Applicants to the joint degree program must apply and be admitted first to Penn State Law, and subsequently to the Higher Education graduate program. Admissions requirements and applications for admission for Penn State Law are listed in the J.D. Admissions section of the Penn State Law website. The admission requirements for the Higher Education graduate program are listed on the Admission Requirements tab. When applying to the Higher Education graduate program, applicants must include two letters of recommendation from Penn State Law faculty members and a career statement. Applicants to the joint degree program may submit LSAT scores instead of GRE scores.
A copy of official transcripts/documents from all post-secondary institutions of higher education attended. International applicants must upload university records in the language of instruction (and copies of an official English translation if English is not the language of instruction).
Official GRE/GMAT/LSAT/MAT test scores that are no more than five (5) years old. For GRE/MAT, please request that the testing agency submit an original score report using the institution code for Penn State, 2660, for the GMAT, select Penn State, then select campus, then select Higher Education. Test scores are not required for M.Ed. applicants who have fulfilled at least one of the following: a) worked full-time for a minimum of three years in an administrative role in a college or university, b) completed a Master's degree, c) completed the Institutional Research (IR) Certificate Program at Penn State.
An essay that highlights your strengths, skills, and experiences and that examines the ways in which further education in the field of higher education will assist you in pursuing your professional goals. (NOTE: If your interest is to complete the M.Ed. degree while serving in a graduate assistantship, please be sure to include that in your essay, including particular areas of service that may be of particular interest to you).
Resume
Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be an academic reference and at least one of which must be a professional reference.

All international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, with Graduate School approval, which requires an institutional test of English proficiency upon the first semester of enrollment and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.