Considering a Campus Change

When you accept your offer of admission to Penn State, you are committing to completing two years of your degree at that campus. You have many options to complete your Penn State degree, including in many instances, staying at your campus of admission. Or, you may also choose one of our many other Penn State campuses located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or online through our World Campus. As you explore which campus might be best for you, click the items below to learn more about each consideration:

Academic Considerations

Majors and Minors

Penn State campuses offer many degrees with very few majors specific to a campus. Therefore, there are many choices when it comes to finishing your Penn State degree. As you reflect on your major and minor goals, consider the following: 

  1. What majors will lead to your intended career? Penn State’s Career Services Center provides helpful information. How will minors or certificates supplement your major?
  2. Which campuses offer your academic program? In using the Undergraduate Bulletin, you can explore programs and campus locations. You may just find your current campus is the best fit to meet your academic goals, or, you may discover another campus that’s a better fit.

The Classroom Experience

After you explore your academic program and campuses, it’s important to reflect on the environment in which you learn best. Think about the classes you are currently enrolled in and reflect on the following questions:

  1. How large is your class?
  2. Who teaches your class?
  3. What is your relationship like with your professors?
  4. How long does it take for you to get from class to class?
  5. How does my current environment benefit me as a learner? Are there any drawbacks?

It is valuable to consider the environment you best learn in if you are exploring a change to another Commonwealth Campus, but also to University Park. If your plans include University Park, consider the following:

  • The largest lecture hall at University Park seats about 700 students. While all your classes won’t be that big, it is very common to have classes with 50-100 students. Some upper-division courses or discussion-style courses have fewer than 50 students.
  • While you may have a professor at University Park, you will likely have a teaching assistant (TA) as well. The role of the TA is to help facilitate discussion, grading, and assistance in larger classes. You may have classes where you see the TA more frequently than the professor.
  • It can take upwards of 20 minutes or more to walk from one end of University Park to the other end.

How do these considerations compare to your current experience reflection? Being aware of your ideal learning environment will help you in your change-of-campus exploration.

Academic Advisers

The relationship you have with your academic adviser may be one of the most important ones to develop as a Penn Stater, but especially as a potential change-of-campus student. As you meet with your academic adviser, you should discuss the following:

  • Are the courses I am planning on taking in my intended major leading me towards a change-of-campus approval?
  • Am I meeting the change-of-campus requirements?
  • Which courses should I plan to take at my current campus versus my requested campus?

You should also be considering what classes you may take at your home campus or your new campus. See if it’s possible for you to start and end a course sequence at one campus. For example, if you have to take Physics 1 and Physics 2, are you able to complete both at the same campus? Our advice is to do that.

To find out who your academic adviser is, click on the “My Advisers” tab in the top right corner of your LionPATH homepage or the “My Success Network” tab in Starfish.

Financial Considerations

Penn State’s tuition rates vary by campus, program, student level, and residency. The tuition and college cost estimator may help you better estimate the cost of tuition, fees, and essential costs of attending a Penn State campus. As you explore if a change of campus is financially obtainable for you, consider the following:

  • After entering information for your current campus versus your intended campus into the estimator, how do the costs differ? Is this change in cost feasible for you?
  • Note that every student’s tuition increases once they reach 59.1 credits (junior status) regardless of campus.

If you are considering a campus change to University Park, it is important to note the following:

  • There are no book vouchers at University Park, and some courses may require you to purchase additional materials (i.e. online access codes)
  • Campus-specific grants or scholarships will not transfer to University Park (an example of this is the Discover Penn State Award)
  • If you are currently living at home or commuting, you will need to factor in housing costs to your budget. Depending on if you live on- or off-campus, consider things like a meal plan, rent, security deposit, groceries, utilities, a parking permit, etc.

Understanding your financial situation and how it relates to your educational goals is important, especially if you are considering a change of campus. The good news is, you are not alone! You can find many support resources below:

Financial Aid

In order to be considered for student aid, you must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year you are to be enrolled. When you complete the FAFSA, you are automatically considered for all University-wide scholarship opportunities; no additional application is needed. Consider checking with your academic college for college-based scholarships that may require a separate scholarship application.

You should plan to meet with the financial aid office at your campus to learn more about any campus-specific scholarships that you may have and how those could be impacted by a campus change.

Housing Opportunities: On-Campus or Off-Campus?

Housing is another factor in the change-of-campus process. As you explore a new campus as an option, consider the following:

  • Would you want to live on-campus or off-campus?
  • Does the campus you’re considering offer on-campus housing? Not all Penn State campuses have residence halls.
  • If you’re considering living off-campus, ask yourself the following:
    • What type of housing do I prefer – apartment, townhome, house, etc.?
    • Will I live alone or have roommates?
    • Am I considering additional expenses of living off campus (a security deposit, groceries, additional utilities, etc.)?
    • What are my means of transportation?
    • Is it feasible for me to sign a lease for the rental term? (Note that leases are legally binding and are often for 12-month terms; you should not sign a lease until your campus change is approved)
  • If at your current campus you are a residential student, you should enter the housing process at both your current and intended campuses. Depending on what happens with your campus change request, you’ll only be obligated to the contract at the campus which you enroll.

The following resources can help you decide if on- or off-campus housing is right for you:

Family and Personal Obligations

Besides being a student, you may also have additional roles in your family dynamic to consider if you were to change campuses. Reflect on the following:

  • What responsibilities or obligations do I have that are keeping me close to home?
  • How would changing my campus impact those closest to me?
  • What plan do I have in place to stay connected with my personal support network once I change campuses?