Instructions for Applying

Thank you for your interest in Penn GSE! Please read all instructions and complete each step carefully.

Penn GSE appreciates your commitment to pursuing a career in the field of education. As such, we do not require those submitting applications to degree programs for the 2010-2011 academic year to submit an application fee.

Step 1: Complete the application form.

All degree applicants must complete the online application form, which can be accessed at https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=upenn-ed.

Please be sure to indicate the degree you are seeking and the program in which you wish to study, your intended start date, and the type of enrollment you wish (full- or part-time).

Step 2: Write a statement of purpose.

The online application system supports the electronic submission of the statement of purpose. All degree applicants are required to write a statement of purpose, which should be no more than 750 words. It should address the factors that have encouraged you to seek an education from Penn GSE. You may also wish to describe your background, significant personal and professional experiences related to your program of study, important aspects of your academic record, and your professional goals upon completion of your desired program.

Specific program instructions:

• Applicants to the Counseling and Psychological Services program should address their interest in the field of psychology and future professional goals.

• Applicants to the Professional Counseling (PC) program should answer the following question: What clinical strengths have you developed as a professional and what areas for further development would you like to address during your enrollment in the PC program?
• Applicants to The Executive Doctorate in Higher Education program only: Please submit a single document of no more than ten double-spaced pages.That single document should be divided into two parts, each not more than five pages.

  For Part I, please submit a Statement of Purpose that describes what attributes of the program have led you to apply to the Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management.  Please address how your previous professional and educational experiences have prepared to you succeed in an accelerated doctoral program, and how these experiences will contribute to learning in a cohort-based instructional model.

  For Part II, please submit an Essay addressing the following question.  From among the most significant issues and opportunities in your institutional sector or functional area of higher education, what do we not know about this issue and why do we need to know it?

Step 3: Submit a copy of your résumé.

The online application system supports the electronic submission of the résumé. Applicants should submit a résumé with details of relevant work and other experiences.

Step 4: Request three letters of recommendation.

The online application system supports the electronic submission of the letters of recommendation. Applicants should request letters of recommendation from three people who can speak to your overall ability to study and practice in the field of education. Be sure to carefully read the "Agreement of Confidentiality" in the applicant's section of the form. If you are willing to relinquish your right of access to these recommendations, please make certain you indicate that, since the response of the recommender may be affected by whether or not you relinquish your right of access.

• Applicants to the Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Executive Doctorate in Higher Education, Executive Master's in Professional School Counseling, Educational Leadership Program for Aspiring Principals, and Reading Specialist certification only programs are required to submit two letters of recommendation.

Specific program instructions:

• Applicants to the Professional Counseling program must submit one letter of recommendation from a supervisor who can attest to the applicant's clinical/counseling skills.

Step 5: Request that an official copy of your standardized test scores be sent directly to Penn GSE.

You must arrange to have your standardized test scores sent directly to Penn GSE using the institutional reporting code 2943 for the GRE and TOEFL tests.

All degree program applicants must take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and submit scores from a test taken within the past five years.

(GRE scores are not required for academic year 2010-2011 applicants to the Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, the Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership, the Executive Master's in Professional School Counseling, Teach for America, and the master's Reading/Writing/Literacy programs.)

All international degree applicants must take either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam, with the exception of those who hold an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction.

Test Information:

GRE and TOEFL

Educational Testing Service

Princeton, NJ 08540

Phone: 609-771-7670

Institutional Codes for Test Reporting:

GRE and TOEFL: 2943

IELTS test centers are located in over 110 countries worldwide. Consult the website to find the test center nearest you. A free handbook is available and can be downloaded from the website. Have your test scores sent directly to Penn GSE from the test center.

Step 6: Collect all academic transcripts.

Admission requires satisfactory completion of a baccalaureate degree at an accredited U.S. university or its equivalent. Arrange for all academic transcripts from all higher education institutions you have attended, or are currently attending, to be sent to you or directly to Penn GSE. These must be official copies of your transcripts, signed and sealed by the institution(s). The envelopes must be sealed when they are received at Penn GSE. If you are currently enrolled in an academic institution, a final transcript will be required prior to your matriculation into a degree program.

Transcripts should be mailed to:

Penn Graduate School of Education

Office of Admission

University of Pennsylvania

Graduate School of Education

3700 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6216

Step 7: Additional information for selected programs

Please note that admitted applicants to the Teacher Education, Counseling and Psychological Services, Professional Counseling, Executive Professional School Counseling, School Counseling Certification, Reading/Writing/Literacy and Language and Literacy in Education programs will be required to obtain three criminal background and child abuse clearances, in accordance with Pennsylvania law. These must be obtained and provided to program administrators prior to field placements. Program administrators are required to collect copies of valid clearances and make them available to school districts or other clinical settings as required.

Questions?

The staff of the Penn GSE Office of Admission is available to assist you with questions about admission requirements and the application process Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

Call us at 877-PENN-GSE (877-736-6473) or (215) 898-6415,

Or email us at admissions@gse.upenn.edu

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Attention: International Applicants

International applicants are strongly encouraged to file all admission materials 12 weeks in advance of the stated program deadlines. Applicants whose native language is not English and those who do not have an undergraduate degree from a university or college where English is the primary language of instruction must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS exams and submit their test scores with their application for admission. Foreign language transcripts must be submitted with a word-for-word English translation. International applicants should not leave their home country before gaining admission to Penn GSE.

Instructions for obtaining a student visa are included in the admission acceptance packet.

In order to obtain a student visa, international applicants must be able to prove that they

can pay the full costs of their tuition and residency in the United States. This information should be submitted to the University of Pennsylvania Office of International Programs with the visa application forms.

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Application deadlines for Fall 2010 enrollment:

Ph.D. Programs: December 15, 2009.

Ed.D. Programs: December 15, 2009.

(The application deadline for the Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management programs is March 1, 2010.)

M.S.Ed./M.S./M.Phil.Ed. Programs: applications accepted on rolling basis.

(The priority application deadline for the Higher Education program is February 1, 2010.)

For Non-Degree and Undergraduate Students

General Admission

Students who wish to enroll in one or two education courses to further their career development or to explore a new field of interest should complete the three-page Penn GSE application for admission. Submit the application with an official transcript from the baccalaureate or master's degree. (Please see section above on academic transcripts for requirements.) Non-U.S. citizens and permanent residents cannot be accepted for general admission from abroad.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

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Submatriculation

For Penn Undergraduate Students

Penn undergraduates who want to submatriculate into a master's degree program must do the following:

• Submit written approval from their undergraduate advisor
• Meet with a Penn GSE academic advisor in the program to which they are applying
• File all application materials required by their program at Penn GSE, including the application form

For Bryn Mawr and Haverford Undergraduate Students

Bryn Mawr and Haverford undergraduates who want to submatriculate into the teacher education program should follow the steps outlined above for Penn undergraduate students.

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