How to Apply

Information about how to apply for admission and financial aid in the Educational Theory and Policy program in the College of Education at Penn State

How to Apply

For admission to the Educational Theory and Policy Program, you must apply to The Graduate School (Step One) and also submit a packet of materials to the Educational Theory and Policy Program (Step Two) by January 15 (for Fall admission) or October 15 (for Spring admission).

Step one: Applying to The Graduate School

1. Complete the Admission Application to The Graduate School. (For fee rates, please visit the Graduate School's "How to Apply" page. Applications without fees cannot be processed.)

2. As part of The Graduate School application, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

Three letters of recommendation: You will be asked to submit the name and email addresses of three referents that are best qualified to assess your ability to succeed in graduate school. The referents will be sent an email message directing them to the appropriate site to upload their letter of recommendation. You will be notified via email when a reference letter is submitted, but you will not be able to view the letter.
Current resume or curriculum vitae
Statement of purpose (In approximately two single-spaced pages please explain why you are applying to EDTHP. In writing your statement, you might consider some of the following questions: What background experiences led to your decision to apply to our program and what is it about EDTHP that most interests you? What types of career goals or plans do you currently have?)
Writing sample (For example, an honors paper, undergraduate course paper, Master's thesis, or a review of an article or report published in a recent professional journal which deals with a contemporary educational issue related to your academic interests)

Step Two: Applying to the Educational Theory and Policy Program

Please submit an application packet consisting of the following materials to Educational Theory & Policy, The Pennsylvania State University, 300 Rackley Building, University Park, PA 16802:

Two official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended, both undergraduate and graduate. International applicants must submit official or attested university records in the native language, with certified translations if the records are not in English. Notarized copies are not sufficient. Transcript Request Form
Official GRE score report (institution code for Penn State is 2660; department code is 3501)
Official TOEFL score report, if required
Graduate Assistantship Application for applicants (doctoral only) seeking financial assistance

Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the Transcript Request Form and Graduate Assistantship Application. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download the software from the Adobe Web site.