TL;DR: The Penn State acceptance rate at University Park was 55.3 percent for fall 2025, the Class of 2029: 58,952 students admitted from 106,547 first-year applications, according to the Penn State Common Data Set. That is down from 60.6 percent for fall 2024. Pennsylvania residents were admitted at 56.7 percent, out-of-state applicants at 53.3 percent, and international applicants at 64.8 percent. Penn State is test optional, uses the highest combined score from a single test date, and does not superscore. November 1 is the one big deadline: after it, Penn State reviews on a rolling basis and admission becomes more competitive, particularly at University Park. Every applicant also names an alternate campus, and the 2+2 Plan lets a student start at one campus and finish at another that offers the major. To discuss your strategy, schedule a consultation.
Sources: Penn State Common Data Set 2025-2026 and 2024-2025; Penn State Undergraduate Admissions.
What Is the Penn State Acceptance Rate?
Penn State admitted 55.3 percent of first-year applicants to University Park for fall 2025, the Class of 2029. University Park received 106,547 applications, admitted 58,952 students, and enrolled 9,148, according to the Penn State Common Data Set for 2025-2026. A year earlier, it admitted 53,579 of 88,478 applicants, a rate of 60.6 percent. Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 15.5 percent for fall 2025.
| Entering class (University Park) | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 (Class of 2028) | 88,478 | 53,579 | 9,169 | 60.6% |
| Fall 2025 (Class of 2029) | 106,547 | 58,952 | 9,148 | 55.3% |
Source: Penn State Common Data Set 2025-2026 and 2024-2025, University Park, section C1. Rates are Oriel Admissions calculations from the reported counts.
Applications to University Park grew by 18,069, or 20.4 percent, in one cycle while the entering class stayed about the same size. Penn State says it now receives more than 100,000 first-year applications.
What Is the Penn State Acceptance Rate for Out-of-State Students?
| Applicant group (University Park) | Fall 2025 applied | Fall 2025 admitted | Fall 2025 rate | Fall 2024 rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania residents | 21,321 | 12,096 | 56.7% | 62.5% |
| Out-of-state | 72,861 | 38,846 | 53.3% | 59.2% |
| International | 12,365 | 8,010 | 64.8% | 64.4% |
| Total | 106,547 | 58,952 | 55.3% | 60.6% |
Source: Penn State Common Data Set 2025-2026 and 2024-2025, University Park, section C1. Rates are Oriel Admissions calculations.
Out-of-state applicants were admitted at a slightly lower rate than Pennsylvania residents for fall 2025, and far fewer of them enrolled: 9.7 percent of out-of-state admits enrolled, against 38.6 percent of Pennsylvania residents. Pennsylvania residents made up 51.1 percent of the entering class at University Park. Our Penn State out-of-state analysis covers nonresident strategy in more detail.
How Does Penn State Review Applications?
Penn State says the most important part of its review is the academic record: the courses, grades, and course levels for grades 9 through 11, and test scores if provided. Additional factors may include an audition or portfolio, the personal statement, and the activities list. Penn State has no minimum GPA or test score, and letters of recommendation are not required. Applications are reviewed by campus rather than by major, with exceptions such as Nursing and many programs in Arts and Architecture.
Every applicant names a first-choice campus and an alternate campus. An admitted student may be offered the first-choice campus, the summer session at University Park, or the alternate campus. For students offered admission to their first-choice campus for summer and fall 2025, Penn State reports a middle 50 percent GPA of 3.61 to 3.93 at University Park, with an SAT of 1320 to 1460 and an ACT of 29 to 34. At the Commonwealth campuses, the ranges were 3.16 to 3.80, 1120 to 1360, and 24 to 31. Penn State notes that the summer session option at University Park is slightly less competitive than fall.
What Is the Penn State 2+2 Plan?
The 2+2 Plan lets a student begin at one Penn State campus and move to another campus that offers the intended major, usually after two years, without reapplying. Students meet with an adviser in the spring of the sophomore year and must meet the entrance-to-major requirements for their program. For a student who is offered an alternate campus instead of University Park, the 2+2 Plan is the route Penn State itself describes for finishing the degree at a different campus.
Does Penn State Require the SAT or ACT?
No. Penn State is test optional and has not announced an end date for the policy. Students who submit scores self-report them in MyPennState, and Penn State uses the highest combined score from a single test date; it does not superscore. For fall 2025, 28.6 percent of enrolled University Park students submitted an SAT, with a middle 50 percent of 1280 to 1410, and 5.0 percent submitted an ACT, with a middle 50 percent of 28 to 32. Our test requirement tracker shows which peers still require scores.
When Should You Apply to Penn State?
Penn State describes November 1, the Early Action deadline, as its one big deadline. Early Action applicants hear by December 24 and may be admitted, deferred, or denied; deferred applicants receive a final decision by the end of January. After November 1, Penn State reviews applications on a rolling basis, notifications begin in January, and admission becomes more competitive, particularly at University Park. Later applicants may be wait listed for University Park and receive a final decision no later than May 15. Admitted students have until May 1 to accept.
Some programs have their own dates. Nursing at University Park closes December 1, though Penn State recommends applying by November 1. Campuses other than University Park accept applications through the spring and summer, and the fall application closes July 28. The application fee is $65. Our comparison of Early Action and Early Decision explains how a nonbinding early deadline fits a full list.
How Do You Apply to the Schreyer Honors College?
The Schreyer Honors College requires its own application in addition to the Penn State application, including essays, short answers, and recommendation letters. Applicants who want to be considered for an optional interview must apply by November 1; the final deadline is December 2, and decisions are announced in late February or early March. Penn State does not publish a Schreyer admit rate in its Common Data Set. Our Schreyer Honors College guide covers the application in depth, and our Penn State admissions guide covers the rest of the Penn State file.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Penn State Acceptance Rate
Penn State admitted 55.3 percent of first-year applicants to University Park for fall 2025: 58,952 of 106,547, according to its Common Data Set. The rate was 60.6 percent for fall 2024.
The 2+2 Plan lets a student begin at one Penn State campus and move to another campus that offers the intended major, usually after two years, without reapplying. Students must meet the entrance-to-major requirements for their program.
No. Penn State uses the highest combined score from a single test date and does not superscore. Penn State is test optional, and students who submit scores self-report them in MyPennState.
Yes. November 1 is the Early Action deadline, with decisions by December 24. After November 1, Penn State reviews applications on a rolling basis, and admission becomes more competitive, particularly at University Park.
Penn State does not publish a Schreyer admit rate. Schreyer requires a separate application with essays, short answers, and recommendation letters, and applicants who want to be considered for an interview must apply by November 1.
Not for fall 2025. By an Oriel Admissions calculation from the Common Data Set, out-of-state applicants were admitted to University Park at 53.3 percent and Pennsylvania residents at 56.7 percent. International applicants were admitted at 64.8 percent.
Sources: Penn State Common Data Set 2025-2026 and 2024-2025 (University Park), Penn State Dates and Deadlines for First-Year Students, Penn State Application Review Process for First-Year Students, Penn State Admission Requirements for First-Year Students, Penn State 2+2 Plan.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey and New York. Our strength is a deeply experienced team and a distinctive 360 approach that treats every part of the application (academics, testing, activities, essays, and interviews) as one connected strategy. To discuss your strategy, schedule a consultation.
