Penn has a proud tradition of translating knowledge into social-minded action that dates back to our founder Benjamin Franklin. This tradition of active pragmatism, articulated in Franklin’s maxim “well-done is better than well-said,” lives today through the Penn Compact 2022 and its the inclusive policies, innovative work, and impactful engagement of our faculty, students, and staff.
University of Pennsylvania Distance Learning Courses
Penn dates its founding to 1740, when a plan emerged to build a Philadelphia charity school that would double as a house of worship.
After construction was underway, however, the cost was seen to be much greater than the available resources, and the project went unfinished for a decade.
Education
Penn’s academics are boosted by its inherent culture and ecosystem of innovation. You name it, if it’s cutting-edge, the University’s faculty—and students—have their hands in it.
Grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and enriched by the integrated resources of four undergraduate and 12 graduate schools, Penn offers students an unparalleled education informed by inclusivity, intellectual rigor, research, and the impetus to create new knowledge to the benefit of individuals and communities around the world.
Research
With more than $1.02 billion in annual R&D expenditures, Penn is one of the nation’s top research universities, not only generating important new knowledge in the fields of medicine, technology, business, science, and beyond, but applying this knowledge to improve the lives of individuals and communities at home and around the world.
University of PennsylvaniaKey Statistics & Highlights
#15Ranking
28 Courses
3,314Academic Staff
21,211Students
4,666Students (int'l)
11,242Students (female)
Private Institution Type
Student services
Office of Government and Community Affairs
OGCA manages relationships with government and community leaders, advocates for policies and legislation consistent with the University’s goals, and shapes local engagement initiatives.
Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships
The Netter Center is Penn’s central administrative office for community partnership programs, including academically based community service, direct traditional service, and community development.
Housing services
Penn’s residential system is comprised of twelve undergraduate College Houses and Sansom Place.
Approximately 5,500 undergraduates live on campus. The College Houses offer distinct room types, amenities, and communities – making it easy to find what’s right for you.
For our graduate students, we offer housing in Sansom Place, which is home to 500 graduate students.
Library services
Albrecht Music Library
Annenberg Library
Biddle Law Library
Biomedical Library
Chemistry Library
Education Commons
Fisher Fine Arts Library
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Levy Dental Medicine Library
Lippincott Library of the Wharton School
Math/Physics/Astronomy Library
Penn Museum Library
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center
Veterinary Medicine Libraries
ICT services
ISC works and collaborates with IT professionals in Penn’s Schools and Centers to deliver key systems, services, and products that will help transform how the University works, educates, and conducts research.
Medical services
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Penn Dental Medicine
Penn Nursing
OncoLink®
Campus life
To this day, Penn’s 299-acre West Philadelphia campus reflects its rich heritage—a heritage closely bound with the birth of the United States—boasting more than 180 buildings and many notable landmarks, including the nation’s first student union and first double-decker college football stadium.
The 190 research centers and institutes on campus also reflect the University’s innovative, civic-minded, and pragmatic creator: More than 250 years after Ben Franklin broke new ground in founding Penn, its faculty, students, and alumni continue to make breakthroughs in research, scholarship, and education.
Sports facilities
A proud member of the Ivy League, Penn offers many unique and exciting opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to cheer on the mighty Quakers, participate in competitive team sports, and stay physically fit at state-of-the-art, world-class training centers.
Penn Athletics
Campus Recreation
Sport Clubs
Wellness & Fitness Programs
Penn Relays
Student clubs
Student Clubs and Organizations
Penn Clubs
Search student groups, register an organization, and view upcoming campus events.
Fraternities and Sororities
Learn about Greek life at Penn and resources available through the Office of Student Affairs/Fraternity Sorority Life. Find information tailored to the needs of students, parents, and alumni.
Student Government
Deliberative and representative bodies for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
Accreditation
The University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
University of PennsylvaniaOverview
University of PennsylvaniaRankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 0.5%United States
Top 0.2%Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
15
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
11
15
15
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
17
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 2 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
2025
2026
2027
14
15
17
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2027 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
14
14
-
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
No 2026 Ranking
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
2024
2025
2026
14
14
-
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
University of PennsylvaniaStudent Reviews & Awards
4.3
Based on 23 reviews
5 Star
9 Reviews
4 Star
12 Reviews
3 Star
2 Reviews
2 Star
0 Reviews
1 Star
0 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
Student Teacher Interaction4.4
Student Diversity4.1
Quality of Student Life4.2
Career Development4.3
5/5
Loved Penn!
I had an amazing experience at Penn and felt right at home. The application process as an international student was hard but worth it.
There is a lot of academic support throughout then four years and so many resources to make sure students succeed.
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromAug 2021 - May 2025
Posted onMay 2026
3/5
Learning and Growth in I.Com
I have completed my 2nd year of I.Com. I really liked learning about accounting and business subjects. It helped me understand the basics of finance. I think more practical learning and workshops could make it even better. Overall, it was a good and valuable study experience.
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Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromOct 2025 - Oct 2029
Posted onOct 2025
3/5
Not real tho
Schooling is fun , and We have to survive it and that is exactly what is did and here I am.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
Student Teacher Interaction
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Student Diversity
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Quality of Student Life
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Career Development
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