How to Apply

Information on how to apply to the Penn State Smeal College of Business Graduate Certificate in Accounting.

Admission to the program requires a completed Penn State Graduate School application and payment of the application fee.

Begin your application today: Applications are now being accepted for the Summer 2023 semester, which begins in May.

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General Requirements

Applicants must hold either a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that Penn State deems comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. Applicants are generally expected to have a minimum combined junior/senior grade-point average of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale.

Online Application Materials

Applications are submitted electronically and include a nonrefundable application fee. The following are to be uploaded with your application:

  • Statement of Purpose: Describe how your professional experience and goals align with the Accounting Foundations Certificate. Please do not exceed 500 words.
  • Vita or Résumé: A one- to two-page listing of your professional experience.
  • English Proficiency:The language of instruction at Penn State is English. All international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with some exceptions. Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Proficiency section on the Graduate School's "Requirements for Graduate Admission" page. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.
  • GRE or GMAT test scores are NOT required.

Technical Requirements

Review the technical requirements for this degree program.