How to Apply

The application process is straightforward, and we’re here to help. We evaluate your application holistically based on the following components:

The Application

Applications for our master’s programs are open from September 16, 2024 until February 3, 2025. Applications for our doctoral programs are open from September 16, 2024 until December 16, 2024. Use this link to submit your application.

Your Professional Resume

We look at your resume to learn about your job skills, the depth of your professional experience, your leadership experience and more.

A Personal Statement

In two pages or less, write an essay that answers the questions below. (But if you’re applying to the Integrated Product Design program, see the IPD-specific questions here .) Use specific examples where possible.

Letters of Recommendation

Please provide two letters of recommendation (three for the CIS Ph.D. and BE Ph.D. “Medical Physics” concentration only), including one from a faculty member who is familiar with your scholarly abilities.

Transcripts

Institutions in the United States

When you apply, please submit an unofficial transcript from each university or college where you earned course credit. Your transcripts must be in English. Admission to a Penn Engineering graduate program requires satisfactory completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. university or its equivalent prior to your matriculation. Transcripts uploaded must reflect all coursework taken from every post-secondary institution attended, even if you transferred, withdrew, or did not graduate.

When requesting documents to be sent to Penn Engineering Graduate Admissions, please ensure that you have indicated the appropriate office. In instances where multiple University of Pennsylvania profiles are available, you should select the option for the University of Pennsylvania, Dept: SEAS Graduate Admissions (Engineering) when possible.

Official transcripts are only required if you have been admitted and choose to enroll.

Institutions Outside the United States

For each university or college you’ve attended outside the U.S., we require that you contact a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) to have a course-by-course evaluation of your non-U.S. transcript(s) sent directly from the NACES member to Penn Engineering Graduate Admissions. This evaluation should include course titles, grades received, GPA, and U.S. degree equivalency.

Penn Engineering does not accept transcripts directly from institutions outside the U.S. or English-language translations of such transcripts. Any document uploaded as a transcript for an institution outside of the U.S. without the NACES course-by-course evaluation will not be reviewed and your application will be considered incomplete. The evaluating agency will provide instructions for how to request and submit the required academic documents for review, and the process can take several weeks to complete, so we encourage you to begin this process at least eight weeks in advance of the application deadline.

While Penn Engineering accepts course-by-course evaluations from any NACES member , many of our applicants have been successful using:

Exchange Programs or Study Abroad

Exchange program or study abroad at an institution in the United States

If the course names and grades from any exchange programs do not appear on your home institution’s transcript, you must upload a copy of a registrar-issued transcript directly through the online application system. Applicant-uploaded copies will be considered unofficial and used only for faculty review purposes. Should you be admitted and choose to enroll at Penn Engineering, official transcripts must be sent directly from the registrar’s office of the relevant institution(s) before you begin coursework.

Exchange program or study abroad at an institution outside the United States

If your exchange program’s course names and grades do not appear on your home institution’s transcript and your host institution was a non-U.S. school, please upload an English copy of your registrar-issued transcript from your exchange institution to the online application system. If you have completed more than two semesters of study at an institution based outside of the United States, you must submit all official transcripts to a member of NACES and request to have an official course-by-course evaluation sent directly from a NACES member to Penn Engineering Graduate Admissions.

The Application Fee

Please pay the $90 nonrefundable application fee along with your online application. You may qualify for a fee waiver if you are in one of the following categories:

If you meet one of these criteria, your fee will be automatically waived.

GRE (Optional)

The GRE is optional during the current application cycle, and it won’t hurt your application if you choose not to take it. But if you have taken the exam and received valid scores, we encourage you to submit them. Here’s what you need to know if you decide to submit your scores:

English Language Proficiency (for international students)

If you are an international applicant or a non-US citizen or permanent resident and English is not your native language, you must submit official scores for (1) the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), (2) the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or (3) Duolingo English Test (DET).

Test Waivers

To have the English-language requirement waived, you must meet one of the following criteria by the time of matriculation:

This requirement will be waived after you submit your application and may take 3-5 business days to reflect in your checklist.

Recommended Scores

You don’t have to achieve a particular score to be admitted, but we recommend that you aim for at least the following scores:

Ph.D. Admissions Timeline

Master’s Degree Admissions Timeline

Funding Your Education

A degree from Penn Engineering is an excellent investment in your future. Find out more about costs, scholarships and other funding opportunities.

Request Information

Fill out our form to learn more about graduate programs at Penn Engineering.

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