Accepted Student Timeline

Getting Ready to Attend Penn State
Timeframe Action

October

Federal Student Aid PINs. Students and parents should request Federal Student Aid PINs (Personal Identification Number) to e-sign the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or renewal FAFSA at www.pin.ed.gov.

October

Complete FAFSA. Complete the FAFSA on the Web. The form becomes available January 1 and should be completed by March 1 for maximum student aid consideration. However, students can still send in their FAFSA after this date.

Ongoing

Campus Visits. Whether you are still thinking about Penn State or you have already accepted your offer of admission, we encourage you to visit your campus of offer. View currently scheduled Penn State Wilkes-Barre events for accepted students.

February

Student Financial Aid Award Notifications. Penn State’s Office of Student Aid begins to email Student Financial Aid Award Notifications to first-year students in late March. Please note: International students do not need to provide a FAFSA and are not eligible for federal student aid.

May 1st

National Candidate Reply Date. This is the date by which Penn State asks you to accept your offer of admission. If you choose to attend Penn State — and we hope you will — log in to MyPennState and select the “Click here to accept your offer of admission” button.
Enrollment Deposit. When you accept your offer of admission, you can pay this deposit online.

April–August

New Student Orientation. After you have accepted your offer of admission and paid your deposit, you will receive information about participating in New Student Orientation (NSO).
Immunizations. Make sure all of your required immunizations are up to date. We require all degree-seeking students to have the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) immunization. You can visit the University Health Services website for more information about the required immunizations.
International Students. Once you accept your offer of admission and pay your enrollment fees, the Office of Global Programs will begin processing your I-20. Watch your email for communication from their office and visit their website for more information on the steps to prepare for arrival. Please note: In addition to the immunizations required above, international students are required to demonstrate that they have health insurance coverage.

Late June–Early July

Summer Session. Penn State’s second summer session starts.

July

Tuition Bill. The fall semester tuition bills (eBill) are sent to students through their Penn State email accounts.
Verify Incoming Credits. If you took AP exams, IB Exams, A-Level exams, or participated in a dual-enrollment course, check our listing of all the tests and the corresponding credit that you can receive. You can check your eLion account to make sure the credits appear. If you took any college courses, through dual-enrollment or otherwise, be sure to send us the official college transcript with your final grade(s). We will evaluate the transcript(s) and, if we are able, we will award credits for the coursework.

August

Calendars. View the University Academic Calendar to check on important dates. Check out the campus calendar to view events at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
Fall Semester Starts. We are excited that you have chosen to become a Penn Stater; we know that you can accomplish great things at Penn State. Welcome to the Penn State family!