General Information and Admission Requirements
How to apply
Applicants should be college graduates with an undergraduate or master's degree, or a health professions degree emphasizing biological, health, and/or behavioral sciences, or an interdisciplinary program combining aspects of both (pre-med, for example).
Applicants should have a basic background in quantitative methods; have demonstrated competence in English (international students for whom English is a second language should take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score 600 or above).
The Graduate School
To formally apply please complete the Graduate School's on-line application. Below is a link with more information on how to apply and the on-line application. There is a non-refundable fee for this process and applications will not be processed without the application fee.
- Further information on how to apply.
- Graduate School On-line Application
(If you have already applied, you may check the status of your graduate application.)
The Graduate Program in Biobehavioral Health
To apply to the Graduate Program in Biobehavioral Health mail the following documents to:
Graduate Program in Biobehavioral Health
The Pennsylvania State University
315 Easlth Health and Human Development Building
University Park, PA 16802
All applicants
- Two official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended, both undergraduate and graduate.
- Transcript Request Form Type On and Print (.pdf format)
- International applicants must submit official or attested university records, with certified translations if records are not in English.
- Notarized copies are not sufficient.
- Scores from Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test (GRE) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
- Biographical sketch / CV
- Personal Statement / Essay (details included on the “student interest form” below)
- Minimum grade-point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
- Three letters of recommendation (form or letter format)
- Recomendation Report on Applicant for Admission
- If letter format, please ask the person writing a letter to comment on your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your abilities to complete graduate work. The final letter should be on letterhead stationary.
- Student Interest Form
- Student Interest Form (.pdf file)
International applicants only
- TOFEL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for The Department of Biobehavioral Health requires a minimum score of:
- Paper-based: 600 for paper-based test
- Computer-based: 250 for the computer-based test
- Internet-based: Total score of 80 with a 20 on the speaking section for the internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with an iBT speaking score between 15 and 19 may be considered for provisional admission, which requires an institutional test of English proficiency upon first enrollment and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.
- Application for Visa Document/Financial Certification
If you are an international student interested in applying to Graduate School at Penn State, please check here for important information and documents pertaining to the admissions process.
The deadline for submission of all application materials for Fall semester is January 14. If you have any questions on the status of your application, please contact us via e-mail at sseiner@psu.edu or by telephone 814-863-7424.