University of Pennsylvania

Overview

Penn is a private research university in West Philadelphia. You apply to one of four undergraduate schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Wharton School, or the School of Nursing. Each has its own curriculum, and the school you pick shapes your essays, so read each school's description before deciding. Penn also offers coordinated dual-degree programs that combine two schools and have their own application questions.

How to apply for 2026-27

Penn accepts the Common App, the Coalition Application and QuestBridge.

• Early Decision (binding): due November 1, 2026, with decisions in December.
• Regular Decision: due January 5, 2027, with decisions in April.

Testing policy

Penn reinstated required testing starting with the 2025-26 cycle, and its testing page for the current cycle says applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Students who have not taken either test because of hardship can request a waiver. There is no minimum score and no preference between the two tests; Penn superscores the SAT and looks at the higher result if you send both.

The last accepted test dates are set by round. For Early Decision, Penn lists the November 7, 2026 SAT and the October 17, 2026 ACT. For Regular Decision, it lists the December 5, 2026 SAT and the December 12, 2026 ACT. You may self-report scores, but enrolling students must send official ones.

English proficiency scores, if you need them, must be official and from exams taken on or after April 1, 2025.

Financial aid and Canadian notes

Penn says it is need-blind for citizens and permanent residents of the United States, Canada and Mexico, and need-aware for other international applicants. Students admitted with aid receive need-based support covering 100 percent of demonstrated need, and that aid must be requested with the application.

Penn publishes a Canada-specific step. Canadian citizens and permanent residents complete Penn's Financial Aid Application for Canadian Citizens and submit copies of both the student's and parents' Canadian tax returns. Gather those documents early, because they are needed by the aid deadline that matches your round.

Picking the right undergraduate school

Penn reads your essay about why you want a particular school closely. An applicant to Wharton should show real interest in business and economics, and an applicant to Nursing should know what the program involves. If you are unsure, the College of Arts and Sciences gives the widest choice, and students can apply for internal transfer later, though that is competitive. Coordinated dual-degree programs, such as those combining Wharton with Engineering, have separate essays and are very selective, so apply to one only if you can explain why both halves matter to you.

Preparing with StudyBrix

Applicants to Wharton or Nursing benefit from solid math and science foundations. Our business management intro deck and statistics intro deck cover first-year vocabulary. The StudyBrix United States guide sets out how Early Decision compares with other US application plans.