Penn State has a diverse academic environment with students, postdocs, and faculty from every part of the world. The postdoctoral fellows and scholars at Penn State represent an important research component of the University. We welcome you to Penn State and wish you a productive and successful time.
Postdoctoral fellows from other countries who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States must have the appropriate visa type to work. The Directorate of International Student and Scholar Advising (DISSA) will work with you and your department to bring you on the visa that is deemed most appropriate for your time at Penn State. DISSA also processes any necessary extensions or changes in your visa status.
Visit, the OPA website for information on resources, insurance, visas, and what to expect when you arrive.
Banking
- If you are an international postdoc and do not have a financial provider in the US, there are a number of different banks and credit unions within State College. Most banks require a SSN to set up a new account.
- Note that not all bank cards have ‘tap and go’ technology for contactless payments – if this is important to you, double check with the bank you’re thinking of joining to see if they offer this.
- Another important difference for international postdocs to note – bank to bank transfers (e.g., paying a friend back for dinner) are fiddly and uncommon here. Instead, third party payment services are commonly used (e.g., Venmo, Zelle, Paypal, etc.) to transfer money between friends & pay for items at some stores (especially at markets).
- Also note that some bank accounts may require a minimum deposit per month (e.g., your salary), or they will charge you a fee. This might be relevant to consider for the beginning and end of your postdoc appointment.
PNC Bank has an agreement with Penn State whereby students/postdocs/faculty enrolled in the university do not require a SSN to set up an account. This is a good option for international postdocs awaiting their SSN application, as a US bank account may be required for setting up payment services (e.g. Venmo), phone network providers and rent payments.
Citizens Bank (note, different to First Citizens Community Bank) may let you set up an account without a SSN, on the proviso that you give them a copy once you have it.