Penn Arts and Sciences High School Programs Pre-College Online Program

Every course keeps its own timetable, and Penn says most meet two to five times a week, Monday through Friday, with live class times set in Eastern Time. In 2026 the patterns varied a lot. Introductory Statistics met every weekday from 10:15 a.m. to noon, Medical Anthropology met on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:15 to 9:05 p.m., and Earth Systems Science was fully asynchronous, with no set meeting times.

The courses are taught by Penn faculty, staff and visiting scholars, and you're in class with Penn undergraduates doing the same homework, papers, midterms and finals. If you live outside the Eastern time zone, check a course's meeting times against your own day before you choose it.

You can take an online course in Session I and come back for Session II, but you can't enroll in two programs in the same session.

Each course earns 1 course unit, which Penn counts as the equivalent of 4 college credit hours, and your grade goes on an official University of Pennsylvania transcript that you can view through Path@Penn. An official copy from Penn's Registrar costs extra. You can take a course pass/fail if you prefer, but you can't audit it.

Whether that credit counts later is up to the college you attend. Penn says transfer credit is awarded at each institution's discretion, Penn included, so don't count on it shortening a future degree.

Penn looks for 10th and 11th graders with at least a 3.5 GPA, writing that shows both technical skill and intellectual depth, strong recommendations and a range of extracurricular interests. Graduating seniors aren't eligible. Admission is rolling until full, so completed applications are read in the order they arrive.

• Essays

  Two essays of up to 400 words each, one on why you want this program and how it fits your goals and one on two non-academic activities that have shaped you, plus a third on your English background if English isn't your first language.

• Transcript

  A full transcript for the previous school year, official or unofficial, in English or with an official translation.

• One recommendation

  From an adult who knows your work, such as a supervisor or professor, written on their organization's letterhead and naming this specific program.

• English scores

  Non-native speakers need TOEFL 100 (iBT), IELTS 7 or Duolingo 130, and on the newer 1 to 6 TOEFL scale Penn says competitive applicants tend to score 5 or above. Two years at an English-medium school by the time you enroll can earn a waiver.

• Test scores and prerequisites

  PSAT, SAT or ACT scores aren't required, although Penn highly encourages them for its Pre-College Programs. If a course has a prerequisite, you upload the syllabus of the course you took to meet it, along with a current unofficial transcript if you're still taking it.

In 2026 one course cost $8,692 and two courses cost $14,300. Each total combines a $2,600 program fee, $5,608 tuition per course unit and a $484 general fee. On top of that comes a $100 nonrefundable application fee, which is waived for Philadelphia residents at School District of Philadelphia public or charter high schools. Textbooks and other materials may cost extra depending on the course, and Penn suggests going to the first class before buying anything.

Penn asks for a $1,500 nonrefundable deposit to hold your place, which counts toward the total, and bills the rest through PennPay. Bills typically come out in May and are due by June, and paying late adds a 1.5% penalty on the overdue amount and puts your place at risk. Everything except the deposit is refundable until May 15, and withdrawals have to be emailed in writing.

There are no scholarships and no financial aid for this program. You can pay with a 529 college savings plan, but high school students don't qualify for FAFSA aid for it.