Welcome!

Greetings and welcome to Penn State Hazleton. We are very excited you have chosen us to share in your collegiate experience and serve your academic needs.

Penn State University has a longstanding history of international involvement and serving international students.

The resources made available on these pages will help ease your transition into the Penn State Hazleton community. Use this information as a resource guide and contact us with any additional questions that you may have.

Thank you, and we look forward to meeting you soon.

Pre-arrival information

Please view Penn State's Global Programs page for prospective international students, where you will find information about students requesting or refusing an I-20 or DS-2019, insurance and financial requirements, and other essential pre-arrival information.

Early communication about arrival

International students who will be enrolling at Penn State Hazleton for the first time in the fall will be contacted by the international student liaison prior to August of their enrollment year. This communication will come to the email address provided in your Penn State application. This early communication is designed to both welcome you to the campus and provide important information about arrival to Penn State Hazleton, including mandatory orientation dates.

Travel accommodations offered by Penn State Hazleton

For an international student’s first arrival to Penn State Hazleton, the campus will offer a one-time pick up of the student and their luggage from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport during business hours with a ride to Penn State Hazleton. If a student chooses a flight that arrives late at night or chooses to fly into another airport, we are unable to provide a shuttle to campus. In such cases, students will need to arrange their own transportation from the other airport to the campus.

It will be important to communicate your travel plans and itinerary with the international student liaison so that they can be prepared to assist you in your transition to campus upon your arrival.

Housing Recommendation

International students are highly encouraged to live on campus, as this option provides the most convenience when it comes to transportation, involvement in campus life, and short commutes to classes, eateries, and study locations. For information about securing a housing contract and meal plan, please visit the Hazleton Campus Living website.

International students planning to reside on campus will be granted permission to move into the residence halls prior to the official arrival date. The early arrival date will be communicated explicitly via email. Please note that early arrival before the date communicated will not be permitted, as this date is the earliest date that the campus is prepared to have students in the halls.

Tuition & Costs

International students need to be aware that tuition is due on a different timetable than for domestic students. Once you are on campus, you will be able to finalize the process through your Penn State Access Account.

Review Penn State tuition and fees. 

Pay Your Bill (International Wire Transfers): Penn State has partnered with Flywire to offer a streamlined and cost-effective payment method to send international payments. Pay your tuition in a few easy steps. 

Health Insurance 

All international students in F-1 and J-1 status studying at Penn State must have health insurance for the entire period of study at Penn State.
The insurance premium must be paid directly to United Healthcare Student Resources at the time of enrollment and can be paid by credit card or electronic check.

Visit the First Student website for more information.

Immunizations

All incoming undergraduate students must submit proof of immunizations prior to their arrival on campus. For information about the required and recommended immunizations, please visit the immunizations overview web page.

To verify you have received your immunizations, you will need to complete the verification form and upload it to your records. To access the forms and directions for submitting them to your records, please visit the Submit immunization information web page.

International Student Orientation

Newly-admitted international students will be required to attend the mandatory International Student Orientation, which will include: 

  • Mandatory document check in
  • Information about academic expectations and U.S. academic culture
  • Information about campus resources and adjusting to U.S. culture
  • Penn State Hazleton’s New Student Orientation Program
  • Opportunities to open a U.S. bank account and purchase a cell phone plan
  • Opportunities to engage in social activities to get to know other international students in the region and other international & domestic students at Penn State Hazleton.

Penn State believes in providing all new students with an orientation to Penn State and Penn State Hazleton. This orientation will, when possible, include participation in the campus’s New Student Orientation program and the Regional International Student Orientation program. The orientation will also include sessions to acclimate the student to the campus, introduce the academic culture of Penn State Hazleton, and share campus involvement opportunities. International Student Orientation also includes participation in all Welcome events, which occur the weekend before the first day of classes. 

Details about the mandatory International Student Orientation schedule will be provided via email from the international student liaison to the email address provided on the student’s application to Penn State.