The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The university, established as the College of Philadelphia in 1740, is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Scholarship and Learning
Academic life at University of Pennsylvania is unparalleled, with 134 countries and 50 U.S. states. Consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the country, University of Pennsylvania enrolls 10,001 undergraduate students and welcomes an additional 16,746 students to our world-renowned graduate and professional schools.
University of Pennsylvania award-winning educators and scholars encourage students to pursue inquiry and discovery, follow their passions, and address the world’s most challenging problems through an interdisciplinary approach.
University of Pennsylvania is committed to creating a community of students, scholars, and staff that reflects the diversity of the world we live in. Toward this end, the University established its Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence in 2011, which has led to, in 2021, a 63 percent increase in underrepresented faculty and a 36 percent increase in female faculty.
Nearly half of University of Pennsylvania undergraduates self-identify as students of color, more than half are women, 13 percent are among the first in their families to attend college, and 13 percent are international. The spectrum of valuable perspectives and ensuing dialogue are key contributors to educational excellence and an inclusive, dynamic campus environment.
