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For New Penn State Graduate Applicants Only

  • All new Penn State graduate applicants must file a Graduate School application electronically. Please refer to the Graduate School's "How to Apply" page for information concerning application fees.
  • You will be applying for the M.S. or Ph.D. degree programs in Information Sciences and Technology at the University Park campus.

For All Applicants

All applicants, regardless of whether they are new to Penn State, current, or returning Penn State graduate students must mail the following items to: College of Information Sciences and Technology, Office of Graduate Programs, The Pennsylvania State University, 325B Information Sciences and Technology Building, University Park, PA 16802.
  • Two (2) official transcripts from every institution of higher education attended, both undergraduate and graduate. International applicants must submit official or attested university records, with certified translations if the records are not in English. Notarized copies are not sufficient. Please use our transcript request form when obtaining transcripts.
  • Results from a recent (within the past five years) Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Our institution code is 2660 and our college code is 0404.
  • If you wish to apply for an assistantship, print and complete the Graduate Assistantship Form. Please mail the form along with your application packet to the address listed above.
You will need the following information for the electronic Graduate School application.
  • Three (3) letters of academic recommendation (for applicants currently active in the workforce, letters of recommendation from professional colleagues will be accepted). A letter on college or company letterhead is acceptable—no special form is necessary. Each reference will receive an e-mail when the applicant submits the form that details the reference submission portal on the electronic application.
  • A résumé that includes present position and any publications.
  • A one- to three-page personal statement of goals related to pursuing an advanced degree and career in information sciences and technology.
  • A statement of research interests. To learn about research by IST faculty, visit the research section of this site.
  • A sample of the applicant's writing. This could be a journal article, conference paper, or final paper for a course.
  • Visa application for non-US applicants.

Please do not send information that cannot be used in the admission decision process. Examples include: Individual Education Plans (IEPs), medical records, statements from physicians or psychologists, or legal documents. All such information will be returned to the applicant.

Admission Requirements

December 15, 2009 is the deadline for submitting applications for Fall 2010.

The deadline for all application materials – including your electronic application and test scores – is December 15, 2009.  All applications received by this date will be given full consideration for Fall 2010 admission. We only admit students to the program during the fall semester.

In addition to requirements specific to IST, all applicants must satisfy the requirements of the Penn State Graduate School. Please see the general information section of the Graduate Bulletin.

Course Work
Because our program is multidisciplinary, individuals from nearly any discipline may be accepted. A master's degree in a related area is not necessary for admission but may be helpful in the successful completion of the degree.

It is expected that students, regardless of their academic background, will have:

  • Computer languages: a minimum of 6 credits of course work in a computer language or languages or equivalent
  • Information technology coursework or work experience that demonstrates a basic understanding of information technology beyond computer languages; for example, internet technologies, database systems, interface design, service-oriented architectures, artificial intelligence, or software engineering
  • A basic competency in research methodology statistics: a minimum of 6 credits in undergraduate course work, graduate course work, or a combination of work at both levels
Please note: A student may be accepted into the program with provisional status for no more than one year while work is completed to meet these expectations.