Bachelor of Science [B.S] (Information Sciences and Technology)
Field of Study:
$44,574 /Yr
Pennsylvania State University Bachelor of Science in Information Sciences and Technology is a 125-credit, 100% online degree for Fall 2027. Indian applicants need completed secondary education and English proficiency, while calculated 2027-28 tuition is US$66,456 (INR 63.20 Lakhs).
The programme develops software, database, networking and human-centred problem-solving skills through team projects, an internship and a capstone. It suits working students seeking applied IT breadth, although online delivery requires disciplined independent study.
- The Design and Development option adds object-oriented programming, distributed computing and usability engineering.
- A required internship connects the online curriculum with documented professional experience.
- World Campus delivery lets Indian students study without relocating to Pennsylvania.
Current Admission Status
Applications for the Fall 2027 intake are Open. International student deadline: 30 June 2027.
The online programme starts on 23 August 2027. Indian applicants should submit earlier so academic records and English scores can be matched before the published deadline.
Also Check: Penn State admission requirements
Penn State B.S. IST Fees and Living Costs 2027
World Campus charges by accumulated credits, so the rate rises after 59 credits. For 125 credits, the exact calculated tuition is US$66,456 (INR 63.20 Lakhs) before books or optional services.
2027-28 target-cycle rates: the calculation assigns 59 credits to the lower rate and 66 credits to the upper rate.
| Tuition item | USD amount | INR equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 59 or fewer accumulated credits | US$657 per credit | INR 62,483 per credit |
| 60 or more accumulated credits | US$706 per credit | INR 67,143 per credit |
| 12 to 19 credits, lower level | US$7,990 per semester | INR 7.60 Lakhs |
| 12 to 19 credits, upper level | US$8,624 per semester | INR 8.20 Lakhs |
All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.1031 as of 06 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.
Source: Penn State World Campus 2027-28 undergraduate tuition schedule.
The calculated total uses 59 × US$657 plus 66 × US$706. Full-time semester pricing could differ because course loads and transferred credits determine when the higher tier begins.
Read More: Penn State courses and fees
Cost of Living for Online IST Students
World Campus publishes tuition but no programme-specific housing budget because students remain in their own location. An Indian learner should therefore keep local living expenses separate from the US$66,456 (INR 63.20 Lakhs) tuition calculation.
| Expense | Monthly (USD) | Monthly (INR) | Annual total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programme-specific living cost | US$0 | INR 0 | No relocation cost charged by Penn State |
The table does not claim that personal living costs are zero. It shows that an online student has no Penn State residence expense attributable to this programme.
ROI reality: Online delivery removes relocation from the course budget, but tuition still reaches US$66,456 (INR 63.20 Lakhs) before materials.
Penn State B.S. IST Admission 2027
First-year admission requires secondary-school records and English evidence where applicable. After enrolment, IST entry requires a 2.00 Penn State GPA plus four specified courses completed with C or better.
Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants
Penn State evaluates Class X to XII work and final board results rather than publishing a fixed Indian percentage. Applicants should present English, mathematics, science and social-studies preparation because the degree includes calculus, statistics and programming.
| Requirement | Published standard | Indian applicant meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary education | Complete official school records and examination results | Submit board documents with certified English translations when required |
| Entrance-to-major GPA | 2.00 on 4.00 | Approximately 55% to 60%, or CGPA 5.5 to 6.0 on 10 |
| Entrance courses | C or better in IST 110, IST 140, IST 210 and IST 220 | Progression is decided after Penn State coursework |
| Degree completion | 125 credits | Transfer credit can change time and tuition |
The Indian GPA comparison is approximate because Penn State makes the official equivalency decision. The 2.00 threshold is a progression rule, not a published first-year admission cutoff.
English Language Proficiency
English scores must be official, while TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo results must be less than two years old. Penn State’s current policy distinguishes TOEFL tests taken before and after 21 January 2026.
| Test or route | Published minimum |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall |
| TOEFL after 21 January 2026 | 4.5 overall on the internet-based test |
| TOEFL before 21 January 2026 | 80 overall on the internet-based test |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 |
- Use the current 4.5 TOEFL scale for any test taken after 21 January 2026.
- Avoid TOEFL MyBest scores because Penn State explicitly does not accept them.
- Send English evidence before the application deadline so the file can become complete.
Tip for Indian students: The degree has no published Class XII cutoff, so rigorous mathematics and computing evidence should support the required online progression courses.
Penn State B.S. IST Application 2027
World Campus offers spring, summer and fall entry. For the target Fall 2027 intake, applicants must complete the file by 30 June 2027 for classes beginning 23 August 2027.
Published intake schedule: Penn State gives calendar dates without a portal cutoff time, so applicants should treat the portal timestamp as controlling.
| Intake | Application deadline | Class start |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 | 31 October 2026 | 11 January 2027 |
| Summer 2027 | 15 March 2027 | 17 May 2027 |
| Fall 2027 | 30 June 2027 | 23 August 2027 |
The application requires academic history, secondary records and English proof when applicable. Applicants must select Online when asked how they want to complete the degree, which prevents a campus-mode mismatch.
- Enter every secondary course and mark consistently with the eventual official board records.
- Select the World Campus delivery option because the canonical ISSWC_BS plan is entirely online.
- Submit English results early enough for Penn State to match the official score report.
- List completed college study because accepted transfer credits can reduce tuition and duration.
Penn State is test optional for SAT and ACT, although either test can satisfy an English route when its published section minimum is met. No admission interview is listed for this programme.
Application tip: The three annual starts offer flexibility, but selecting Online and completing every required record before 30 June protects the Fall 2027 plan.
Penn State B.S. IST Scholarships 2027
World Campus scholarships accept international undergraduates, but 2027-28 award values and the application deadline are unpublished. Applicants should fund Fall 2027 tuition without assuming an award.
Current eligibility: one World Campus application considers students for every scholarship whose conditions they meet.
| Funding route | Eligibility | Application action |
|---|---|---|
| World Campus Scholarships | Enrolled undergraduate taking at least six credits each semester | Submit the single World Campus scholarship application |
| International student route | International students may apply without a FAFSA on file | Use the same scholarship application after enrolment |
| 2026-27 deadline reference | 31 March 2026 | Use only as prior-cycle timing context |
FAFSA means Free Application for Federal Student Aid. International students are exempt from that filing condition, but they must still be enrolled in a World Campus undergraduate degree.
The prior-cycle deadline cannot confirm the Fall 2027 schedule. Verify the target deadline on the official World Campus scholarship page before committing tuition funds.
- Build the first-year budget without an award because no 2027-28 value is published.
- Maintain at least six credits each semester to preserve the published scholarship eligibility condition.
- Recheck the application after enrolment because the 2026-27 deadline has already passed.
Check Out: USA student cost planning
Scholarship reality: International students may apply without FAFSA, but unpublished 2027-28 values make scholarship-dependent enrolment financially unsafe.
Penn State B.S. IST Salary 2027
Penn State publishes College of IST undergraduate outcomes rather than a World Campus IST-only report. The latest evidence gives a US$83,000 (INR 78.94 Lakhs) median starting salary across IST bachelor’s graduates.
| 2024-25 outcome | Reported result | Evidence scope |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time starting salary | US$83,000 (INR 78.94 Lakhs) | College of IST undergraduate graduates |
| Positive outcome within six months | 88% | Jobs, further education or military service |
| Multiple internships before graduation | 45% | College of IST undergraduate students |
| Median internship wage | US$24.57 per hour (INR 2,337 per hour) | College of IST internship evidence |
Source: Penn State College of IST recruiting statistics using 2024-25 institutional outcome and internship data.
The 88% measure combines several destinations and is not an employment rate. Because salaries are self-reported, Indian applicants should treat the US$83,000 median as school-level context rather than an online-programme guarantee.
ROI for Indian Students
Calculated tuition of US$66,456 (INR 63.20 Lakhs) equals about 0.80 times the reported school-level median gross salary. This comparison is not a payback forecast because it excludes taxes, materials, financing and job-search time.
- The US$83,000 (INR 78.94 Lakhs) median covers all IST bachelor’s graduates, so seek World Campus alumni outcomes before borrowing heavily.
- The required internship can create evidence for remote IT roles, so secure an eligible placement before the final programme year.
- Online study avoids relocation costs, which improves affordability for students continuing paid work in India.
- An India-based salary changes repayment capacity, so compare loan instalments with role-specific Indian net pay.
Take-home pay varies by work location, tax status and deductions. Use a current tax calculator before comparing any US gross offer with monthly education-loan payments.
ROI reality: The online format limits relocation cost, but school-level salary evidence cannot prove outcomes for this programme or for graduates working in India.
USA Visa for Penn State B.S. IST Students 2027
This 100% online programme does not require relocation, so an Indian student studying from India does not need an F-1 visa for coursework. Online enrolment alone does not create US work or settlement rights.
- F-1 status is unnecessary when every course is completed from India without physical US attendance.
- OPT means Optional Practical Training, but remote World Campus study from India does not independently provide this F-1 benefit.
- An internship must comply with the student’s location, employer rules and programme approval rather than US student-visa work permission.
- Any later US employment needs a separate authorised route because the online degree creates no automatic sponsorship or residence pathway.
Read More: USA student visa requirements
Visa reality: Studying from India avoids F-1 costs, but it also removes the campus-based OPT pathway from the programme’s ROI case.
Penn State’s online B.S. IST fits self-directed students who want software development alongside organisational and human-centred analysis. The required internship and capstone support applied learning without relocation, while independent online study is the central fit tradeoff. Published 2027-28 tuition is substantial, but local living costs remain outside the university bill. Applicants should verify transfer credit and complete the Fall application by 30 June 2027 before deciding how much to borrow.
Penn State B.S. Information Sciences and Technology FAQs
Ques. Is Penn State’s online B.S. IST worth its tuition?
Ans. It can suit students who value a required internship and software-design option while remaining in India. The US$66,456 (INR 63.20 Lakhs) tuition makes transfer credit important.
Ques. Can Indian students complete the entire Penn State IST degree online?
Ans. Yes, the ISSWC_BS plan is 100% online through World Campus. Students must still arrange a programme-approved internship that complies with their local circumstances.
Ques. How competitive is progression into the IST major?
Ans. Penn State requires a 2.00 cumulative GPA and C grades in four entrance courses. These are post-enrolment progression conditions rather than first-year selection benchmarks.
Ques. Can an international student receive a World Campus scholarship?
Ans. International undergraduates may apply without FAFSA after enrolment. Since 2027-28 values and timing are unpublished, applicants should not use an award in their initial budget.
Ques. Does the online B.S. IST qualify an Indian student for OPT?
Ans. No automatic OPT route follows from studying online in India. OPT is tied to eligible F-1 study, while this programme requires no US relocation.
Important Alert
- Final Application Deadline for Spring Intake - Oct 1, 2026
Tuition Fees
| Year | 1st Year Fees |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fees | $44574 |
Other Expenses
| Head | Avg Cost Per Year |
|---|---|
| Books and supply | $1290 |
| Total Cost | $1290 |
Previous Year Tuition Fees
| Year | 1st Year Fees |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $45874 |
| 2023 | $36974 |
| 2021 | $35984 |
Important Dates
| Event | Application Date |
|---|---|
| Final Application Deadline for Summer Intake | |
| Final Application Deadline for Fall Intake | |
| Final Application Deadline for Spring Intake | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Regular Application Deadline for Spring Intake | Jan 6, 2026 - Oct 1, 2026 |
| Early Action Application Deadline for Fall and Summer Intake | Jan 8, 2025 - Nov 1, 2026 |
| Priority Application Deadline for Fall and Summer Intake | Jan 8, 2026 - Feb 1, 2027 |
Scores Required
Required Document List
- Apply via MyPennState or Common App
- Submit STARS self-reported grades
- Provide official transcripts (last 3 years)
- SAT/ACT optional
- English test required

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Scholarship Grants & Financial Aids
| Name | Scholarship Per Student | Level of Study | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VueVille Future Technology Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 1,000/Yr$1,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| R&D Systems Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 1,500/Yr$1,500 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| BL Mandhana Scholarships | Scholarship per student$ 10,000/Yr$10,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Go Clean Scholarship | Scholarship per student$ 3,500/Yr$3,500 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Business Administration Scholarships | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Novus Biological Scholarship Program | Scholarship per student$ 1,500/Yr$1,500 | Level Of StudyAssociate | TypeMerit-Based |
















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