University of Pennsylvania

About

Welcome to Penn, Penn has a proud tradition of translating knowledge into social-minded action that dates back to our founder Benjamin Franklin. This tradition of active pragmatism, articulated in Franklin’s maxim “well-done is better than well-said,” lives today through inclusive policies, innovative work, and the impactful engagement of our faculty, students, and staff.

Scholarship and Learning
Academic life at Penn is unparalleled, with 134 countries and 50 U.S. states. Consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the country, Penn enrolls 10,001 undergraduate students and welcomes an additional 16,746 students to our world-renowned graduate and professional schools.

Penn’s award-winning educators and scholars encourage students to pursue inquiry and discovery, follow their passions, and address the world’s most challenging problems through an interdisciplinary approach.
Access and Affordability
Financial need is not a barrier to a Penn education. Penn admits undergraduate students without regard to need, and offers all-grant financial aid packages, substituting grants for loans. Since 2004, the University has awarded more than $2.6 billion in undergraduate aid to more than 24,000 students. Forty-six percent of undergraduate students received grant-based financial aid in 2020-21, with an average package of $56,095.

Dynamic and Diverse Community
Penn is committed to creating a community of students, scholars, and staff that reflects the diversity of the world we live in. Toward this end, the University established its Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence in 2011, which has led to, in 2021, a 63 percent increase in underrepresented faculty and a 36 percent increase in female faculty.

Nearly half of Penn’s undergraduates self-identify as students of color, more than half are women, 13 percent are among the first in their families to attend college, and 13 percent are international. The spectrum of valuable perspectives and ensuing dialogue are key contributors to educational excellence and an inclusive, dynamic campus environment.