UPenn supplemental essays 2026-27

“Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!)”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: All applicants · Required for this group

This is the kind of question readers look forward to, because it is where a file starts to sound like a person. Answer it literally and specifically: a real, slightly odd detail does more than a profound one, and 200 words is enough for one image followed all the way through.

“How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn.”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: All applicants · Required for this group

Name the group, your place in it, and one thing that is different because you were there. These answers fail by staying abstract; a scene with real people in it does the work that adjectives cannot.

“Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science. Why are you applying to Nursing, where do you see yourself professionally in the future, and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare?”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: School of Nursing applicants (single-degree school choice) · Required for this group

UPenn's readers see this answer more than any other, and most versions would survive a find-and-replace with another college's name. Try it on your draft: every sentence that still works with a rival's name in it has to go. What is left should be things you would actually use at UPenn, each tied to something you have already done.

“The College of Arts and Sciences is designed to foster discovery and connection. Describe something you are curious about – something you'd like to learn more about or find a new approach to – and how you might pursue that curiosity in the College.”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: College of Arts and Sciences applicants (single-degree school choice) · Required for this group

Readers check this answer against your transcript and activities, so it has to match them. Name the specific question, course or project that pulls you, show where the interest started, and point to what you would use at UPenn by its real name.

“Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues. Discuss a current issue of importance to you and how you hope a Wharton education would help you explore it.”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: The Wharton School applicants (single-degree school choice) · Required for this group

Goals read as believable when they grow out of something already in the file. Connect the future you describe to one concrete thing you have done, and keep it specific enough to check.

“Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics with depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Describe how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected.”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: Penn Engineering applicants (single-degree school choice) · Required for this group

“Applicants to the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business must choose one of eleven target languages. Please select your target language.”

Limit: Selection (no word limit) · Who: Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business applicants · Required for this group

“Describe your experience with the target language you selected. You may wish to share the length of time you've studied or used this language, how you've learned it, the skills you've acquired, and/or the skills you still wish to develop. Please also explain why you are interested in studying this language and the region(s) of the world where it is spoken.”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: Huntsman Program applicants · Required for this group

“The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally-minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and around the world. What draws you to a dual degree in international studies and business, and how would you use what you learn to address a global issue where these two domains intersect?”

Limit: 50-400 words · Who: Huntsman Program applicants · Required for this group

Program readers work from a small pile and know their program in detail. Show that you have already done the kind of work it is built around, name the parts of it you would use, and say what you would do in it that the regular path at UPenn would not let you do.

“The Vagelos Life Sciences & Management (LSM) program brings together two powerful modes of understanding – scientific inquiry and strategic thinking – to prepare students to engage thoughtfully and creatively with some of the most complex challenges of our time. What questions, problems, or opportunities would you hope to explore through LSM, and how might the integration of life sciences and management shape your approach to them? Focus on the ideas, values, or questions that draw you to this intersection, rather than how LSM might advance your career, and make sure this essay is distinct from your single-degree application.”

Limit: 50-400 words · Who: Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management (LSM) applicants · Required for this group

“Explain how you will use the M&T program to pursue problems or opportunities that require both engineering and business perspectives.”

Limit: 50-400 words · Who: Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T) applicants · Required for this group

“Describe something you created, designed, improved, or built. What motivated you, and what did you learn from the process?”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T) applicants · Required for this group

Choose the commitment where your own part is clearest, even if it is not the biggest line on your list, and spend the words on what you did that someone else in your seat would not have.

“Describe your interest in nursing and health care management, and how Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in nursing and business would help you meet your goals. Please ensure that this essay is distinct from your single-degree application, if applicable.”

Limit: 50-400 words · Who: Nursing and Healthcare Management (NHCM) applicants · Required for this group

“VIPER students pursue dual degrees in science or math and engineering. Which major combination(s) interest you most right now and why? Your response to this prompt is not binding; students often shift majors as they learn more through the program. See available VIPER majors on our website.”

Limit: 50-200 words · Who: Roy and Diana Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) applicants · Required for this group

“Describe your interest in the VIPER program, including how any past experiences (academic, research, extracurricular, etc.) have shaped your interest in energy science and technology, and how you envision participation in VIPER fitting into your future goals.”

Limit: 50-400 words · Who: VIPER applicants · Required for this group

“Discuss how your interests align with the Visual and Interactive Computing (VIC) program at the University of Pennsylvania”

Limit: 50-400 words · Who: BSE in Visual and Interactive Computing (VIC) applicants · Required for this group