International Applicants
Penn welcomes applications from students around the world, and we celebrate the unique perspectives that each international student brings to our vibrant community. In fact, over 100 countries are represented in our undergraduate population, and about 1 in 4 of our Quakers across all Penn's schools and programs are International Student and Scholars.
Here, you’ll have the opportunity to learn with professors who are leaders in their fields, forge meaningful connections with students who share a passion for learning and receive the support you need to thrive at Penn as an international student.
Penn’s campus is nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—or as any true Philadelphian affectionately calls it—Philly. Explore the nation’s first capital—a city with growing global communities and historical impact.
International Applicant FAQs
Our application process is the same for domestic and international applicants. Penn accepts the Common App, the Coalition Application, and the QuestBridge Application. All applicants, regardless of citizenship, submit one of these applications.
Please have your school provide complete official academic records for all grade levels included in your school’s secondary/high school structure.
Each student’s application, regardless of citizenship and permanent residency status, is evaluated based on the location of the high school they are currently attending and our application process and requirements are the same for all applicants. Citizenship and permanent residency will affect financial aid, however.
We practice a Comprehensive Review Process at Penn, which means we consider your entire context when we review your application. For this reason, we do not have explicit course requirements or minimum test score requirements for admittance. Generally, we like to see that you're taking advantage of rigorous courses offered at your school and that you're well-prepared for the program to which you're applying.
Yes, if your final exam scores are not yet available, please have your school provide us with predicted scores to use in our review of your academic records. Visit Preparing Your Application to learn more about our review process.
Yes, please ensure that we receive a certified translations of any of your application materials which are not originally printed in English.
No, international transcripts do not need to be evaluated by a third party and applicants grades, GPAs, and test scores should not be recalculated.
English proficiency test scores should be submitted by the testing agency which administered your test. We accept TOEFL, IELTS, and the Duolingo English Test.
Please note that Penn does not currently accept the IELTS Indicator exam, the IELTS One Retake exam or MyBest scores for the TOEFL.
National and international external examinations should be submitted by either your school or the appropriate testing agency. These may include International Baccalaureate, Cambridge Advanced (International AS & A Level) exam grades, and Cambridge AICE Diploma
The TOEFL iBT has transitioned to a new scoring system, moving from the previous 0–120 scale to a 1–6 band score scale (reported in 0.5 increments). Competitive applicants tend to have a composite score of 5 or above with demonstrated consistency across the four sections of the exam (reading, listening, speaking, and writing). Penn looks at the results of an applicant’s most recent TOEFL exam, not MyBest scores.
If you have taken the previous version of the TOEFL (scored on a scale from 0 to 120) within the last two years, you may choose to submit your existing TOEFL score. Competitive applicants tend to have a composite score of 100 or above with demonstrated consistency across the four sections of the exam (reading, listening, speaking, and writing). Please note, your exam date must be within two years from your application deadline to be valid.
The IELTS exam is scored on a scale from 0 to 9. Competitive applicants tend to have an overall band score of 7 or above with demonstrated consistency across the four sections of the exam (listening, reading, writing, and speaking).
The Duolingo English Test is scored on a scale from 10-160. Competitive applicants should have an overall score of 130 or above with demonstrated consistency across the subsections of the test.
Please be aware, TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the date of the exam. We must receive your scores prior to their expiration. This means your scores must be valid at the time you submit you application. If you are not able to send scores through the testing agency due to their expired status, and you have no other valid scores to provide, you will need to sit for another English proficiency exam.
A strong command of the English language is essential for successful study at Penn. You are exempt from submitting an English proficiency test score if either of the following is true:
- English is your native language, or
- English was your primary language of instruction for at least three years (in high school, college, or a combination of both) by the time you enroll at Penn.
If neither applies to you, you must submit scores from one of the following tests:
- TOEFL
- IELTS
- Duolingo English Test