Our admission decisions are made prior to the announcement of results for many national and international examinations (such as the A Levels, French Baccalaureate and International Baccalaureate), and applicants are expected to be enrolled in programs that prepare them for these examinations. If you are enrolled in a program that will not release external examination results prior to our application deadlines, you must request that your school send us predictions of external examination results along with your grades. Prior to your matriculation at the university, final examination results are required when they become available.
Where national examinations are required for admission to a pre-university program (such as the IGCSE or the SPM), you should have received high marks on these examinations and should present certified copies of the results with your Penn application.
Students in our diverse global community have a wide range of passions, perspectives, and talents. Beyond academics, we would like to learn about your non-scholarly interests, extracurricular activities, and community service (though we recognize that patterns for non-academic involvement vary from country to country).
English Language Proficiency Tests
A strong command of the English language is necessary for successful study at Penn. Applicants who meet one or both of the criteria below are considered proficient in English.
- English is the applicant’s native language.
- English has been the applicant’s primary language of instruction for the duration of high school.
If neither of these statements is true, applicants are required to take the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test to demonstrate English proficiency. Where the TOEFL iBT is not available due to COVID-19, applicants can take the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition. Please note that Penn does not currently accept the IELTS Indicator exam or MyBest scores for the TOEFL.
To learn about the TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo English Test and to register for the examinations, please visit the websites below. Penn's school code for the TOEFL is 2926.
Be sure to designate Penn as a recipient university each time you register for an examination. If you have already taken a test but did not designate Penn as a score recipient, please do so afterwards.
Score reports should be sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions through official testing agencies. Penn does not accept self-reported scores for English proficiency examinations.