Non-Degree Studies

Individuals who wish to register for courses at Penn GSE without enrolling in a degree program may do so by applying through our General Admission (i.e. non-degree) program.

You may take a maximum of two 5000-level and above courses as a general admission student. If you are considering enrolling in a Penn GSE course through the general admission program, we recommend meeting with a program advisor to discuss your goals.

Application Requirements 

Non-degree students must complete the online application and select "General Admission" as their program choice. The following application components are required: 

• Resume
• Personal Statement
• Copies of official transcripts issued from a registrar’s office
• Application fee (note: the $75 fee is waived September 1-March 1 annually) 

GRE scores and letters of recommendation are NOT required for general admission students. 

General admission applicants are generally notified of an admissions decision within two weeks of our office receiving a completed application. 

Deadlines 

For consideration, we must receive completed applications by the following dates: 

Academic Policies 

Please note that students in our degree programs have enrollment priority, and select courses may not be available to general admission students based on prerequisites or capacity. General admission students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average to continue the program. General admission students who later decide to apply to a Penn GSE degree program must submit a new application and all required supporting documents when applying. We are not able to provide immigration sponsorship for those pursuing non-degree study.