The University of Pennsylvania, commonly called Penn or UPenn, is a major top-tier research university nestled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The university is home to about 24,000 students, about half of whom are undergraduates. The undergraduates are spread across four colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Nursing, and the Wharton School, the only undergraduate business school in the Ivy League. Yes, Penn is part of the vaunted Ivy League and considered one of the best universities in the world.
Penn is extremely popular for international students, and it’s easy to tell why. The education is exceptional and sets students on a path towards career success. The campus is urban, exciting, and global. There are about 1,300 international undergraduates, accounting for about 10% of the student body, and the class of 2027 alone represents 97 nations. Becoming part of this community isn’t easy. Penn receives nearly 60,000 applications annually, and 6% of applicants are offered a spot.
If you are an international student and want to become part of the next first-year class at Penn, this post is for you. We’ll break down the most important things you need to know to write a successful, acceptance-winning application.
If you’re considering going to college in the US, send us an email. We’re experts at pairing outstanding international students with their perfect fit school.
What is Penn looking for in International Students?
Penn loves international students, because students from around the globe help them achieve one of their core goals: true diversity. “We want our campus to reflect the world around us,” they say, “so we enroll students who come from all corners of the world and a wide range of backgrounds.” But, in order to stand out as an international applicant, there are some things that you need to keep in mind.
Courses + Grades
When Penn looks at your transcript, they want to see the best grades possible in the hardest classes you have access to. 94% of students admitted for the fall of 2023 were in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, and so they also want to see that you are excelling compared to your peers. Of course, if your school doesn’t rank students that’s not an issue, but you should keep in mind that your transcript is being read within the context of your school and academic opportunities.
Penn knows that you may have different opportunities or options for classes or subjects to study in school than students at high schools in the United States. Despite this, they expect you to push beyond those boundaries to find opportunities — or even to create them.
If your school doesn’t offer high-level courses, especially in the subject areas you are interested in focusing on in college, we recommend looking for opportunities for academic challenge outside of school. These opportunities could include educational summer programs, accredited online courses, independent studies led by a faculty member at school, or courses that may be open to you at a local university. If your first response is that these types of things aren’t accessible to you, we want to challenge you to try. Whether it’s seeking out scholarships for summer programs or advocating for an independent study at your school, the answer is no until you try!
Extracurriculars
Penn likes students who are passionate self-starters, and who actively pursue the subject that they want to study inside the classroom and outside of the classroom. Make sure that at least one activity that you do outside of your normal course load is related to what you want to study in college — and commit to it, seriously.
Starting or leading a club, joining the editorial team of a school publication, becoming involved with a relevant nonprofit, or even seeking out an internship in a field related to what you want to study are all strong additions to a Penn application. These types of activities show the leadership that Penn wants to see, and also only come from long-term commitment (which is another thing they really look for). So, instead of trying to do a bit of everything, focus on depth. Being a member of a bunch of clubs or on a bunch of sports teams isn’t nearly as impressive to Penn as becoming a leader in, or starting, something.
Penn also wants to see a connection to the community. Penn cares about deliberative service. They want to see service, specifically community service, that utilizes your passions and skills to serve your community. Scooping food at a soup kitchen is great for your community, but doing something related to what you want to study is great for your community and your application.
Standardized Tests
Penn is test optional through at least 2024, and if they change the policy we’ll let you know. Even though submitting the SAT or ACT is optional, we highly recommend that international students aim for (and submit) standardized test scores that reinforce the strength of your application and only increase the confidence Penn will have in your academic abilities.
If you’re wondering what scores you should be aiming for, this is what you should keep in mind. The middle 50% on the SAT for admitting students is:
SAT Evidence-based Reading + Writing: 740-770
SAT Math: 770-800
So, you should aim for a 1510 or above.
On the ACT, the score we would recommend submitting is a 34.
Beyond the SAT or ACT, there are a few other things you should know about how Penn handles testing. If you are coming from a school system that relies on national or international exams, they know that you will often not have final scores until after you receive a decision from Penn. So, they expect to see predicted results during the application process and then final results when they are available.
You may also be required to take an English proficiency test. If English is not your native language, and you haven’t been learning primarily in English for the duration of high school, you will need to take a test such as the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test.
Final Thoughts
International applicants who are admitted to Penn have access to advanced standing if they achieve high scores “on some nationally-sponsored or administered secondary school exams.” This could help you start with a bit of a boost at Penn, which is an awesome bonus — but first you need to get in!
Penn looks for students who are driven, passionate, community-minded, and who have a strong sense of where they are headed. If that describes you, you may be a perfect fit for their international community!
If you’re applying to Penn as an international student, we can help. We’re pros at this.