Civil engineering | No. 17 (up six places) |
Departments and graduate degrees
The College of Engineering at University Park has these main graduate departments:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Engineering Science and Mechanics
- Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- Engineering Design (School of Engineering Design and Innovation)
Materials science sits in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State, so look there if that is your field. Confirm each department’s current degree list in the graduate bulletin before you apply.
The degree choice matters more than the department name. Aerospace and Civil and Environmental Engineering offer the MEng, MS and PhD. Mechanical Engineering offers the resident MS and PhD plus an online MS. Electrical Engineering takes most bachelor’s holders into the MS; strong applicants can request direct PhD entry, and PhD students sit qualifying exams within their first year. The MEng is coursework only and generally self-funded. The MS with thesis and the PhD are the routes to an assistantship.
Penn State engineering graduate admission requirements
Departments ask for broadly the same file, with small differences:
- Online application: through the Fox Graduate School. Choose University Park as the campus. Do not mail anything.
- Statement of purpose: Civil and Environmental Engineering asks it to cover why you want the degree, your interests, possible faculty advisers and career plans.
- Resume or CV: required in Mechanical, Aerospace and Electrical; optional in Civil.
- Letters of recommendation: three in Mechanical, Electrical and Civil; two in Aerospace.
- Transcripts and degree certificates: scanned and uploaded from every university you attended.
- English scores: only if you are not exempt.
- Application fee: $85 for international applicants ($65 for US applicants), not refundable. Waivers are handled by the department, so ask the programme directly.
- Optional extras: Mechanical Engineering accepts journal papers.
GPA: Mechanical and Aerospace ask for at least 3.0 in the junior and senior years, and Mechanical says most successful applicants have a cumulative 3.5 or higher. Electrical Engineering asks for a 3.0 junior and senior GPA in electrical engineering or a closely related field.
GRE policy by department
| Department | GRE for fall 2027 |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | Not required; needed only if you want to be considered for provisional admission |
| Aerospace Engineering | Not required; optional scores may strengthen an application |
| Electrical Engineering | Optional |
| Civil and Environmental Engineering | Not required but strongly recommended |
| Other departments | Check the department page |
Send scores to Penn State institution code 2660. Electrical Engineering warns that scores can take up to a month to arrive, so order them early.
English requirements
The Graduate School sets these minimums. Some departments set higher ones.
| Test | Minimum |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (taken on or after 21 January 2026) | 4.5 overall, with at least 3.5 in speaking |
| TOEFL iBT (taken before 21 January 2026) | 80 overall, with at least 19 in speaking |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall (Civil and Environmental Engineering wants 6.5 in every section) |
The Graduate School does not list the Duolingo English Test, so plan on TOEFL or IELTS if you need a test. Applicants slightly below the minimum may be admitted provisionally and must pass English courses with a B or better in their first semester.
You are exempt if you received a bachelor’s or graduate degree in a country on Penn State’s list. Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria are on it, along with the US, the UK, Canada outside Quebec and Australia. Completing Penn State’s own Intensive English Communication Program also exempts you, but similar programmes elsewhere do not.
Degree and transcript rules
- Your degree must be from an officially recognised institution and judged comparable to a four-year US bachelor’s. The Graduate School reviews each case and does not publish a ruling on three-year degrees or HNDs, so ask your department before you pay.
- You can upload a mark sheet, record of courses, degree or provisional certificate, diploma or diploma supplement as your transcript evidence.
- Documents not in English need an official translation from the issuing university, the ministry of education, a government translator or an American Translators Association member.
- A third-party credential evaluation does not replace the translation. The Graduate School does not ask for WES.
- If you are recommended for admission, your university must send official transcripts and translations directly. Electrical Engineering does not accept notarised copies.
Application deadlines for fall 2027
Penn State departments publish recurring dates without a year. These apply to the fall 2027 cycle (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens).
| Programme | Fall 2027 deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering MS and PhD | 1 Dec 2026 | Decisions and aid usually by 15 March |
| Aerospace Engineering MS and PhD | 15 Dec 2026 | Applies with or without funding |
| Aerospace Engineering MEng | 15 Dec 2026 | Rolling review |
| Electrical Engineering MS and PhD | 15 Dec 2026 | International applicants considered for fall only |
| Civil and Environmental Engineering MS and PhD | 15 Dec 2026 for full funding; 15 Mar 2027 otherwise | Rolling review |
| Civil and Environmental Engineering MEng | 15 May 2027 | Fall entry only |
Spring entry exists in some departments (1 October in Mechanical, 15 August in Aerospace, 15 September in Civil), but Mechanical says very few students start in spring. Electrical Engineering considers international applicants for fall only.
Deadline
Mechanical Engineering closes fall 2027 applications on 1 December 2026. In Aerospace, Electrical and Civil, a complete file by 15 December 2026 is what gets you considered for fellowships and assistantships.
PhD funding at Penn State engineering
The College of Engineering funds research students in three main ways:
- Assistantships (research, teaching or administrative): open to thesis MS and doctoral students, awarded by departments. They include a stipend, tuition remission and a medical insurance subsidy.
- Fellowships: the University Graduate Fellowship is Penn State’s top award, and departments nominate doctoral applicants for it. Competitive fellowships for research programmes pay a stipend, tuition and a health insurance subsidy with no teaching or research duties.
- College and department scholarships: doctoral applicants are considered automatically, mostly on merit.
Graduate School figures for 2025-26 give a sense of the value. The average half-time assistantship stipend for fall and spring was $27,633, the tuition covered for an assistant was $21,620, and the university paid 80% of medical, dental and vision premiums. The university minimum is grade 12 on its stipend table for fall and spring appointments. A half-time assistantship means about 20 hours of work a week.
Penn State does not publish the share of engineering PhD students who are funded. Civil and Environmental Engineering says incomplete files are not considered for funding, and it gives assistantship preference to early applicants, so the December date is the one to aim for. International admits must also have their financial guarantee reviewed by Penn State Global before visa documents are issued.
MS and MEng funding
Civil and Environmental Engineering states that MEng students are generally expected to pay for their 30-credit degree. A thesis MS can come with an assistantship, but treat that as uncertain. The college’s Advancing Master’s Program gives up to $10,000 a year for two years to selected thesis master’s students with financial need; check with the college whether international students qualify.
Tuition and cost of attendance
Penn State has already published tuition for fall 2027, the term you would start. Engineering is billed in the higher graduate band with business, science, IST and earth and mineral sciences.
| University Park graduate tuition (from fall 2027) | Per year | Per semester (full time) | Per credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering band, non-Pennsylvania resident | $52,632 | $26,316 | $2,193 |
| Engineering band, Pennsylvania resident | $28,776 | $14,388 | $1,199 |
Penn State Global’s most recent estimate (2025-26) adds $20,700 for living costs, including about $1,200 for books, and about $4,200 for compulsory health insurance for fall and spring. Mandatory university fees are extra. A rough nine-month budget for a self-funded international engineering master’s student is therefore close to $78,000 before fees, so check the current Penn State Global estimate when you request your I-20.
One-year engineering master’s students should also plan for summer: Penn State Global assumes at least 12 credits in fall and spring and 6 in summer for these programmes, and summer registration is required.
Costs not covered
- Mandatory university fees, which the tuition table does not include.
- For assistants, the 20% of health insurance premiums the university does not pay, and summer tuition beyond what the Summer Tuition Assistance Program covers.
- SEVIS and visa fees and travel to State College, which is a small town served by a regional airport.
- Winter clothing, housing deposits and furniture.
STEM OPT after graduation
Engineering degrees fall under CIP family 14 on the Department of Homeland Security STEM Designated Degree Program list. After an MS, MEng or PhD you can use 12 months of OPT and then apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension with an E-Verify employer. Confirm the CIP code on your I-20 with Penn State Global.
How to contact potential PhD advisers
Civil and Environmental Engineering asks you to name potential faculty advisers in your statement, and in most departments a professor’s grant pays for research assistants. Writing to two or three professors before December is worth the time.
- Choose the labs: read each professor’s two most recent papers and check whether they mention openings.
- Use a clear subject line: for example, “Fall 2027 PhD applicant, nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics”.
- Give one concrete result: the project closest to their work and what you found.
- Ask one question: are they recruiting PhD students for fall 2027?
- Attach a one-page CV: follow up once after two weeks.
A short opening, for illustration only:
“Dear Professor [Name], I am a mechanical engineering graduate of [University], [Country], applying to the Penn State Nuclear Engineering PhD for fall 2027. My final-year project simulated heat transfer in a [component] using [software], and your recent paper on [topic] uses a similar approach. Are you taking new PhD students for fall 2027?”
How to write the statement of purpose for Penn State
- Start with the problem you want to work on, stated plainly, and how your earlier work led you there.
- Describe one or two projects in detail: your own role, methods, results and what went wrong.
- Name Penn State faculty and labs that match, and say why. Civil and Environmental Engineering asks for this directly.
- State your career plan. For an MEng, a specific industry goal reads well; for a PhD, show you understand what research involves.
- If your grades dipped, explain it briefly. Penn State looks hard at your last two years, so a strong finish helps.
Common mistakes international applicants make
- Assuming a three-year degree or HND will pass: Penn State judges comparability to a four-year US bachelor’s case by case. Ask first.
- Sending a credential evaluation instead of a translation: it does not satisfy the translation rule.
- Taking a test you do not need: degrees from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya are exempt.
- Converting your CGPA to 4.0 yourself: give the grades and scale your university uses and let admissions do the comparison.
- Choosing the MEng by mistake: if you want funding, apply for the thesis MS or the PhD.
- Leaving the file incomplete in December: Civil does not review incomplete files for funding.
- Hoping for a spring start: Electrical Engineering considers international applicants for fall only.
Who should apply
Penn State suits research-minded engineers, particularly in nuclear, aerospace, civil and industrial engineering, where its specialty ranks are high. Graduates from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya save the cost of an English test, and the GRE is optional in most large departments.
It suits you less if you need a big-city setting, if you want a Duolingo-only route, or if you would be self-funding a master’s: tuition alone is $52,632 a year from fall 2027.
How Penn State compares with similar-ranked schools
| School | U.S. News engineering rank (2026) | GRE | International application fee | Tuition guide for a full-time international master’s student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Engineering | 28 (tied) | Optional in ME, Aerospace and EE; recommended in Civil | $85 | $52,632 a year non-resident engineering tuition (rates from fall 2027) |
| Ohio State Engineering | 28 (tied) | Not required in CSE and ECE; not accepted in MAE | $70 | $45,938 tuition and fees for two semesters (2026-27), plus engineering fees |
| UCSB Engineering | 28 (tied) | Not required in Mechanical Engineering; set by each department | $155 | $31,557 tuition, campus fees and non-resident tuition (2026-27) |
| Virginia Tech Engineering | 32 (tied) | Optional in ME and ECE; not required in CS | $75 | $36,212 tuition and fees (2026 estimate) plus a $2,000 engineering charge |
For undergraduate entry, see our Penn State admission requirements guide, and for outside funding, our list of American scholarships for international students.
FAQs
What is the Penn State graduate application fee for international students?
It is $85 for degree and certificate programmes and is not refundable. Fee waiver requests go to your intended department.
Is the GRE required for Penn State engineering?
Not in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical or Civil and Environmental Engineering. Civil strongly recommends it, and Mechanical needs it only for provisional admission.
Does Penn State accept Nigerian degrees without IELTS?
Yes. Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya are on the exemption list, so a bachelor’s or graduate degree earned there meets the English requirement. Others need TOEFL iBT 80 (old scale) or IELTS 6.5.
When is the Penn State engineering graduate deadline for fall 2027?
Mechanical Engineering closes on 1 December 2026. Aerospace, Electrical and Civil and Environmental Engineering use 15 December 2026 for funding consideration, and Civil accepts other applications until 15 March 2027.
Sources and updates
Checked on 29 October 2026. Rank: Penn State News (April 2026) and VnExpress International (9 April 2026), both reporting the U.S. News 2026 Best Engineering Schools list. English minimums, exempt countries, transcript and degree rules: Penn State Graduate School admission requirements and its application fees page. Deadlines, GRE and GPA: Mechanical Engineering admissions, the Aerospace Engineering how-to-apply page, the Electrical Engineering how-to-apply page and the Civil and Environmental Engineering how-to-apply page. Funding types: College of Engineering funding and support page. Stipend, tuition remission and insurance figures: Graduate School information for graduate assistants and policy GSAD 901. Tuition: Penn State tuition rates effective fall 2027. Living and insurance estimates: Penn State Global University Park graduate expense breakdown. STEM OPT: the Department of Homeland Security STEM OPT Hub. Penn State does not publish engineering graduate acceptance rates on these pages. This guide will be updated if dates or fees change.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
