According to Fastfacts and ThinkImpact, over 3 million students graduated from high school in 2020, however, a total of 19 million students were accepted into colleges in the US in that same year. This shows that while recent high school graduates are flocking to colleges, the majority of students accepted into these institutions graduated from high school some time ago. Lets’ start with Does UPENN Offer Full Scholarships?
There are many reasons why more people are interested in higher education. The proliferation of scholarships, financial aid, and student loans are some of the more obvious reasons. There are hundreds of scholarship programs offered by community and IVY league universities alike that are highly sought after and provide an avenue for intelligent students from struggling backgrounds to attain a tertiary education.
The University of Pennsylvania, also called UPenn is an Ivy League research university that gets thousands of applications each year but has an acceptance rate of only 9%.
If you do get in, the tuition is on the high side, but fortunately for UPenn aspirants, the university offers a full scholarship for 8 academic semesters to undergraduate students. Let’s get some information on the University of Pennsylvania.
University of Pennsylvania:
The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League higher institution. It was established in 1740, under the name College of Philadelphia. UPenn has achieved great heights and has gathered a great reputation which is evident in its worldwide rankings. According to World University Rankings 2021, the University of Pennsylvania has been named the 13th best university in the world. The institution is known for its academic intensity and its ambitious, competitive students.
Let’s look at some of the fully funded scholarships in UPENN below:
Fully Funded Scholarships in UPenn:
- Undergraduate Grants and Scholarships:
Similar to the operations of other Ivy League schools, UPenn’s undergraduate financial aid is entirely based on needs.
The University of Pennsylvania does not award scholarships according to academic or athletic excellence. UPenn is willing to meet students’ full needs for eight academic semesters. There are two funding for undergraduate students, Federal aid and institutional aid.
Federal aid:
Federal aid is offered by the federal government, unfortunately, this funding is not available to international students. Students can acquire financial aid through the FSEOG (Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant) and the FPG (Federal Pell Grant). This monetary assistance is based on financial needs, determined by the candidate’s FAFSA, and the availability of the desired institution.
- Federal-aid eligibility:
- Must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Must put together sufficient educational growth.
- Must not incur refund on a Federal Pell Grant.
Institutional aid:
This financial aid is offered by the institution (University of Pennsylvania) and is available to all students. Students can acquire financial aid through the Penn Grant. The Penn Grant is the premise for many financial aid options. It is the monetary fund that Penn has decided to utilize, by investing in students’ financial needs. It is need-based institutional aid, obtainable by all undergraduate students for as long as 8 semesters.
- Institutional aid eligibility:
- Must complete a CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) profile.
- Must finalize the Penn Financial aid Supplement (PFAS)
- Must present the needed federal income tax return information.
Named Scholarships:
Named Scholarships are financial aids and ample donations offered by alumni and friends of UPenn. Like most financial aids, the Named Scholarships are need-based and offered to undergraduate students. It has the same eligibility criteria as the Penn Grant. Examples of Named Scholarships are the Ben Franklin Endowed Scholarship.
State Grant:
The State Grant is generously offered by the applicant’s state of residence. Each state has its criteria, therefore, to apply, you must check with your state for more information. For example, residents of Pennsylvania may be eligible to receive financial aid from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
Mayor’s scholarship:
The Mayor’s scholarship is disbursed from Penn funds annually to high school seniors as another step in ensuring students get the education they deserve regardless of finances. To be eligible for this financial aid, you must be a resident of Philadelphia and must have schooled in Philadelphia or neighboring counties.
Funding for master’s, and Ph.D. students:
Securing funding for graduate students may take time, but is not impossible. The Weitzman school of design offers a scholarship through the Dean’s Diversity scholarship.
So, if you’re planning to get into The University of Pennsylvania through financial aid, these options above are available for you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How do I get a full scholarship at UPenn?
Since UPenn scholarships are need-based, the best way to get UPenn scholarships is to be low-income and unique enough to be desired by the institution.
- The Best reason to attend Penn?
Apart from its intense academics, Penn is known for its great environment for mental, physical, and professional growth.
- Is it difficult to get into UPenn?
As an Ivy League college, UPenn is quite competitive, which makes it difficult to get into judging by the acceptance rate which stands at 9% as of 2020.
- What GPA do I need to get into UPenn?
Ideally, you need a GPA of 3.9 or higher. However, you can increase your chances by getting a higher SAT score.
