Ivy League research university founded by Benjamin Franklin, pioneering professional education in America.
Penn offers undergraduate education through four schools: College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Wharton School, and School of Nursing. Graduate and professional education spans 12 schools including the first medical school in North America (founded 1765) and Wharton, the world's first collegiate business school (1881). The university pioneered professional education in America and continues to emphasize interdisciplinary study across its integrated campus. Penn's academics are grounded in liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on research, inclusivity, and intellectual rigor.
Penn reported $2.172 billion in research expenditures in fiscal year 2024, ranking second among U.S. universities in the NSF's Higher Education Research and Development survey. The university maintains an academic medical center and biomedical research complex. Faculty and students engage in cutting-edge research across sciences, technology, health, business, law, and humanities, with particular strength in interdisciplinary collaboration enabled by the unified campus.
The main campus occupies 299 acres in University City, West Philadelphia, centered around College Hall. Notable landmarks include Houston Hall (first student union building in the U.S., 1896) and Franklin Field (hosting college football since 1895). The university operates 33 varsity sports teams in NCAA Division I's Ivy League. Student life includes residential colleges, dining facilities, extensive library resources, museums, and cultural programming. Penn maintains a strong tradition of student engagement and community involvement.
Penn practices need-blind admissions and offers all-grant financial aid (no loans) to admitted students, significantly reducing debt burden and ensuring accessibility for talented students from all backgrounds. The university enrolls approximately 9,760 undergraduates and 13,614 postgraduates. Penn attracts a geographically and internationally diverse student body, with historical commitment to expanding access since its founding.
Founded in 1740 and chartered in 1755, Penn is one of nine colonial colleges and identifies as the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Benjamin Franklin served as founder and first president, advocating for an institution training leaders in academia, commerce, and public service. Penn's campus briefly hosted the Second Continental Congress in 1778. The university has produced 8 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 7 signers of the U.S. Constitution, 3 U.S. Presidents, and numerous other national and international leaders.