Fee Waiver Instructions:
A limited number of application fee waivers are available for applicants who demonstrate clear and compelling financial hardship. The Graduate Division of Arts and Sciences oversees the waiver process, which is completed through the application. For more information on how to request a waiver, please refer to their Application Information page. Applicants should submit requests at least 2 weeks prior to the application deadline.
All waiver requests must be made through the application. Please do not send your request or any personal information by email.
If you encounter any issues, please email sas-gradadmissions@sas.upenn.edu
Please do not send transcripts or other documents to the “admiss@upenn” email address.
Information for applicants to the graduate program:
The graduate program in physics and astronomy is directed primarily towards the PhD degree, emphasizing completion of an original and significant research investigation.
The departmental research program presently emphasizes experimental and theoretical works in particle physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics, and astronomy.
https://apply.graduateadmissions.upenn.edu/apply/
Special Admissions Requirements
Successful applicants to our program will usually have a Bachelor's degree in physics, astronomy, or a related science, as well as prior research experience.
For applicants whose native language is not English, the TOEFL exam is required to demonstrate proficiency in English. We do not require GRE scores as part of our admissions process, but like many other items of a student’s application—transcript, letters, statement—they may provide information about you as a student that might otherwise be missed. If you have chosen to take the GREs and feel that they demonstrate an ability that is not shown otherwise by your record, please note this in your research or personal statements.
In the personal statement, all Ph.D. applications within the Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences should address the following:
Please describe how your background and academic experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and led you to apply to Penn. Your essay should detail your specific research interests and intellectual goals within your chosen field. Please provide information about your educational trajectory, intellectual curiosity and academic ambitions. If you have experienced limited access to resources or opportunities in your field of study or had other challenges with respect to your education, please feel free to share those and how they have affected the course of your education. We are also interested in how your personal experiences and your particular perspective might contribute to the dynamic learning community that Penn values and strives to create.
For Further Information
Admissions
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Pennsylvania
209 S 33rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6396
telephone: (215) 898-8141
email: admiss@physics.upenn.edu
Admission Statistics
- Address admission inquiries to: Admissions Coordinator, Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Graduate application fee required: $90
- Admission deadline (Fall admission): December 15
- Admission information: We typically make offers of admission to about 12 percent of those who apply.
- Undergraduate preparation assumed: An undergraduate degree in physics, astronomy, or a related science. A typical student will have completed intermediate and advanced courses in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and undergraduate laboratory courses.
Transfer Credit
Students may receive credit for graduate courses taken at other institutions, though no more than 8 credits may be transferred. For more information, contact the Graduate Chair with your transcript and a description of the topics covered in the class.