Penn Admissions: F.A.Q. for International = Applicants

F.A.Q. for International Applicants

Q. I am an international student who moved to a U.S. Boarding = School in=20 Grade 10 or 11. Which transcripts do you require? Should I submit = recommendation=20 letters from my old school?

A. If your current school transcript does not provide the Admissions = Office=20 with your actual letter/numerical grades earned at your previous school, = the=20 Admissions Office will require copies of both your current school = transcript and=20 previous school's transcript. Students should also include certified = copies of=20 any national level exams they had taken before moving to a Cambridge = "O-Level"=20 Exams, etc. Students must submit a letter of recommendation from their = current=20 school counselor, but are welcome to submit an additional letter of=20 recommendation from the counselor/principal in their former school if = they feel=20 the letter would provide additional insight into the student's abilities = and=20 achievements.

Q. I do not speak English at home. Am I required to take the TOEFL = "Test=20 of English as a Foreign Language" exam? Can I substitute my great TOEFL = score in=20 place of my weaker SAT verbal score?

A. Penn requires all applicants to submit the results of the SAT = Reasoning=20 Test and two (2) SAT Subject Tests, along with the TOEFL exam. However, = If a=20 student scores higher than a 650 on the Critical Reading Section of the = SAT=20 Reasoning Test, then the student is exempt from taking the TOEFL exam. = If a=20 student feels that their verbal/writing scores are not adequate enough, = then the=20 student may also want to submit a letter of recommendation from their = senior=20 year English teacher commenting on the student's ability to comprehend = and write=20 at an advanced level of English. Keep in mind that the TOEFL score = supplements=20 the SAT verbal scores but will not serve as a substitute for the SAT = verbal=20 scores. Students should bear in mind that Penn faculty will hold all=20 undergraduates to the same expectations regardless of linguistic = background

Q. What is the range of TOEFL scores the Penn Admissions Office = would=20 expect from an Applicant?

A. On the TOEFL-IBT exam (Internet-Based Test), the minimum score is = an 80,=20 but Penn tends to admit students with a score of 100 and above (the exam = is=20 scaled from 0-120, with 120 being a perfect score). On the Paper- Based = TOEFL,=20 the minimum score is a 550, but Penn tends to admit students with a = score of 600=20 and above (the exam is scaled from 310 to 677, with 677 being a perfect = score).=20 On the Computer-Based TOEFL exam, the minimum composite score is 220, = but Penn=20 tends to admit students with scores of 260 or above (the exam is scaled = from=20 0-300, with 300 being a perfect score).

****PLEASE NOTE: The Computer-Based TOEFL has been eliminated = since it=20 was last administered on September 30, 2006. TOEFL exam scores are only = valid=20 for two years.

Q. I am a dual citizen (a citizen of two countries, i.e. United = States and=20 Bahamas). Should I note both on my application form? Will it impact my = chances=20 of admission if I only list one and not both?

A. Students should disclose all countries that they hold citizenship = or=20 residency ties with. This is important information to have so that the = selection=20 committee has a better understanding of the student's background. = Citizenship=20 has no impact on the chance of admission. It is, however, important to = provide=20 full disclosure because: a) the university tracks this information for = records=20 purposes and b) Citizenship or residency status may impact the type of = financial=20 aid a student may qualify for.

Q. Does Penn have a quota on the number of foreign students they = admit=20 each year?

A. No, Penn has no quotas on the number of students admitted from any = one=20 particular school, city, or country. All students are considered in the = same=20 pool, regardless of citizenship or the school they attend. Penn has the = largest=20 percentage of international students of all the Ivy League Schools. As = of Fall=20 2006, 1113 international students represented 96 countries in the = undergraduate=20 class (international students are defined as all foreign passport = holders that=20 held no citizenship or residency ties to the United States).

Q. How and when do I receive my student visa from Penn?

A. This process begins AFTER a student is offered admission. Admitted = students will receive an Entry Document Application Form known as the = "I-20"=20 with their online decision notice. Students must complete and return the = I-20=20 application form to Penn's Office of International Programs immediately = upon=20 accepting the offer of admission. Once received, the I-20 application = form will=20 be processed and approved, and only then is the I-20 mailed to the = student.=20 Students then present this document to the United States Consulate in = their=20 country of citizenship to receive their F-1 or J-1 student visa.

Q. Where can I find out more about Penn's international = involvement?=20

A. Please visit the International Affairs@Penn website, http://ia.oip.upenn.edu/.

Q. What type of services does Penn provide to International = Students?=20

A. Penn's Office of International Programs, www.upenn.edu/oip, = exclusively=20 serves the needs of the International Student Community. There is also a = special=20 International Student Orientation held before the start of new student=20 orientation for all freshmen. The Office of International Programs (OIP) = provides services to students and visiting scholars at the University of = Pennsylvania. The staff assists with problems related to immigration and = employment status, social and personal adjustments to a new culture, and = practical matters related to a student's stay in Philadelphia.

Q. I am a foreign citizen but my family is in the process of = receiving=20 their "green card" to become permanent residents of the United States. = How does=20 this affect my application and how do I inform the Admissions Office of = changes=20 in my status during the application cycle?

A. Applicants should always keep the admissions office informed of = changes in=20 their citizenship and/or residency status. A student's citizenship = and/or=20 residency status may affect the types of financial aid they may qualify = for.=20 Students should submit photocopies of all paperwork documenting their = status=20 with their admissions applications and with their financial aid = application=20 forms. They should also mail us and/or email us with any updates = regarding=20 changes in their status. Unless a student meets one of the following=20 designations, they are not eligible for financial aid from the US = government:=20

U.S. citizens
U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's = Island
U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Alien=20 Registration Receipt Card)
Possess eligible non citizen status with the U.S. Government To be = an=20 eligible non-citizen, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) = from=20 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) showing one of the = following=20 designations:=20
1. Refugee
2. Asylum Granted
3. Cuban-Hatian Entrant, Status Pending
4. Conditional Entrant (valid only if issued before April 1, = 1980)
5. Parollee (You must be paroled into the United States for other = than a=20 temporary purpose and intend to become a citizen or permanent=20 resident.)
6. If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for P.R. status = (I-171 or=20 I-464), you are not eligible for federal student = aid.

(This information is subject to change per US government = regulations.)

Q. Does Penn have financial aid available for international = students?=20

A. Yes. The University of Pennsylvania has limited need-based = financial aid=20 available for students who are not U.S. citizens or bona fide permanent=20 residents of North America. For citizens and permanent residents of the = United=20 States, Canada, and Mexico, we maintain a need-blind admissions policy = and aid=20 all needy candidates.

Q. I am not a citizen of the United States, Canada, or Mexico. = Will=20 applying for financial aid affect my chances of admission?

A. Yes. Students whose families have the means to afford the full = cost of=20 attending Penn are strongly urged not to apply for Penn sponsored = financial aid.=20 If your family cannot afford the total cost of Penn, then you must apply = for=20 financial aid. Please note that you will be in competition for very = limited=20 funds. In recent years, we have offered an average of 50 aid awards to = admitted=20 freshmen and one or two to admitted international transfer students. =

Q. If I apply for financial aid as an international student, will = Penn=20 offer me admission without offering a financial aid package?

A. No. Some candidates whom we would like to admit will be turned = away=20 because we exhaust our aid budget.

Q. If I apply for financial aid but my family does in fact possess = the=20 financial resources to finance my education, will Penn reconsider or = reevaluate=20 my admission application if I am not admitted?

A. No. We cannot reevaluate your case once a final decision has been = made=20 based upon the information you provided in your application. This is the = only=20 way to ensure fairness in the selection process.

Q. What types of financial aid does Penn provide?

A. All financial assistance is based upon the student's evaluated = financial=20 need. Penn guarantees to meet 100% of this need with financial aid = packages that=20 normally consist of a combination of university grants (money which does = not=20 need to be repaid), long-term student loans from the university, and/or = options=20 for on-campus employment. Students who receive financial aid are assured = of=20 continued support throughout their undergraduate program if they = continue to=20 demonstrate need.

Q. How do you determine financial need?

A. Your financial need is calculated by subtracting your expected = family=20 contribution from the Educational Expense Budget (the sum of tuition and = fees,=20 room, meals, books, and an allowance for personal expenses). Note that = the cost=20 of a Penn education and a candidate's financial need is calculated in = U.S.=20 dollars.

Q. When do I apply for financial aid?

A. you should apply by the deadline listed on the enclosed Financial = Aid=20 Application Checklist. An early application will ensure notification = about your=20 financial assistance with your letter of admission and will also ensure = the=20 University financial aid funds are not exhausted.

Q. May I apply for financial aid at any time during my = undergraduate=20 career?

A. No. It is only possible to apply for financial aid during the = initial=20 admissions process. If you foresee a need for financial aid at some = point during=20 your undergraduate career, you must apply for it as an incoming freshman = or=20 transfer applicant.

Q. May I apply for financial aid as an Early Decision = applicant?

A. Yes. We consider international applicants for financial aid under = both our=20 Early and Regular Decision programs, as well for transfer students.

Q. What forms do I need to complete to apply for financial = aid?

A. A financial aid checklist and corresponding forms are included in = this=20 packet and are also available at the Student Financial Services website = at http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/.=20

Note: If your parents live and work in the U.S. and file a = U.S. tax=20 return, you need to submit a College Board PROFILE and a Form 6 instead = of the=20 International Application and Certification of Finances. You must also = submit=20 U.S. tax returns and W2s. See the checklist for U.S. Citizens at http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/ for=20 a list of required forms. Note that you do not need to file FAFSA.=20

Q. Where can I find additional information about financial aid at=20 Penn?

A. Visit the Paying for a Penn Education section of the Student = Financial=20 Services website at http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/.

F.A.Q. for International Applicants

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