Wharton's many international doctoral students enrich our academic environment with diverse cultural, intellectual, and educational perspectives.

International candidates must have a college-level education equivalent to a four-year United States baccalaureate degree. There are a number of universities around the world that offer three-year undergraduate programs. If you received a bachelor's degree upon completion of one of these undergraduate programs, you are eligible to apply to Wharton's doctoral programs. Many candidates from three-year programs have a master's degree as well, but it is not required.

There is not a limit on the number of international students who will be accepted into the Doctoral program each year. Acceptance into the program is based on academic history, test results, recommendations and personal statement.

International students who are accepted into the Wharton Doctoral Programs receive the same financial package as domestic students. Please see the Expenses & Financial Aid section of this site for additional information

When applying, you need to carefully review the requirements for submitting all of your transcripts and student records. These include all post-secondary educational institutions you have attended, including technical and professional schools.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required if you are an international applicant whose native language is not English. Please carefully review all the requirements for the exam explained in the Standardized Tests section.

For detailed information regarding immigration and taxes, please visit Penn's Office of International Programs. In order to maintain legal student status in the United States, international PhD students must be enrolled for a full-time course load, which means a minimum of three courses per semester. Full-time enrollment does not include audits or incompletes. Once you have completed your coursework and are working on your thesis or dissertation, you must maintain your full-time status by registering for doctoral dissertation tuition or registration.

International students who are accepted into the program and whose first language is not English may be required to take the SPEAK test offered through the English Language Programs office.

This test is used to determine/confirm a student's fluency in English. If test results indicate a student would benefit from additional language instruction, arrangements will be made for summer class work and tutoring. Students will be expected to complete this additional work to ensure their proficiency in written and spoken English in professional settings.