Spotlight on University of Pennsylvania Engineering
Prodigy Finance - April 26, 2018
Ready to learn everything you need to know about engineering and STEM masters degrees at University of Pennsylvania Engineering? You're in the right place!
The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university. It also has the honour of being the oldest university in the United States (yes, UPenn was the first American University).
Though the ideas of Benjamin Franklin, UPenn's founder, were considered a little too wild for his contemporaries, they helped to transform Penn Engineering into the progressive, research-oriented school it is today.
UPenn fast facts
Private university - Ivy League
University enrollment: 25,367
Countries represented: 111
Living alumni: 310,569
Full time graduate students: 11,013
International grad students: 3425
Engineering grad students: 1849
Engineering masters students: 1330
Most represented countries in engineering: China, India , South Korea, Taiwan, Canada
Where is UPenn?
- City: Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania (PA)
- City population: 1.568 million with a metropolitan population over 6 million
- Region: Eastern seaboard region
- Climate: Temperate maritime: winters are moderately cold (Jan avg: .6°C/33°F) and snowfall varies from light to heavy dependent on the year; summers are hot and muggy (Jul avg: 25.6°C/78.1°F)
- Nearest airport: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Time zone: EST from November-March (GMT -4); EDT from March to November (GMT-5)
What can you study at Penn Engineering?
You'll find an array of highly-ranked programmes within the School of Engineering and Applied Science at UPenn Engineering, including several specialised degree options.
Department
Rank
Degrees
All reporting 2016 grads obtained US employment.
4
MS in Bioengineering (MSBE)
Master of Biotechnology (MB) jointly offered with the School of Arts and Sciences
The highest 2016 reported CIS salary was $200K.
17
MSE in Computer Graphics and Game Technology (MSECGGT)
MSE in Computer & Information Science (MSECIS)
Master of Computer and Information Technology (MCIT)
The highest 2016 reported ESE salary was $118K.
18
MSE in Electrical Engineering (MSEEE)
MSE in Systems Engineering (MSESE)
MSE in Embedded Systems (MSEEMBS)
MSE in Robotics (MSER)
Integrated Product Design
no rank available
MSE in Integrated Product Design (MSEIPD)
Masters in Integrated Product Design (MIPD)
17
MSE in Materials Science (MSEMS)
Grads are recruited across the US - and internationally.
Salaried in this department range between $30-120K. With an average over $81K.
16
MSE in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MSEMEAM)
MSE in Integrated Product Design (MSEIPD)
Master of Integrated Product Design (MIPD)
MSE in Robotics (MSER)
MSE in Nanotechnology (MSEN)
Penn Institute for Computational Science
no rank available
MSE in Scientific Computing (MSESCMP)
Penn Engineering job placement
The Engineering Career Days is a recruitment fair open exclusively to students (and grads) from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. This career fair spans two days annually in September.
Enrolled students have access to a dedicated Engineering Career Fair app to peruse recruiting companies and includes a floor plan and tips.
There's also a Biosciences Career Fair which takes place in October, as well as social impact, startup, and Ivy League career fairs for interested students.
Several big name companies recruited multiple masters 2016 graduates from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. They include (but aren't limited to):
- Microsoft: 22
- Amazon: 18
- Google: 17
The average grad receives 2 job offers during their studies or just after graduation - and 96% accept offers prior to graduation.
The majority of Penn engineering accept US job offers for post-grad work. Only 22 students reported international employment.
Within the US, the highest number of grads accept employment in California (73), New York (47), Pennsylvania (40), and Washington (39).
2016 Penn Engineering masters grads reported salaries between $30,000 and $200,000 and positions across sectors.
UPenn and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences take the employment of their students very seriously. In addition to career fairs, they have an internal network connecting students to employers.
On-campus recruiting (OCR) accounts for 48% of accepted job offers. This doesn't include offers made through OCR and subsequently not accepted. Nor does this figure include accepted offers where a student learned about a company through the university, but didn't use OCR channels to connect with their future employer.
Fast fact: Penn Engineering grads have an average of 6.6 interviews and receive an average of 2 job offers.
Interestingly, 52% of grads go into information technology fields, whether they graduate from the department of Computer and Information Sciences or not. So if you're hoping for employment in this field, Penn Engineering is a solid bet.
What's it like to live at UPenn?
Not only is the University of Pennsylvania a hot spot for talks, art installations, sports events, and get-togethers, but you have the whole of Philadelphia on your doorstep and New York City is less than an hour and a half away.
As an international student, however, your first stop should be the Office for International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Here, you'll find everything you need to know about settling into life as a student at UPenn. UPenn's ISSS has a pre-orientation guide that covers everything from getting a cell phone to exploring Philadelphia.
You also have the Graduate Student Center that provides services and can help you find your way.
International students have a lot of housing options, including on-campus apartments, an international house (serving several Philadelphia institutions), and off-campus apartments. You can turn to the ISSS, the Residential Services Department, or the Off-Campus Services department to help you locate your home for the next two years.
And, when it comes to food, there are UPenn graduate dining plans that offer flexibility and the ISSS even keeps track of the best food trucks and grocery stores in the area.
How to get into Penn Engineering
The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League school and receives applications from the most-talented individuals across the globe. Admissions is highly competitive and you will want the best GRE and TOEFL or IELTS scores you can achieve.
But, keep in mind that scores aren't everything. In general, most US grad schools, and UPenn in particular, want well-rounded candidates that can offer more than just academics to the school community.
The ideal candidate is likely to be one that believes in 'service to society' as applied by UPenn founder, Benjamin Franklin. (And, any potential applicant that isn't aware of the impact of Benjamin Franklin on the school and on American history and society as a whole would be wise to learn more before applying.)
In effect, you should be able to demonstrate how a Penn Engineering masters degree will help you give back to the world - however wide or limited that impact might be.
While no minimum GPA, GRE,TOEFL, or IELTS scores are specified, you should note the following averages when preparing your statement of purpose (SOP) essay. If you're lacking in any areas, you might want to provide a subtle explanation in your SOP. If you haven't taken your tests yet, try to achieve these scores as a minimum for your best shot:
- Average undergrad GPA: 3.58
- Average GRE scores: 155 verbal, 166 quantitative, 3.8 analytical writing
- Mean TOEFL score: 106 iBT
Penn Engineering admissions details
Application cycle dates: November 15, March 15; February 1 for Robotics and Integrated Product Design
Application fee: $80
Undergrad transcript: required
SOP essay: required
Recommendations: 2, one must be from a faculty member who is familiar with the candidate's scholarly abilities
GRE test: required, no min score
GPA: no min specified
Language test: required for non-native English speakers; waivers available; TOEFL is preferred, IELTS is accepted; min scores may vary by department
Min TOEFL score: 100 iBT recommended minimum
Min IELTS score: 7.5 recommended minimum
Penn Engineering cost of attendance (for 2018/19 academic year)
Tuition: $43,132
General fee (including placement services and activity fees)*: $3096
Technology fee*: $862
Room: $15,580
Board: $6000
Books and supplies: $2350
Health insurance*: $3348
Personal and misc (including travel): $4660
Total CoA for 1 year: $79,028
* These mandatory fees collected by the university don't cover the full cost of for activities, health care, transportation, or technology use.
Does UPenn offer scholarships to international students?
Although the University of Pennsylvania is known for its financial aid packages - even for international students, it's important to note that Penn Engineering does not provide financial aid for masters students. The same applies for domestic as well as international students.
Individual departments may offer scholarships or teaching positions to assist with financing your education, but not all of them do - and you should plan to apply early if you hope to secure one.
However UPenn does provide a list of possible funding sources and scholarships for graduate students and you should apply to as many as possible to mitigate your total educational costs.
Prodigy Finance international student loans for Penn Engineering
Prodigy Finance offers loans for international masters students at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.
Students from supported countries pursuing masters programmes that can be completed in less than 2 years are eligible to apply.
- Maximum loan amount: up to 100% of the school-provided cost of attendance (tuition plus living expenses)
- Minimum loan amount: $35,000
- Typical interest rates: 6 - 8% (fixed) over the 3-month US Libor base rate (variable)
- All loans disbursed directly to the university according to due dates
Prodigy Finance also supports loans for University of Pennsylvania students pursuing masters degrees in these schools:
Completely set on a masters degree from UPenn?
Prodigy Finance provides loans to international masters students pursuing their masters degrees at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
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