University of Pennsylvania FAQ

If you are selected as a QuestBridge Finalist and wish to rank Penn as one of your fifteen choices, your QuestBridge application will be forwarded to Penn's Admissions Office. In addition to the QuestBridge application, however, Penn requires some additional information.

The following documents must be submitted to Penn's Admissions Office by November 1:

• The Penn Supplement. 
• Official high school transcript (if not submitted as part of your QuestBridge Application).

The following information must be submitted to Student Financial Aid as close as possible to November 1

• The College Board CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (Penn's CSS code: 2933). 
• Parent federal tax return (all pages and schedules) and W-2's for 2022.

Please upload your materials directly through the Penn Applicant Portal. You will receive your log-in information by mid to late October.

Is standardized testing required?

Penn will not require applicants to submit the SAT or ACT for the 2023-24 application cycle. This applies to first-year and transfer applicants. Applicants who do not submit SAT or ACT scores will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. Students who are able to take the SAT or ACT and wish to report them may continue with that plan.

Applicants may self-report their SAT or ACT scores using the QuestBridge application. If an applicant submits scores from both the SAT and the ACT, Penn will pay attention to the higher score from either test. Penn reserves the right to rescind admissions in the case of applicant misrepresentation including discrepancies between self-reported and official test scores.

• Penn's SAT code: 2926. Penn’s ACT code: 3732.

• Many free test preparation resources are available to students from the makers of the SAT and the ACT. 

For international students for whom English is not the native language or for whom English was not the primary language of instruction for the duration of high school, we continue to require testing that demonstrates English-language proficiency. For Penn, students should take one of the following: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the DUOLINGO English Test. Visit our website for additional details.

Is there a fee to apply to Penn through QuestBridge, or are fee waivers available?

The application fee is waived for all QuestBridge applicants. 

Can international students apply to the University of Pennsylvania through QuestBridge?

International students are eligible to apply to the University of Pennsylvania through QuestBridge as long as they meet other eligibility criteria set/determined by QuestBridge. 

What is the last testing date Penn will accept?

For the Match, the latest date candidates may take the SAT is October 2023. For the ACT, the last date is September 2023. You may self-report your scores. If you choose to send official scores as part of your application, please do not use the ''rush'' option for sending scores; your scores will make it in time without being rushed.

Can I reuse an essay from my QuestBridge application for my Penn Supplement?

No, the Penn Supplement must include original essays, and should not be answered with essays already used in the QuestBridge application. 

Do I have a better chance of being admitted to Penn if I apply through the Match process?

No. Match candidates, like all applicants to Penn, are evaluated in the same rigorous and holistic manner and all applicants are held to the same high standards.

For those who match with Penn, is the decision binding?

Yes. If you're matched, congratulations! Please remember to withdraw any and all applications you've submitted to other colleges or universities. Now, instead of waiting on admissions decisions, you'll be able to spend the rest of your senior year focusing on finishing strong and looking forward to coming to Philadelphia!

When are QuestBridge Finalists notified if they are matched with Penn?

Matched students will be notified by QuestBridge on December 1 and contacted by Penn shortly thereafter.

May I send in more than two letters of reference? 

At Penn applicants submit one academic letter of recommendation from a current or recent teacher, and one from someone who knows you personally and whose perspective would add information not captured elsewhere in your application. This second person may be another teacher, a supervisor at work, mentor, coach, arts or music instructor, spiritual leader, or cultural leader. The required letters from your counselor, teacher and an additional recommender are sufficient to give Penn a sense of who you are as a student and person.

I'd like to have an interview - how do I set that up?

Penn alumni make efforts to arrange informational conversations with applicants to provide the opportunity to get to know the Penn alumni community and for applicants to share information about themselves. These optional conversations are not evaluative and are subject to alumni volunteer availability. For more information, visit What Penn Looks for: Alumni Conversations. Due to the limited capacity of alumni volunteers, Penn cannot guarantee all students will be contacted. Penn Admissions will automatically have you opted in for an alumni conversation unless you indicate in the Penn Supplement that you do not wish to participate.

How many students will be matched to Penn?

There is no set target number of QuestBridge students with which Penn hopes to match; rather, all admissions decisions will be made based on each year's individual applicants and their financial need. 

Can I still be considered for Admission to Penn in Early or Regular Decision if I have been matched at another college partner?

If you have been matched at a school with a binding match commitment, you cannot be considered for admission to Penn. Please make sure to withdraw your applications from schools with which you were not matched. If you have been matched at a non-binding school, you can be considered for admission to Penn for Regular Decision. If you no longer want to be considered for admission to Penn, you may withdraw your application through your Penn Applicant Portal.

If I am a Finalist and listed Penn as one of my choices, but was not matched at any of the college partners, will Penn consider my application for Regular Decision?

Yes. If you are a Finalist who ranked Penn as one of your top fifteen schools but you were not matched, Penn will automatically consider you in the Regular Decision process. You do not need to submit any further materials other than a mid-year transcript (when it becomes available). You may also request your application to be considered during Early Decision through the Early Decision form on your Penn Applicant Portal. 

If I am a Finalist but did not list Penn as one of my ranked choices, will Penn consider my application for Regular Decision?

Yes, but only if you have not matched with a school that has a binding match commitment. In order to be considered for admission, you can use the QuestBridge Regular Decision Form to forward your QuestBridge application and additional documents to Penn. You must also submit the Penn Supplement which can be accessed through the Penn Applicant Portal after your application has been forwarded by QuestBridge. Students wishing to submit a Common Application with Supplement or a Coalition Application instead of their QuestBridge Application are welcome to do so. Essay topics for the Penn Supplement can be found here. 

What if I am a Finalist but I chose not to participate in the Match, will Penn consider me?

Yes, absolutely! You may apply through either Early Decision or Regular Decision. If you apply through Early Decision using your QuestBridge application, you will need to submit the Penn Supplement (available in your Penn Applicant Portal). There will be an option for you to select that you are applying as an Early Decision candidate. If you apply through Regular Decision, you can use the QuestBridge Regular Decision Form to forward your QuestBridge application and additional documents to Penn. However, you must also submit the Penn Supplement which can be accessed through the Penn Applicant Portal after your application has been forwarded by QuestBridge. Essays for the Penn Supplement and can found here. Students may also apply to Penn using the Common Application with Penn Supplement, or the Coalition Application with Penn Supplement.

What if I apply to QuestBridge but am not named a Finalist, will Penn consider my application?

Yes. You may apply either Early Decision or Regular Decision and you should follow all the standard guidelines for an applicant to Penn.

What if I apply to Penn using my QuestBridge Application and do not match to a school, will Penn allow me to send in a Common Application or Coalition Application if I want to update my essays?

Yes. Penn will allow you to send in a Common Application or Coalition Application to supplement the information you provided in your QuestBridge Application. We will not remove your QuestBridge Application from your admissions file. Do not request to withdraw your QuestBridge Application to replace it with another application. Withdrawing your application will remove you from consideration for admission altogether.

If I am admitted to Penn, but not through the National College Match, what kind of financial aid will I be offered?

Financial aid at Penn is need-based, and Penn is committed to meeting 100% of your demonstrated financial need with grants and work-study funding. Penn does not package student loans to meet your demonstrated need, which makes it possible to graduate debt-free. Student Financial Aid considers each student and their family's financial situation individually. For more information on financial aid, please visit the Student Financial Aid website.