Information on Dual Enrollment and Early Enrollment
High school students interested in attending Penn State can do so through our dual enrollment or early college enrollment options.
Dual Enrollment
Through dual enrollment, high school students can attend one of Penn State’s twenty undergraduate campuses to take college courses while still in high school. This option allows you to earn college credits that can be applied to a Penn State degree or may be transferred to another institution.
Students who have completed their junior year or are currently in their senior year of high school are eligible for dual enrollment. Exceptions for high school juniors and underclass students are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Dual credit enrollment students may take up to 8 credits per semester. Most students take one or two courses per 16-week semester in addition to or in place of high school coursework.
Dual credit enrollment courses are taught by faculty approved to teach high school students at our twenty undergraduate campuses – dual credit enrollment is not available through Penn State World Campus. You can find a list of approved dual credit enrollment courses here. Additional guidelines for dual credit enrollment students available on the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) website.
How to Apply for Dual Enrollment
If you are interested in pursuing dual credit enrollment courses at Penn State, please submit a non-degree high school enrollment form to Undergraduate Admissions, along with the following:
A non-degree high school enrollment form signed by your high school counselor or principal
High school transcript
A letter of recommendation from a high school teacher, counselor, or principal if you have not completed your 11th grade year of high school
The dual credit enrollment applications must be returned to the admissions office at the campus where enrollment is planned. If admitted, you will receive an email with instructions about the steps to obtain a computer access account. You will need this account to schedule courses through Penn State's student information system, LionPATH. If you have questions about dual credit enrollment, please contact the campus you would like to attend for additional information.
Early Enrollment
Penn State offers an Early College Enrollment program that allows a limited number of highly-qualified high school students to enroll as first-year Penn State students after finishing their eleventh grade of high school. To be eligible for this program, students must:
Demonstrate a high level of motivation and show they are academically advanced to succeed at the collegiate level
Complete admission requirements for their intended major by the end of the current academic year, except receipt of high school diploma
Maintain academic excellence through the current academic year
Have written permission and recommendation to enter the program from a high school principal, superintendent, high school counselor or homeschool evaluator, as well as a parent/guardian
Have a guarantee from their high school that a diploma will be granted upon successful completion of their first year at Penn State (successful completion of high school depends on what the high school or homeschool considers successful)
Interview for this program with an admissions officer at a Penn State campus
Contact the Penn State campus you are interested in attending if you would like more information. If you are ready to apply, please visit MyPennState.