University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

Get to know University of Pennsylvania

School Profile

Urban campus setting

9,760 undergraduate students

13,614 graduate students

2,415 first-year students

Admissions

Learn more about the Penn class of 2027

Academics

90 majors, along with an extensive array of minors

Student-to-faculty ratio 8:1

75% of undergraduate classes have fewer than 39 students

Introduction to University of Pennsylvania

First things first: The University of Pennsylvania (aka Penn) is an Ivy League research university founded by Ben Franklin in the heart of Philadelphia.

Penn is a place for people who want to do something big. But it’s also for people who want to try a bunch of little things first. It’s a place for sparking revolutionary ideas. For pioneering thinkers. And it’s a place that will help you figure out what inspires and excites you. Where you won’t just gain knowledge, you’ll make it. You’ll research solutions, invent ideas, engineer art – all in a culture that’s not about perfection, but about perfecting the pursuit.

The people who love it at Penn? People who are drawn to other people and who are curious about everything. This is the time to figure things out. Try everything that seems worthwhile. You’ll find what truly is.

Sound like the place for you? Then they can’t wait to meet you.

Four Schools, One University. There’s no one path to success at Penn. Penn has four undergraduate schools - College of Arts & Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Wharton School, and the School of Nursing - that each offer unique opportunities, all on one campus. As an applicant, you’ll choose one of Penn's four schools (or coordinated dual-degree programs) to serve as your home base, but you’ll never be limited to just one thing. Begin in one school, take classes in another. Or pursue an Interschool Minor. Or even a second degree.

The College of Arts & Sciences hosts about 65% of Penn’s undergraduates and offers over 50 majors in the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and life sciences.

The School of Engineering and Applied Science provides interdisciplinary education with BSE and BAS degrees, dual-degree programs, and a variety of majors/minors across eight departments.

At Wharton School, students develop leadership skills in business, studying financial concepts, organizational management, and problem-solving for diverse industries and careers.

The School of Nursing offers a top-tier education leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree. It emphasizes mentorship, community involvement, and hands-on clinical rotations in prestigious hospitals, ensuring unmatched job and graduate school placement rates.

Penn's First Generation, Low Income (FGLI) program offers mentorship, academic, personal, and social guidance, while providing a close-knit sense of community.

The SNF Paideia Program contributes to the holistic education of Penn undergraduates through a combination of courses, public events and workshops, all focused on wellness, service, and citizenship.