For Students
Finding your people on campus
Penn State is very large. The fastest way to make it feel smaller is to go to one MSA event in your first two weeks.
Start with people, not paperwork
The MSA group chat, the masjid WhatsApp, and a mentor family will answer more questions in a day than any website can. Everything else on this page is here so you know what to ask.
Your first two weeks
Tick these off as you finish them. Your progress is saved only in this browser.
Pray Everywhere
You have plenty of options to pray — do not stress. All of these places are near you and welcoming to students.
Pasquerilla Spiritual Center
Room 119
Dedicated prayer room with wudu area. MSA Jummah here in the Frizzell Room and Pods.
Boucke Building
Room 325H
Meditation and prayer space near the HUB. Best for a quick prayer between classes.
Main Masjid — ISCP
454 Rolling Ridge Dr, State College, PA 16801
Two Jummah prayers: khutbah at 1:30pm and 2:30pm. Reachable by bus or car.
Get directionsMasjid Al-Awwābīn
709 Ridge Ave, State College, PA 16803
Second ISCP masjid — daily prayers, community gatherings, and a friendly spot for students on the west side of town.
Get directionsMSA & community
The MSA is the front door for Muslim life on campus. Their group chat is where rides, sublets, textbooks, and haircut recommendations happen.
Connect with the MSA
Friday Jummah, weekly halaqas, socials, and the group chat where most day-to-day questions get answered.
Need a mentor or roommate?
We can match you with a mentor family, a student buddy, or help you find a Muslim roommate. Tell us a little about yourself and what you need.
Academic life with Islam in mind
Balancing faith, studies, and a new country is a skill. These reminders can help.
Ramadan & finals
Ramadan often overlaps with finals. Start planning early: request accommodations if needed, find a quiet study spot, and coordinate suhoor/iftar with roommates.
Weekly halaqas
The MSA and local community host study circles for students. These are a steady way to learn, ask questions, and build friendships.
Study spots
Schlow Library, the HUB, and downtown cafés near halal food make it easy to study without missing prayer or a meal.
Dining-hall halal options change between semesters — see the halal food page for current spots, and confirm with Penn State Food Services.
Support you have already paid for
Your student fees cover services that can save you money and stress.
- Penn State Off-Campus Student SupportProperty search, lease questions, and roommate problems.
- Penn State Student Legal ServicesFree legal consultation and referrals for Penn State students.
- University Health ServicesMedical care on campus, included with student fees.
- CAPS — Counseling & Psychological ServicesFree, confidential counseling. Homesickness counts as a reason to go.
Eid, Ramadan, and exam conflicts
Penn State expects instructors to work with students who miss class or an exam for a religious observance. You do not need to justify your faith — you do need to ask early and in writing.
Ask before the syllabus locks in
In week one, email each instructor with the dates of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and any Friday class that clashes with Jummah. A short, polite note early is almost always accepted.
Ramadan and exams
Fasting through finals is doable with planning: shift heavy study to after Fajr or after Taraweeh, tell your adviser, and ask about alternate exam times rather than sitting an evening exam at iftar.
Eid is a day off you can request
Penn State's religious-observance policy lets you make up missed work without penalty. Put the request in writing and keep the reply.
If you are here on a visa
Immigration paperwork, work permission, and taxes have deadlines that nobody reminds you about. These are the offices that handle them for Penn State students.
- International Student & Scholar Advising (ISSA)Your visa status, I-20/DS-2019, travel signatures, and status questions. 410 Boucke Building.
- Work permission — CPT and OPTInternships and post-graduation work need approval before you start. Deadlines are strict.
- Tax filing for international studentsEven with no income, you usually must file a form each spring. Penn State provides tax software access.
- Penn State Center for Immigrants' Rights ClinicFree legal help with immigration questions.
Never take immigration advice from a group chat. Confirm anything about your status with an ISSA adviser or a licensed attorney before you act on it.
Making the money last
Small habits in the first month save hundreds of dollars over a semester.
Campus jobs first
On-campus work is open to international students on F-1 up to 20 hours a week in term. Library, dining, IT help desks, and research labs post on the Nittany Lion Careers portal.
Do not buy textbooks in week one
Wait for the first class. Many titles are free through the Penn State Libraries, older editions, or a course reserve, and MSA group chats resell copies each semester.
Cook with the community
The halal grocers and international markets downtown are far cheaper than a full meal plan. A shared cooking night with friends is the cheapest social life on campus.
Being visibly Muslim on campus
Most of campus life is easy to navigate once you know the norms and where the quieter options are.
Social life without alcohol
Plenty of students here do not drink. Coffee at the HUB, intramural sport, club meetings, game-day watch parties, and MSA socials fill the same space as a party — and you will never be the only one saying no.
Sport, gym, and swimming
The IM Building and White Building have quieter early-morning hours, and some pool sessions are scheduled for women only. Modest workout clothing is normal on campus.
Living with roommates
Have the awkward conversation in week one: prayer times, guests, alcohol and pork in the shared fridge, and quiet hours. Housing can help you swap rooms if it does not work.
If something happens
Harassment because of your faith, hijab, or accent is not something to absorb quietly. Report it — the university tracks it and the MSA and community will stand with you.
Covered in detail elsewhere
We keep these in one place so they stay accurate. Everything a student needs is there too.