Admissions · United States
Penn State Acceptance Rate: Admissions Statistics and TOEFL & IELTS Requirements
Penn State University Park admitted 55.3% of first-year applicants for fall 2025: 58,952 of 106,547, according to its Common Data Set.
Penn State (University Park) TOEFL and IELTS requirements at a glance
| Applying for | TOEFL iBT | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (first-year and transfer) | TOEFL iBT4.5 for exams taken after 21 January 2026; 80 on the internet-based TOEFL (0–120 scale) for exams taken before 21 January 2026. No section minimums stated. | IELTS Academic6.5 on the Academic test |
Full requirements and official sources · Check your TOEFL band with a free mock test
Penn State publishes a separate Common Data Set for University Park and for each of its Commonwealth Campuses, released by the Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research. Every figure on this page comes from the University Park edition; the newest covers fall 2025. Below are the last three cycles, the residency, early action, wait-list and transfer figures Penn State has published for University Park, and the TOEFL and IELTS scores it requires.
Figures read from official sources on · LingoLeap Admissions Research
Penn State (University Park) acceptance rate by year
| Cycle | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 entering class (University Park) | 106,547 | 58,952 | 55.3% source |
| Fall 2024 entering class (University Park) | 88,478 | 53,579 | 60.6% source |
| Fall 2023 entering class (University Park) | 85,957 | 46,605 | 54.2% source |
Penn State University Park acceptance rate by applicant group
| Group | Cycle | Rate | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania residents | Fall 2025 entering class | 56.7% | 12,096 admitted of 21,321 source |
| Out-of-state (US) | Fall 2025 entering class | 53.3% | 38,846 admitted of 72,861 source |
| International | Fall 2025 entering class | 64.8% | 8,010 admitted of 12,365 source |
| Pennsylvania residents | Fall 2024 entering class | 62.5% | 12,179 admitted of 19,483 source |
| Out-of-state (US) | Fall 2024 entering class | 59.2% | 34,761 admitted of 58,681 source |
| International | Fall 2024 entering class | 64.4% | 6,639 admitted of 10,314 source |
| Pennsylvania residents | Fall 2023 entering class | 57.9% | 11,204 admitted of 19,365 source |
| Out-of-state (US) | Fall 2023 entering class | 53.1% | 29,675 admitted of 55,863 source |
| International | Fall 2023 entering class | 53.4% | 5,726 admitted of 10,729 source |
| Early action (non-binding) | Fall 2023 entering class | 70.3% | 25,053 admitted of 35,642 early action applicants; 6,272 enrolled. Not reported for fall 2024 or fall 2025. source |
| Wait list (admitted of those who accepted a place) | Fall 2025 entering class | 4.0% | 46 admitted of 1,153 who accepted a place; 2,109 were offered one source |
| Wait list (admitted of those who accepted a place) | Fall 2024 entering class | 52.4% | 654 admitted of 1,248 who accepted a place; 1,818 were offered one source |
| Wait list (admitted of those who accepted a place) | Fall 2023 entering class | 2.7% | 84 admitted of 3,114 who accepted a place; 4,903 were offered one source |
| Yield (admits who enrolled) | Fall 2025 entering class | 15.5% | 9,148 enrolled of 58,952 admitted source |
| Yield (admits who enrolled) | Fall 2024 entering class | 17.1% | 9,169 enrolled of 53,579 admitted source |
| Yield (admits who enrolled) | Fall 2023 entering class | 19.4% | 9,040 enrolled of 46,605 admitted source |
| Transfer | Fall 2025 | 61.3% | 925 admitted of 1,508 source |
| Transfer | Fall 2024 | 69.8% | 656 admitted of 940 source |
| Transfer | Fall 2023 | 56.8% | 771 admitted of 1,358 source |
What the numbers mean
Penn State University Park's acceptance rate was 55.3% for fall 2025 (58,952 of 106,547), 60.6% for fall 2024 (53,579 of 88,478) and 54.2% for fall 2023 (46,605 of 85,957). Applications rose by about 18,000 between fall 2024 and fall 2025. The figures are for University Park only: Penn State reports each Commonwealth Campus in its own Common Data Set. In the 2023-24 edition the gender rows add up to 85,880 applicants and 46,565 admits, slightly below the residency table's totals; the CDS instructions allow this, and this page uses the residency totals (the rate is 54.2% either way).
Penn State has no early decision plan. Its University Park Common Data Set lists a non-binding, non-restrictive early action plan closing on 1 November with decisions on 24 December. Early action counts were reported only in the 2023-24 edition: 25,053 of 35,642 early action applicants were admitted for fall 2023 (70.3%). The wait list has varied a great deal: 46 students were admitted from it for fall 2025, 654 for fall 2024 and 84 for fall 2023.
University Park admitted international applicants at a higher rate than domestic applicants in the last two cycles: 64.8% for fall 2025 (8,010 of 12,365), against 56.7% for Pennsylvania residents and 53.3% for out-of-state US applicants. For fall 2023 the three rates were close (53.4%, 57.9% and 53.1%). Transfer applicants were admitted at 61.3% for fall 2025 (925 of 1,508).
Penn State's international admissions page sets a TOEFL minimum of 4.5 for exams taken after 21 January 2026 and 80 on the internet-based TOEFL for exams taken before that date, with no section minimums stated; the TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted but MyBest scores are not. It requires IELTS Academic 6.5 and a Duolingo English Test score of 120, all less than two years old. SAT, ACT, GCSE/GCE, IB results or four years at a US high school can be used instead.
Penn State (University Park) TOEFL and IELTS requirements
Minimums for international applicants from the university's own pages. Since 21 January 2026 TOEFL iBT reports a 1–6 band score; the notes give the older 0–120 equivalent where the university states one. Convert TOEFL and IELTS scores.
Undergraduate (first-year and transfer)
TOEFL iBT: 4.5 for exams taken after 21 January 2026; 80 on the internet-based TOEFL (0–120 scale) for exams taken before 21 January 2026. No section minimums stated.
IELTS Academic: 6.5 on the Academic test
Duolingo English Test: 120. TOEFL iBT Home Edition accepted; TOEFL MyBest scores not accepted. TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo scores must be less than two years old. Alternatives include SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 570+, ACT English 24+, GCSE/GCE English language A–C, IB English A 5+, or four years at a US high school. US citizens and permanent residents do not need to show English proficiency.
Penn State: Admission Requirements for International Students · checked 26 October 2026
Check your score against Penn State (University Park)
Take a free 2026-format TOEFL mock test for a 1–6 band estimate, then compare it with the minimum above and with other universities' requirements.
Free TOEFL mock testSign up free to submit your answers for scoring · no credit card
FAQ
What is Penn State's acceptance rate?
Penn State University Park admitted 58,952 of 106,547 first-year applicants for fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 55.3%, according to its Common Data Set. The rate was 60.6% for fall 2024 and 54.2% for fall 2023. These are University Park figures; each Commonwealth Campus publishes its own.
What is Penn State's international acceptance rate?
University Park admitted 8,010 of 12,365 international first-year applicants for fall 2025 (64.8%), 6,639 of 10,314 for fall 2024 (64.4%) and 5,726 of 10,729 for fall 2023 (53.4%).
What is Penn State's out-of-state acceptance rate?
For fall 2025, University Park admitted 38,846 of 72,861 out-of-state US applicants (53.3%), against 56.7% for Pennsylvania residents (12,096 of 21,321). For fall 2024 the out-of-state rate was 59.2%.
What is Penn State's transfer acceptance rate?
University Park admitted 925 of 1,508 transfer applicants for fall 2025 (61.3%), 656 of 940 for fall 2024 (69.8%) and 771 of 1,358 for fall 2023 (56.8%).
What TOEFL score does Penn State require?
Penn State requires a TOEFL score of at least 4.5 for exams taken after 21 January 2026 and at least 80 on the internet-based TOEFL for exams taken before that date. It states no section minimums, accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition and does not accept MyBest scores. Scores must be less than two years old.
What IELTS score does Penn State require?
Penn State requires a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the Academic test, less than two years old. Its page does not state band (section) minimums.