
Penn State is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Penn State Wilkes-Barre is a campus of the accredited university, not a separately accredited college.
Institutional accreditation is relevant to federal student-aid eligibility and establishes that the university undergoes external review. It does not mean every course will transfer to another institution or that every program meets a particular licensing requirement. Students considering a regulated profession should check any program-specific accreditation and the rules in the state where they expect to work. Those planning to finish at another Penn State campus should also confirm that their proposed courses meet that major's requirements.
First-year applicants generally apply to Penn State through its undergraduate application process and submit a secondary-school academic record. A high school diploma or recognized equivalent is expected for degree study; academic performance and the courses taken are relevant to review.
Published campus admissions reporting identifies the secondary-school record and GPA as required information, while class rank and recommendations are not generally required. SAT and ACT scores have been considered but not required under the reported policy. Applicants should check the policy for their entry term rather than assuming a test-optional rule will remain unchanged. Applicants educated in another language or country may have additional transcript and English-proficiency requirements.
In the reported first-year admissions cycle, 612 of 631 applicants were admitted, approximately 97%. That is an admission rate, not a guarantee for an individual applicant or for a restricted major. Penn State's announced closure makes the intended entry term particularly important: applicants should verify whether Wilkes-Barre is accepting new students and how an admitted student would complete a degree after spring 2027.
The reported Penn State undergraduate application fee is $65. Applicants should confirm the amount displayed for their application and distinguish this one-time charge from tuition, an enrollment deposit, or orientation costs.
Penn State offers application-fee waivers to eligible applicants, including those who meet applicable financial-need criteria. The application process specifies how to indicate or request a waiver. Applicants who need one should resolve eligibility before paying and submitting, since a later refund should not be assumed. Fees and waiver procedures may differ for international, graduate, or other applicant categories.
Army and Air Force ROTC opportunities have been reported for Penn State Wilkes-Barre students through cooperating host institutions, rather than as units based at Wilkes-Barre. Cross-enrollment arrangements can involve travel, scheduling requirements, and approval by the host program.
ROTC participation and an ROTC scholarship are separate decisions; eligibility, selection, and eventual service obligations depend on the branch and program. Given the campus's announced closure, an interested student should establish which host unit currently accepts Wilkes-Barre students and whether participation can continue from the campus where the student expects to finish.
Transfer applicants use Penn State's transfer admissions process and should provide official records of college-level study. Penn State generally considers credits from accredited institutions, but admission and the application of individual credits toward a chosen degree are separate decisions.
Reported entry options include fall, spring, and summer. The appropriate application route, academic expectations, and deadlines depend on the applicant's prior college work and intended program. Some majors have additional entrance or prerequisite requirements. Penn State's transfer-credit resources can help applicants estimate course equivalencies, but an official evaluation and an adviser's degree audit are needed to establish how credits count toward graduation.
Students with examination or other prior-learning credit should ask how Penn State evaluates the particular credential; a general willingness to consider CLEP, DSST, or other recommended credit does not mean every result satisfies a major requirement. Transfers considering Wilkes-Barre should also request a term-by-term completion plan that accounts for the announced closure.
Penn State students can explore university-wide education-abroad opportunities, but participation is not the same as a program operated by the Wilkes-Barre campus. Penn State options may include longer-term study and shorter faculty-led experiences, subject to each program's eligibility rules.
Before applying, a Wilkes-Barre student should have an academic adviser confirm how proposed credits would satisfy the degree, especially in a tightly sequenced technical major. Program charges, travel expenses, scholarships, and the treatment of existing financial aid need separate review. The campus's closure timetable could also affect when a student can study abroad without delaying completion.
15% of admitted students enrolled (92 of 612)
Application fee
$65Early Decision
NoEarly Action
Yes, deadline November 1Percent of students submitting ACT scores
1.09%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
24.14%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Neither required nor recommendedSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
Considered but not requiredRecommendations
Neither required nor recommendedFormal demonstration of competencies
Neither required nor recommendedAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
RequiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
YesAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesOrientation program
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionStudy abroad
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
NoPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
NoGenerally accepts credits
YesAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Spring, SummerData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.