How to Apply to Engineering at Penn: Apply Directly to Penn Engineering, Undecided Majors Welcome, BSE and BAS Degrees, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate engineering at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) is offered by the School of Engineering and Applied Science (Penn Engineering). Penn is one university with four undergraduate schools, and you submit your application to one of them, so applying for engineering means applying directly to Penn Engineering rather than entering the university first and being sorted later. This guide follows Penn’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science sits within Penn Engineering and has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.

1. Engineering degrees at Penn

• Two degrees: the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) and the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS). Penn Engineering says the BSE is a professional engineering degree, while the BAS is for students planning careers in fields other than engineering for which a strong foundation in technology is desired.
• Size: the Penn Engineering admissions page lists about 1,800 undergraduates in 11 BSE majors and 2 BAS majors, about 400 places in the entering first-year class, and about 20% of students in dual-degree programs.
• Majors: the Penn Engineering first-year page lists Artificial Intelligence, Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and mentions Digital Media Design (DMD) and Networked and Social Systems Engineering (NETS). Systems Science and Engineering appears on the accreditation page. The school describes the BSE in Artificial Intelligence as new (a news item calls it the first undergraduate AI degree in the Ivy League). We could not reconcile this list with the “11 BSE majors” total, so check Penn Engineering’s program pages.
• ABET accreditation: the accreditation page says the BSE programs in Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and Systems Science and Engineering are accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission, and the Computer Science BSE by its Computing Accreditation Commission. The page does not mention the AI BSE or the BAS; that information is not published there.
• Dual degrees and special programs: dual degrees with the College, Wharton or Nursing, and the coordinated or specialized programs the admissions page lists — M&T (Management and Technology), VIPER (energy research) and VIC (BSE in Visual and Interactive Computing) — some of which have additional essays.
• Co-op: the pages we read do not describe a co-op program. All students complete a research-based Senior Design project.

2. Admission and choosing a major

• You apply to the school: the admissions office says Penn is one university but your application goes to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree program. Applicants answer a school-specific prompt and explain why they chose that school.
• An undecided major is fine: asked whether an undecided major hurts your chances, Penn Engineering answers “Absolutely not!” but says you must clearly articulate your engineering interests. Students without a declared major are “Curriculum Deferred” (CD), must declare by the end of the first year (May 15 per the school), and must take a 1000-level engineering course in the first year.
• Entry requirements: the pages we read do not state GPA thresholds or capacity for most majors; ask the department. The handbook says Digital Media Design (DMD) and Networked and Social Systems Engineering (NETS) are limited-enrollment majors that cannot be declared directly and require an application. For other majors, you submit the “Declare/Update Field of Study” form after meeting your advisor and the major’s Undergraduate Chair.
• Changing majors: use the same form; the entry year determines which requirements apply, and students who entered before fall 2020 cannot switch to the “fall 2020 or later” curriculum.
• Internal transfer into Penn Engineering: students from other Penn schools must first complete 8 Penn course units, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and should have completed Calculus (MATH 1400 and 1410) and physics (typically PHYS 0150 and 0151). Deadlines are May 15 for fall and December 15 for spring, applications must be made before the end of sophomore year, and a major must be selected. The handbook marked the application “CLOSED” when we read it. External transfer students cannot apply for internal transfer.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• At application: the admissions page says Penn would like to see “strong preparation in physics and mathematics, particularly calculus.” The international applicants page says Penn has no explicit course requirements or minimum scores, but looks for rigorous courses and preparation for the program you apply to.
• First-year courses: for Curriculum Deferred students the recommended first-semester courses are one 1000-level engineering course, MATH 1400, physics (PHYS 0150 with lab or PHYS 0140 without), CHEM 1012 and the CHEM 1101 lab, and a writing or social science and humanities course. The 1000-level course depends on your interest (for example ENGR 1050 or MEAM 1010 for Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, whose students are advised to take MEAM 1100/1470 instead of PHYS 0150). Parts of this page carry older dates; follow the current handbook.
• AP, IB and other credit (admissions “pre-college credits” page, which says policies are under ongoing review): Chemistry AP 5, IB Higher Level Chemistry 6 or 7, or A-Level Chemistry A*/A earn EAS 091 (1 c.u., engineering students only). Physics C Mechanics 5 earns PHYS 0150 (1.5 c.u.) and Physics C Electricity and Magnetism 5 earns PHYS 0151; IB Higher Level Physics 6 or 7 earns PHYS 0150 and PHYS 0102; A-Level Physics A*/A earns PHYS 0150 and 0151; Computer Science A 5 earns CIS 1100. For Calculus BC 5, the table lists MATH 1400 for students entering in 2024 and earlier and MATH 1300 for 2025 onward, while the engineering first-year page still lists MATH 1400, so confirm with your advisor. Calculus AB and IB Mathematics earn no credit. The handbook adds that students who take the equivalent Penn course forfeit the AP credit.
• Electrical and Computer Engineering: the handbook says ESE 1120 is mandatory for EE and CMPE students entering fall 2024 or later, and AP credit does not count toward it.

4. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Rounds (fall 2027 entry): Early Decision (binding) is due November 1, 2026 with decisions in December; Regular Decision is due January 5, 2027 with decisions in April. Apply with the Common App, the Coalition Application or QuestBridge.
• Application fee: $75, with fee waivers available.
• Materials: the application forms and personal statement; an official high school transcript and School Report; two recommendations (one from your school counselor and one from a teacher in a core subject, plus an optional third from another teacher or community supporter); a Mid-Year Report; a final transcript in June after admission; and SAT or ACT scores.
• Essays: a thank-you note (150–200 words, first-year applicants only), “How will you explore community at Penn?” (150–200 words), and a school-specific prompt (each school has its own; the page uses the College of Arts and Sciences as its example and we did not read the engineering prompt). Coordinated programs have additional essays.
• Testing: the SAT or ACT is required, with no minimum score and no preference between them; if you submit both, Penn looks at the higher score. It superscores the SAT (best Evidence-Based Reading and Writing plus best Math) and the ACT (best English, Math and Reading); the ACT Science section is not required. Scores may be self-reported, but official scores are required after admission. Applicants who face hardship in taking the test can submit a testing waiver, but anyone who has taken a test must report it. The last accepted test dates are the November 7, 2026 SAT or October 17 ACT for Early Decision and the December 5 SAT or December 12 ACT for Regular Decision.
• Interview: not described on the pages we read.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Cost: Penn’s cost overview says the total includes tuition, fees, housing and dining plus books, transportation and personal expenses, but that page lists no dollar amounts and links to Student Financial Services, which we did not read; check it for current figures. The pages we read describe no in-state or out-of-state difference and no separate engineering tuition or fee.
• Aid: for citizens and permanent residents of the United States, Canada and Mexico, admission is need-blind, aid meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans, and all awards are need-based: Penn does not offer merit scholarships. Under the Quaker Commitment, families earning up to $200,000 (typical assets) are guaranteed aid covering at least full tuition, families earning under $75,000 (typical assets) are guaranteed coverage of billed tuition, fees, housing and dining, and the value of the family’s primary home does not affect eligibility. Penn reports that 46% of undergraduates received no-loan aid in 2024–2025 with an average package of $72,155.
• Applying for aid: submit a separate aid application — FAFSA, CSS Profile and federal tax returns — by November 6 (Early Decision) or February 1 (Regular Decision).
• In-state preference or guaranteed admission: none is described on the pages we read.

6. International applicants

• Same process: international applicants use the same application platforms and requirements, evaluated in the context of the high school’s location. Citizenship and permanent residency affect financial aid.
• Grades and credentials: schools provide complete official records for all grade levels; transcripts do not need third-party evaluation and grades should not be recalculated; predicted scores are accepted if final exam results are not yet available; materials not in English need certified translations; national and international exam results (examples: IB, Cambridge A-Level, AICE) are submitted by the school or the testing agency.
• Testing: the SAT or ACT is required for international applicants too (the same hardship waiver applies).
• English tests: exempt if English is your native language or your primary language of instruction for at least three years by the time you enroll (high school, college or a combination). Otherwise submit the TOEFL, IELTS Academic or Duolingo English Test, sent directly by the testing agency; self-reported scores are not accepted, and only tests taken on or after April 1, 2025 count. Penn gives the scores competitive applicants tend to have: TOEFL 5 or above on the new 1–6 scale (or 100 or above on the old 0–120 scale within two years), IELTS Academic 7 or above, Duolingo 130 or above. MyBest scores and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted.
• Aid: Penn is need-aware for international applicants: a family’s ability to pay factors into admission, and Penn admits only aid candidates it can commit to funding. Admitted aid recipients receive aid meeting 100% of demonstrated need. You must apply for aid when you apply for admission; requests made after admission cannot be considered, and the decision applies to all four years. International applicants submit the CSS Profile and tax or earnings statements. Proof-of-funds requirements are not described on the pages we read; ask Student Financial Services.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admissions pages we read do not mention the Gaokao, and we found no China-specific page. The international page says national and international external exams should be submitted by the school or testing agency, with IB, Cambridge A-Level and AICE as examples; the Gaokao is not named. How Gaokao results should be handled is not published; contact Penn Admissions (info@admissions.upenn.edu).
• Transcripts: your school provides official records and the School Report; Chinese-language documents need certified English translations. Penn says no third-party credential evaluation is needed and grades should not be recalculated.
• Testing and English: the SAT or ACT is required; see Section 6 for English tests.
• International curricula: IB and A-Level predicted and final results can be used; see Section 3 for credit.

8. Transfer students

• Eligibility: Penn has a two-year enrollment requirement — at least half of your total courses, and at least half of your major’s courses, must be completed at Penn. Applicants should have one to two years of transferable coursework, with at least one full year (8 semester courses) completed by the spring before enrolling. Penn Engineering typically admits only students with one year of credit, entering as sophomores. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree are ineligible, dual-enrollment courses earn no credit, and all students enroll in the fall.
• Timeline: the fall 2027 transfer application opens January 5, 2027 and is due March 15, 2027; the fee is $75. You must select a major when you apply.
• Materials: Common App or Coalition App; official transcripts from every high school and college; one professor recommendation (plus an optional second); a College Report; a mid-term report if entering as a second-year student; SAT or ACT (tests within the past five years, last dates February 2027 for ACT or March 2027 for SAT, with a hardship waiver available); and four Penn essays (a transfer-reasons essay of 50–400 words, plus a thank-you note, a community prompt and a school-specific prompt of 50–200 words each).
• Recommended coursework: Penn Engineering expects applicants to show preparation in one chemistry course, one calculus-based physics course, one computer programming course and two calculus courses, plus two social science and humanities courses if possible. A second physics course is advised for bioengineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, or materials science and engineering; a second chemistry course for bioengineering, chemical and biomolecular engineering, or materials science and engineering.
• Credit: admitted students receive a preliminary evaluation in the applicant portal as an estimate only. Final credit decisions are made by Penn departments after enrollment, with each course submitted through XCAT with a syllabus; a grade of C or higher is required. Courses should come from an accredited institution, be similar in content, and have at least 40 contact hours per term; online courses, especially asynchronous ones, are less likely to be approved. Transfer credit does not enter the Penn GPA.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Submit by November 1, 2026 (Early Decision) or January 5, 2027 (Regular Decision) with transcript, School Report and two recommendations; the SAT or ACT is required (hardship waiver available)
• Take as much math (with calculus) and physics as your school offers; you may apply undecided and declare by the end of the first year
• For aid, submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile and tax returns by November 6 (Early Decision) or February 1 (Regular Decision)

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline as domestic applicants; the SAT or ACT is required; if English is not your native language or main language of instruction, submit the TOEFL, IELTS Academic or Duolingo
• Have your school provide official records, with certified translations of non-English documents; ask Admissions how the Gaokao should be handled
• Apply for aid at the same time as admission; Penn is need-aware for international applicants

Transfer students:

• Complete one academic year including chemistry, calculus-based physics, programming and two calculus courses; apply by March 15, 2027 and select a major in the application

Sources: University of Pennsylvania, Penn Engineering: undergraduate admissions; Penn Engineering: programs; Penn Engineering: ABET accreditation; Penn Engineering: first-year students; Penn Engineering: undergraduate handbook; Admissions: Penn Engineering; First-year applicants; Application requirements; Testing and English proficiency; International applicants; Pre-college credits (AP, IB and others); Transfer requirements and deadlines; Transfer eligibility and credit; Transfer: Penn Engineering; Financial aid; Understanding your costs; International aid. The first-year page states fall 2027 entry (Early Decision November 1, 2026; Regular Decision January 5, 2027). Student Financial Services (cost-of-attendance detail) was not read.