Financial Aid for International Applicants
Students who receive financial aid are assured of continued support for all of their undergraduate years, if they continue to demonstrate financial need.
Financial Assistance Application Process
If you have any concerns about your family's ability to meet the University's full cost, you should complete the financial assistance application process:
- All students (except those from Canada) must complete the College Board's CSS/PROFILE (International Student Financial Aid Application). They should also fill out the College Board's International Student Certification of Finances. For those who cannot complete the electronic/online form, please download and complete these forms, and fax them to Student Financial Services at +1-215-573-5428. For students with no internet access, please contact us directly at +1-215-898-7507 or intl@admissions.upenn.edu to have the forms faxed or mailed to you.
- Citizens and permanent residents of Canada must complete Penn's Financial Aid Application for Canadian Citizens, and submit copies of the student and parents' Canadian tax returns.
If you are a Non-Citizen
The University has a "need aware" policy regarding financial aid for students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., Canada or Mexico. Therefore, most non-citizens should plan to meet expenses for their entire schooling before applying for admission. The University does guarantee that the full financial need for all admitted international students applying for aid will be met. Because the offer of admission for non-citizens is directly linked to their ability to meet these expenses, candidates who can pay for their schooling are urged not to apply for Penn-sponsored aid. Please note that in recent years, we have offered an average of 55 to 60 aid awards to admitted freshman. More information for international prospective and undergraduate students is available at Student Financial Services.
If you are a Non-Citizen and Require Financial Aid
- Students who absolutely require such funding should submit the College Board's CSS/PROFILE (International Student Financial Aid Application) and the College Board's International Student Certification of Finances, but they should also understand
that they are in competition for very limited funds.
- Penn will not admit a financial aid candidate for whom we cannot provide
aid. As a result, some candidates we would otherwise want to admit will be
turned away.
- International applicants who anticipate the need for financial aid at any
time during their four-year course of study must make this anticipated
need known at the time of application.
- Students who receive financial aid are assured of continued support for all of their undergraduate years, if they continue to demonstrate financial need.
If you are a Citizen or Permanent Resident
Penn maintains a policy of need-blind admissions for citizens and permanent residents of the U.S., Canada and Mexico; financial need does not affect their admission decisions. Almost two-thirds of Penn undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance, and approximately 40 percent of the students are awarded need-based grant aid. All financial assistance is based on evaluated financial need; no merit or athletic grants are awarded. There is no maximum income cutoff for eligibility for University financial aid. Factors such as large family size, medical or other extraordinary expenses and the number of children in college are important considerations in determining financial need.
Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents must file the CSS/PROFILE Application and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), in addition to Penn's Financial Aid Supplement. Student Financial Services provides a complete Financial Aid Checklist. Federal tax returns for students and parents will also be required in May for students who choose to matriculate at Penn. Profile registration forms are available from Penn's Admissions Office, or you can contact the College Scholarship Service (CSS), Box 6300, Princeton, New Jersey 08541, USA; Fax: +1-609-771-7750; Telephone: +1-609-771-7725. You can also register for the PROFILE via EXPAN or College Board Online software, available in some secondary schools.
