Application Instructions

Admission to the Smeal Ph.D. Program is jointly granted by the Penn State J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School and the academic program in which you apply.

Application Fee Information

• Domestic application fee: $65

• International application fee: $85

• There is no application fee waiver and it is nonrefundable.

• Electronic application: You may pay by credit card online when you submit the application or you may send a check or money order. Applications without fees cannot be processed. If you do not wish to pay the application fee by credit card, please download the Application Fee Form and mail it along with your non-refundable application fee. Do not send cash.
  
  Make check or money order payable to The Pennsylvania State University. International money order or check must be drawn on a U.S. bank. The canceled check serves as your receipt. You may mail the application fee form to: 
  
  Graduate Enrollment Services
  The Pennsylvania State University
  114 Kern BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802

Resume or CV

Be sure to include extra-curricular activities, community activities, and an up-to-date work history.

Statement of Purpose (SOP)

Answer the following questions:

• What are your career objectives in pursuing a doctoral degree in Business Administration?

• Why have you chosen to apply to the Pennsylvania State University for graduate study?

• Describe any previous research that you have done, as well as the kind of research you wish to pursue during your graduate studies and beyond.

• Optional: To what other graduate business programs are you applying?

Transcripts

• Provide transcripts for every completed degree

• Must be a scanned copy of an original transcript (Do not mail anything in at this time)

• Advising transcripts and degree audits from a self-service website are not acceptable

Recommendation Letters

• Provide at least two recommendation letters

• Each recommender will be contacted by e-mail, therefore it’s important that you provide a valid e-mail address for each reference

• If you wish to have more than two references, please send the names and e-mail addresses to phd-ms@smeal.psu.edu, along with your name and student number

GRE/GMAT tests

• Scores must be sent electronically from the testing center. There’s been a recent change with how scores are sent to University. GMATs were all combined under one selection. “Students taking the GMAT should have their scores sent to Penn State University, if prompted select their plan of study and plan of study location.” If the applicant cannot find the right plan of study, should select the closest equivalent. Since all GMAT results come to the same place, once sent, Grad School will be able to find them and manually upload them to the application.

• Accounting, Finance, Management and Organization, Marketing, Real Estate, and Supply Chain & Information Systems prefer GMAT scores, but the GRE is an acceptable alternative.

TOEFL test (For international applicants only)

• Must have a total score of at least 4.5 with a 4.5 or greater on the speaking section for the internet-based test (iBT). Applicants who have taken the TOEFL prior to January 21, 2026, must have a total score of 80 or higher with a speaking score of 23 or higher.

• IELTS scores are not accepted

• Scores must be sent electronically from the testing center. The TOEFL code for Penn State is 2660.

• Graduating with a bachelor's or master's degree from a college or university located in a country where the primary language is English by the time you would start the Ph.D. Program at Penn State would qualify for a TOEFL waiver. These countries include:

  • American Samoa

  • Anguilla

  • Antigua and Barbuda

  • Australia

  • Bahamas

  • Barbados

  • Belize

  • Bermuda

  • British Virgin Islands

  • Canada (except Quebec)

  • Cayman Islands

  • Dominica

  • England

  • Ghana

  • Grenada

  • Guyana

  • Jamaica

  • Kenya

  • Liberia

  • Montserrat

  • New Zealand

  • Nigeria

  • Northern Ireland

  • Puerto Rico

  • Republic of Ireland

  • Scotland

  • Singapore

  • South Africa

  • St Kitts and Nevis

  • St Lucia

  • Trinidad and Tobago

  • Turks and Caicos Islands

  • Uganda

  • United States

  • U.S. Virgin Islands

  • Wales

Visit the Penn State J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School website for more information how to to apply.