University of Pennsylvania
A hardship waiver is available.
Data sourced from IPEDS, Institutional Website, for the record as a whole — figures marked with a star are sourced separately, as noted at the bottom of the page. Testing policy and deadlines checked against the college's own pages on Oct 18, 2026.
Preparation
This is helpful preparation, not a formal admission requirement.
Admissions
How admission works here
- Where you apply
- The Common App. Common App requirements grid
- Test scores
- SAT or ACT scores are required. A hardship waiver is available. Penn Admissions
- Essays
- The Common App personal essay is required. Common App requirements grid
- Recommendations
- 1 teacher recommendation, a counselor recommendation, a mid-year report. Common App requirements grid
- Application fee
- $75. The Common App fee waiver is accepted. Common App requirements grid
- Deadlines
- Early Decision (binding) November 1, Regular Decision January 5. Penn admissions
Overall is College Scorecard's verified figure and won't necessarily sit between the separately-reported In-State/Out-of-State rates shown here, which are what My Fit uses to classify your chances.
- 1Financial Analytics
- 2Quantitative Economics
- 3Nursing
- 4Computer and Information Sciences
- 5Biology
- 6Philosophy (other)
- 7Neuroscience
- 8Management Science
- 9Political Science
- 10Computer Science
Ordered by how many students graduated in each, 2023-24. Source: U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS Completions survey). Names are the federal categories, so University of Pennsylvania may call a major something slightly different.
Applying
Applying through the Common App
- Application fee
- $75
- Common App fee waiver
- Accepted
- Common App personal essay
- Required
- Recommendations
- 1 teacher recommendation, counselor recommendation, mid-year report
Source: Common App requirements grid, updated 2026-09-18. Anything not listed here wasn't stated in the grid, which is not the same as not required.
College-specific prompts can change each application cycle. Check the school's official application page for the latest requirements.
View official application requirementsBeyond Grades
Sports
- Ivy League schools give athletes aid based on financial need only, never on athletic ability.Joint Ivy Statement
- Coaches can get admissions feedback on a recruit from July 1 after junior year, and likely letters can come from October 1 of senior year.Joint Ivy Statement
Academics
Flagship Programs
Career & Major Pathways
Cost
This is the full yearly cost before any financial aid. What your family would actually pay is in the Financial Aid section. Cost figures are approximate, so confirm current numbers on the college's website.
Financial Aid
What families actually paid, by household income
Average for students who received federal aid. Your own figure depends on your family's finances and the aid this school offers you.
- Under $30,000
- -$3,012
- $30,001 – $48,000
- $316
- $48,001 – $75,000
- $10,439
- $75,001 – $110,000
- $25,476
- Over $110,000
- $55,972
A negative figure means the average aid package was larger than the school's full cost of attendance — those families were paid the difference rather than billed.
College Scorecard (latest.cost.net_price.private.by_income_level.*), 2024
Every school is required to publish a net price calculator. It asks about your family's finances and returns an estimate for you specifically, which is worth more than any average on this page. Your school counselor and the college's financial aid office can also help.
Scholarships and merit aid
Penn is need-based only with no merit scholarships, so admitted students should rely on the net price calculator rather than expecting a merit award to close the gap.
Campus
Campus Fit
*College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) · 2024
†Penn admissions · 2026-27 · accessed Sep 20, 2026
‡Penn Admissions · 2026-27 · accessed Sep 22, 2026