Frequently Asked Questions

If you are admitted to a graduate program, we will email you instructions for beginning the I-20 application process. If you have questions about the I-20 process, please contact the University’s International Student and Scholar Services office.

Master’s students may request a transfer of up to two graduate-level courses, and doctoral students may request transfer of up to nine. We do not accept transfer credits from online courses for on-campus programs. Read more about transfer credit in the Graduate Student Handbook.

Yes. Start by submitting an application for the first program you are applying to, and then submit your other application(s) using the same account and login information. You will need to upload all the required application components and pay a separate application fee for each application you submit.

If you are admitted to more than one program, you may enroll in only one. You can apply to the second program (as a dual degree option) after you have completed at least one semester. See the Graduate Student Handbook for details.

No, but we do have some recommendations. For more, see How to Apply.

Some of our programs require a BS in engineering, but others don’t. You can learn more about prerequisites in the descriptions of our master’s programs and Ph.D. programs.

That depends on the program, but in general, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university by the time classes begin. For details, see How to Apply. 

No. Once you have submitted your application, it is considered final. We understand that you may want to share updated grades or achievements, but all applications are evaluated on the basis of the materials submitted at the time of submission.

We do not discuss application results with prospective students. You cannot apply to the same program for the same term if you have already received a decision, but you can apply for a later term.

If you have been rejected from a Ph.D. program and want to apply for a master’s degree, please contact the graduate coordinator of the program that interests you.

Yes, you can defer for up to two semesters at a time for a total of four semesters. To request a deferral, first accept the offer of admission and (if you are a master’s candidate) pay the tuition deposit. You’ll receive a confirmation email that includes a link to a survey. Complete the survey, including the specific reason for the deferral and the term that you plan to start your graduate program. 

Your request must be approved by the program that offered you admission. Please allow up to one week for your deferral request to be reviewed.

You will be notified by email that a decision is available to be viewed online. You will need to log into your application to view the actual decision, and you won’t receive a letter by mail.

That depends which program you’re applying for. Ph.D. decisions are released on a rolling basis; you’ll receive an email notification when your decision is available. For master’s programs, see How to Apply for decision dates.   

Our Career Services team offers a wealth of career resources, including on-campus recruiting and one-on-one advising related to career planning, job hunting, interviews and more. 

Yes. The University of Pennsylvania has its very own campus police force, and the Philadelphia Police also patrol in and around campus. Shuttles and other services are available to make sure you’re safe as you travel around campus at night. See our Public Safety website for more.

Yes! Penn Engineering has several student organizations designed specifically for graduate students, and so does the University at large. In addition, the Graduate Student Center is a terrific resource for the entire Graduate Student population at Penn.

Penn has a limited amount of on-campus housing for graduate students. If you choose to live off campus, Penn Off Campus Services can help you find the right place.

Generally speaking, you don’t need to contact Penn faculty prior to applying for your program; however, doctoral applicants may choose to do so to identify a principal investigator for research. Otherwise, if you have questions about the program, courses, or research, you are welcome to reach out to your department of interest.

Yes, we encourage prospective students to contact the specific department you are interested in for more information. 

Yes! Our Engineering Master’s Advisory Board (EMAB) is made up of students who are happy to answer your questions. Contact a student ambassador in your department of interest. 

The application system automatically sends an email to each recommender once you’ve entered their names and email addresses. If they haven’t received an email, it’s possible that you entered their information incorrectly or that the email ended up in their junk mail folder. You can go back into the application to re-notify your recommender.

Our students go on to a wide variety of rewarding careers in academia, engineering and beyond. In one recent year, 93.3% of our master’s degree graduates were either employed, continuing their education, volunteering, serving in the military or not seeking a new position in the first six months after graduation. Learn more about our alumni by visiting the Penn Engineering Alumni Society website. 

We don’t offer a nondegree enrollment option on campus, but we encourage you to explore our open online courses taught by Penn Engineering faculty in partnership with Coursera and edX.

No, Ph.D. students do not automatically receive master’s degrees. But you’re welcome to speak to your department about coordinating your Ph.D. coursework with master’s requirements so that you can get that degree as well.

Yes, but you need to submit an application, and admission is not guaranteed. Start by talking to faculty and staff of the Ph.D. program that interests you.

Yes. After your first semester, you may apply to transfer into another engineering master’s program. But you can’t transfer between on-campus programs and online programs. The Graduate Handbook has more information about transferring between programs and dual degree options.

No. Courses take place during weekdays, with the latest courses typically beginning at 4:30 p.m. Some of our programs allow you to take courses at other schools within the University, and those courses may have later start times.

That depends on your work schedule. Most of our courses are offered during the day, with the latest beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Yes, depending on the flexibility of your schedule and the requirements of your program. Once you have been admitted, you can discuss this with your program coordinator. International students are not eligible for part-time enrollment except in online programs. 

No, our master’s programs do not require a thesis. Most of our programs allow students to complete their program either completely through coursework or with two to three credits’ worth of research toward a thesis or an independent study.

All of our master’s programs require 10 course units, except for Biotechnology, which requires 11. While most of our courses are 1 course unit, a small number are .5, so you will probably take 10 to 12 courses for your degree.

Our programs can generally be completed in one to two years, depending on how many courses you take each semester. Visit the Program Page for your program of interest to learn more about course requirements and planning.

Ideally, recommendations should be submitted through the application system, but recommenders who can’t use the online system may submit a letter of recommendation via email instead. To get the offline recommendation form, reach out to your Admissions Contact. Please note that recommendations sent outside of the application system will take longer to process. 

When you apply, you don’t need to mail anything – all documentation is submitted online through the application. If you receive and accept an offer of admission, you’ll receive further instructions on how to send the required official, final transcripts and certificates of graduation from your university or college. The mailing address for our office is:

University of Pennsylvania
SEAS Graduate Admissions
(Enrollment Specialist Contact Name)
Levine North Building (GRW) Room 166B
3330 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19104

Due to the volume of applications we receive, please allow up to two weeks after submission for your application status to be updated to “Ready for Review.” You can monitor the status of your application and materials in the online Application Portal. 

Your scores need to be two years old or less. If you took the exam more than two years ago, you will need to retake it. 

We waive the English-language requirement under certain circumstances. Please see How to Apply for details. 

We evaluate applications as a whole portfolio, not on a single criterion, and we don’t require a minimum GRE score (or a GRE score at all).

Your scores must be five years old or less. If you took the GRE more than five years ago, you’ll need to retake the exam if you want to submit GRE scores.

No – the GRE is optional for all of our graduate programs. But you’re welcome to submit your scores if you’ve taken the GRE within the past five years. Please have the official test scores submitted by the testing service to us at institution code 2888 and use the department code that best matches your program department.

You’ll receive full funding if you’re a doctoral student. A limited number of RA and TA positions are available to master’s students. You may also be able to find a part-time lab position through your academic department; please note that these opportunities are limited and not guaranteed. You can also explore scholarship opportunities, student employment or federal funding (if you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident).

You’re welcome to apply for part-time jobs on campus, but there is no formal association between an on-campus job and tuition. You may qualify for a work-study position based on your financial aid application.

Graduate tuition at Penn Engineering is charged per course unit, not per semester or year. In other words, how much you pay per term depends on the number of courses you take. For details, see Funding Your Education.