BS Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State: Fees 2026 Dates & Requirements

BS Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State: Fees 2026 Dates & Requirements

State College, PennsylvaniaLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1855established year
45218enrollment
Public
7.4/10

Bachelor of Science [B.S] (Information Sciences and Technology)

4 years
Full Time
On Campus

$44,574 /Yr

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Study Abroad Team

Updated on - Aug 6, 2026

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 itemUSD amountINR equivalent
59 or fewer accumulated creditsUS$657 per creditINR 62,483 per credit
60 or more accumulated creditsUS$706 per creditINR 67,143 per credit
12 to 19 credits, lower levelUS$7,990 per semesterINR 7.60 Lakhs
12 to 19 credits, upper levelUS$8,624 per semesterINR 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.

ExpenseMonthly (USD)Monthly (INR)Annual total
Programme-specific living costUS$0INR 0No 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.

RequirementPublished standardIndian applicant meaning
Secondary educationComplete official school records and examination resultsSubmit board documents with certified English translations when required
Entrance-to-major GPA2.00 on 4.00Approximately 55% to 60%, or CGPA 5.5 to 6.0 on 10
Entrance coursesC or better in IST 110, IST 140, IST 210 and IST 220Progression is decided after Penn State coursework
Degree completion125 creditsTransfer 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 routePublished minimum
IELTS Academic6.5 overall
TOEFL after 21 January 20264.5 overall on the internet-based test
TOEFL before 21 January 202680 overall on the internet-based test
Duolingo English Test120
  • 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.

IntakeApplication deadlineClass start
Spring 202731 October 202611 January 2027
Summer 202715 March 202717 May 2027
Fall 202730 June 202723 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 routeEligibilityApplication action
World Campus ScholarshipsEnrolled undergraduate taking at least six credits each semesterSubmit the single World Campus scholarship application
International student routeInternational students may apply without a FAFSA on fileUse the same scholarship application after enrolment
2026-27 deadline reference31 March 2026Use 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 outcomeReported resultEvidence scope
Median full-time starting salaryUS$83,000 (INR 78.94 Lakhs)College of IST undergraduate graduates
Positive outcome within six months88%Jobs, further education or military service
Multiple internships before graduation45%College of IST undergraduate students
Median internship wageUS$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

Year1st Year Fees
Tuition Fees$44574

Other Expenses

HeadAvg Cost Per Year
Books and supply$1290
Total Cost$1290

Previous Year Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
2024$45874
2023$36974
2021$35984

Important Dates

Dates for upcoming intake are tentative
EventApplication Date
Final Application Deadline for Summer Intake Apr 15, 2026
Final Application Deadline for Fall Intake Jun 15, 2026
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

6.5 / 9

Avg. Score in

IELTS

4.5 / 6

Avg. Score in

TOEFL

120 / 160

Avg. Score in

Duolingo

75

Application Fees

125

ECTS Credits


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

Ranking

20242023202220212020201920182017

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Technology 66 out of 555 in Global Ranking
( #19 out of 78 in USA 2024)

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