Returning Penn State Students
Past degree-seeking students and graduates may be able to use their prior credits to complete a degree or begin a new undergraduate degree.
You will not need to apply for admission or supply your high school transcripts again. You will need to request either re-enrollment or reinstatement for any Penn State campus, including Penn State World Campus.
If you wish to return to study in a degree not offered by World Campus, you should contact the programs department directly, to see if you can finish the program with World Campus courses.
Adult undergraduate students (24 years or older) who have taken courses within the last three years may still be in degree status, and therefore might not need to complete any of the following steps. Please contact the World Campus Advising Team for more information.
Returning provisional students—A student most recently enrolled as a provisional student should contact World Campus Advising and request a "Provisional Reentry Form." Please return the form to the World Campus Advising Team to submit to the Admissions Office.
Returning graduate students—Contact the Penn State Graduate School at 814-865-1795 to initiate the "Return to Graduate Study" process. Returning graduate students who have already completed another Penn State graduate degree should contact their planned program for admissions requirements, as most programs will require a new application.
Re-enrollment and Reinstatement FAQs
Re-enrollment versus Reinstatement: Which is best for you?
While you may wish to return to Penn State, the options can be confusing. Returning students will need to submit either a re-enrollment or a reinstatement request. Which is right for you?
Students who qualify for re-enrollment typically:
- have a 2.00 or higher cumulative GPA as of their most recent semester at Penn State
- meet the admissions requirements of their intended degree program
- are in good disciplinary standing with the University.
Students who qualify for reinstatement typically:
- have below a 2.00 cumulative GPA; were dropped for poor academic performance; or have nondegree conditional status as of their most recent semester at Penn State
- otherwise meet the admissions requirements for their intended degree
- are in good disciplinary standing with the University
- have been away from Penn State for four or more years
For students considering reinstatement, academic renewal is frequently an option.
Academic renewal allows a returning student to retain any Penn State courses with a C or higher letter grade, and to start a new GPA. To qualify for academic renewal, returning students must not have taken any Penn State courses in the last four years.
Academic renewal is especially useful when returning students need a more immediate route back into a degree program, compared with the need to take courses to raise a cumulative GPA above a 2.0. Academic renewal is possible with a re-enrollment request, but is recommended only on rare occasions. For example, there may be courses passed with a "D" letter grade that can still satisfy certain degree requirements.
If you are uncertain about which degree program or returning option is best for you, please contact the World Campus Advising Team. Please be sure to provide your name and birth date so that we can review your records (do not submit your Social Security number via e-mail).
How can you request re-enrollment, reinstatement, and academic renewal?
You can request re-enrollment, reinstatement, or academic renewal via an easy but time-sensitive process. Penn State World Campus receives returning students every semester for the undergraduate degree programs that we offer. Due to the distance education nature of World Campus courses, we recommend that you submit your completed request at least 1 month prior to the semester for which you wish to return. Once you know which process is right for you, you should:
- Fill out the form(s) you need:
- Complete the forms with updated contact information. Students returning for a World Campus degree should indicate "World Campus" in the Campus Location field
- Mail any associated fees indicated on the forms to University Registrar Office, Penn State University, 112 Shields Building, University Park, PA 16802
- If you attended any colleges since your last enrollment at Penn State, be sure to arrange official transcripts from those colleges to be mailed as instructed on the forms
- Contact World Campus Advising with your contact information
Once the University and academic college review your request, you will be notified of their decision by surface mail. All students approved for a World Campus undergraduate degree will be assigned a World Campus adviser who will contact you within two weeks of the approval.
