Visiting Summer Students FAQ

• 6-Week Summer Session I: Tuesday, May 26th - Thursday, July 2nd
• 6-Week Summer Session II: Monday, July 6th - Friday, August 14th
• 12-Week Evening Session: Tuesday, May 26th - Friday, August 14th

 

All non-Penn visiting summer students interested in enrolling in courses at Penn during the Summer Session are required to submit a Summer Session Only application or an expedited registration form. 

To see if you are required to submit an application or if you are eligible to submit an expedited registration form please click here.

No - if you plan to study at Penn beyond the Summer Session you will not want to submit the application for Summer Session Only; rather, you will want to apply to one of our degree or non-degree programs that allow students to take courses throughout the entire academic year. Please visit our LPS Programs page to view the list of programs offered.

If you are uncertain as to which program would best suit your needs please contact our Recruitment Office. You can contact an LPS Recruitment Specialist at 215.746.6902 or lps-info@sas.upenn.edu.

Visiting undergraduate and graduate students that are seeking to enroll in courses during the Summer Session only will be required to submit the following:

• Complete Online Application
• $70 Application Fee
• Transcripts
• Current Resume
• List of courses you wish to take

Visit the Summer Session Only Application Page

 

Once you have submitted all of your application materials and your application is complete you will receive your admissions decision within two weeks. Our Admissions Office will email you when your decision is available to be viewed through the online application system.

The online decision letter will include an “Intent to Enroll” form which can be submitted electronically through the online application system. Once we receive that form from you we will create your summer student record and you will be ready to register for courses at that time.

The majority of the application process is completed through our online application system. Your online application, application fee, resume, and list of courses you're interested in registering for can be submitted through the online application system.

The only piece of the application that cannot be submitted online is your transcript. All college and university transcripts must be official copies sent to our office from your home institution. Those documents can be mailed to:

LPS Admissions
3440 Market Street, Suite 100
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3335   

If you completed less than two years of liberal arts work at the college level - approximately 16 courses or 60 academic credits - you must submit a photocopy of either your high school transcript OR a score report for standardized test scores (SAT or ACT).  Those items should be mailed to the LPS Admissions. Faxed items or scanned documents will not be accepted for your application.

Once you are admitted for Summer Session Only you will need to submit the "Intent to Enroll" form found in your decision letter.  This form can be submitted electronically through the online application system.  Once we receive that form from you we will create your summer student record and you will be ready to register for courses at that time.

After submitting the Intent to Enroll form you will receive a Penn Key in the mail within 10-12 business days.  Your Penn Key will allow you to register for courses online using Penn In Touch. Instructions for registering for courses through Penn In Touch can be found here:

• www.sas.upenn.edu/lps/summer/sessions/registration

Admitted Visiting Students who wish to register by telephone may do so by calling 215.898.7326 and asking for the Student Records Office.

Visiting Summer students are enrolled as students within the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS). As LPS students you are given access to the 6-Week Summer Session I and Summer Session II courses. You are also given the option of enrolling in any of the 12-Week Evening Summer Session courses offered.

• View all 6-Week Summer Session courses
• View all 12-Week Evening Summer Session courses

Please note that, while the vast majority of courses are open to all students, some courses may require a special permit or may be barred to students within a certain school or major only.

Yes - though you may only be visiting Penn for one semester it is imperative that you receive a Penn Key and a Penn email.  A Penn Key is required to access Penn's electronic resources including library databases, personal information regarding course registration and billing, unofficial transcripts and grade reports, and other information that is restricted to members of the campus community. Many instructors also maintain Blackboard sites in support of their courses that are accessible only to students with a Penn Key.

Having a Penn email address is essential as any important deadlines, events, or updates from the University will be sent to that email address.  Once you have registered for a course, you must obtain a Penn email address to take advantage of the summer visiting student mailing lists and newsgroups.

Prior to enrolling in summer courses at Penn it is recommended that you discuss transfer credits with an academic advisor from your home institution.  Throughout the academic year visiting students take regular undergraduate and graduate Penn courses and earn Penn credits that are generally transferable to other institutions.  Upon completion of a Penn summer course, students may obtain an official transcript from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Though visiting students are generally able to transfer Penn credits back to their home institution each visiting student is strongly encouraged to speak with an advisor from his or her home institution about whether the courses you seek to transfer from Penn will be acceptable.

If you are seeking to take a specific course during the Summer Session and are unable to locate that course in the Summer Course Guide please be sure that you have checked all available course listings.  There are multiple websites and print publications that list the course offerings at Penn.

• View all 6-Week Summer Session courses
• View all 12-Week Evening Summer Session courses

If you have checked the website and have not been able to locate the course(s) you are interested in and you have not yet submitted your Summer Session Application please contact the Recruitment Office at 215-746-6902 or lps-info@sas.upenn.edu.

There are different deadlines by which you must have finalized your registration and selected your grade type - grade, pass/fail, or audit - for the Summer Session.  After these dates tuition and fees will appear on your bill for the courses you have enrolled in. These dates can be found below and can also be found here.

The final dates to add courses or drop courses with no financial obligation:

• 12-Week Evening Session Courses: Monday, June 8
• 6-Week Summer Session I Courses: Tuesday, June 2
• 6-Week Summer Session II Courses: Monday, July 13

If you decide to drop a course after the dates listed above you will have until the following dates to drop courses with 50% financial obligation and no notation on your transcript.  These are also the final dates to Change Status in a course (Grade to Pass/Fail; Pass/Fail to Grade; Grade to Audit):

• 12-Week Evening Session Courses:  Monday, June 22
• 6-Week Summer Session I Courses: Tuesday, June 9
• 6-Week Summer Session II Courses: Monday, July 20

Finally, after the above deadlines have passed, you may Withdraw by Petition -- Transcript to Read "W" - and 100% financial obligation by these dates:

• 12-Week Evening Session Courses:  Friday, August 7
• 6-Week Summer Session I Courses: Thursday, June 25
• 6-Week Summer Session II Courses: Friday, August 7

Please contact LPS if you are uncertain as to which deadlines apply to you.

Current Students: 215-746-7040 or lps@sas.upenn.edu

Prospective Students: 215-746-6902 or lps-info@sas.upenn.edu

 

Housing options are available for visiting summer students.  For the most up-to-date Summer Housing information please view the Summer Session Housing page.

Once you have completed your course work and your grades have been posted for your Summer Session courses you may request an official transcript from Penn's Office of the University Registrar. Their website, including the process for ordering transcripts, can be found here.

Once you've been admitted to Summer Session and you complete a summer course you will be eligible for expedited admission!

Students that successfully complete and receive a grade of C or better in summer courses here at Penn are eligible for Expedited Summer Session admission. There is no application process for expedited summer admission; rather, you will fill out an Expedited Summer Session form and submit that to our office. Once your information has been verified you will be eligible to enroll in summer courses.

• 6-Week Summer Session I: Tuesday, May 26th - Thursday, July 2nd
• 6-Week Summer Session II: Monday, July 6th - Friday, August 14th
• 12-Week Evening Session: Tuesday, May 26th - Friday, August 14th